MrNobody
2014-07-26, 09:25 AM
I was just thinking about monsters and such this week and came to my mind that in D&D there is nothing that opposes Guardinals directly like Angels and Devils.
So I made up a new race of outsiders, using the seven Guardinals as base structure, changing a little bit the stats, the feats and expecially introducing new special abilities. I didn't to it because i need it for my game but only because... it needed to be done (i know you guys all know what i mean :smallsmile:).
So there you go: i hope you enjoy my work and maybe find it usefull for your games!
Comments and suggestions are always appreciated!!
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Pain Wardens
Tales and myths tell stories almost forgotten of fallen angels: when the greatest evil finally manages to find a gap in the heart of creatures of such beauty and kindness it not only destroys them but twists them in mind and body, leaving behind fearsome devils whose cruelty and power are greater than the goodness that was erased from them.
A similar fate awaits those Guardinals that lose faith in their role as heralds of the good and kindness in nature.
Sometimes century of segregate living in Elysium’s mesmerizing beauty make the Guardinals forget about the conflictual part of nature: living in the plane of pleasures, they forget that nature is also made of death, fear, violence, diseases, famine and natural disasters.
Because of that, the first time one of them is called or sent to Material Plane to accomplish some duty, the experience results in a huge trauma.
In a few hours, the guardianal is forced to remember all he forgot: beyond the glistening, epic façade of a handful of famous heroes, the vast majority of the world is in a costant struggle for life, with pain and anguish looming at every corner. For every druid that saves a sacrad wood from a demonic invasion a thousand farmers lose their lives to a poor harvest; for every purified field hundreds of cratures die of poison or disease.
Almost all the Guardinal react to this renewed clarity by enhancing their efforts in the fight for good, believeng that when all evil will be eradicated from the Multiverse all such misery, too, will be put to an end.
Once in a couple of centuries, however, some Guardinals prove to not be strong enough to stand this vision, and as a consequence become tainted. Slowly, they start considering all this suffering as a crucial aspect of nature, believing that animals, humanoids and plants alike are bound by their own nature to endure the pain and even die of it. They become detached, apathetic, insensitive to the needs of mortals.
It is when their lack of interest peaks they complete their fall: it all start with a little self-inflicted injury or with a small display of needless violence.
The obsession for pain, grown inside their heart for days, months and years, finally takes over the mind of the Guardinal. Pain is all he can think about, all he wants to experience, all he wants to bring to the world, because the world is nature and nature is suffering.
When he fully aknowledge the change, his eternal body follows up his mind in the process, twisting its beatiful appearence in a fearsome mien. His powers also change, matching his obsession.
Once tranformed, Guardinals lose their status gaining a new one: they’re now Pain Warden.
Still devoted to nature, the only thing they can see and guard upon is the many-faced misery that envelops the world like a dark shroud.
Once fallen, Pain Wardens still remain native of Elysium but dwell mostly on the material plane and in some Lower Plane. If they die they’re sent back to Elysium where they start suffering the pain given to evil creature on a good aligned plane. Strangely enough the Pain Wardens seem to enjoy even this pain. So they look for a secluded place in which they can hide, suffering until they’re allowed by planar rules to leave Elisyium and resume their mission.
Experience shows that each Guardinal type is susceptible to a particular kind of suffering and falling it transforms in a peculiar type of Pain Warden that matches this predispostion.
Seven types of Pain Warden match with the seven existing types of guardianal, as show below in their description.
Just like Guardinals with Talisid, Pain Wardens have a patron: Iersinies. Once Talisid’s 6th companion and mustevals patron, the ratlike Iersinies was the first guardianal to fall. Circumstances that brought to his fall are obscure but now he holds power above diseases and is considered the informal king of the Pain Wardens. Iersinies considers Talisid as a mortal enemy but, in return, is regarded as a poor, unfortunate creature worth only pity and compassion. Scholars say he once had (and maybe still has) a romantic affaire with Zuggtmoy, demonic queen of fungi, but this suggestion was never confirmed.
Rules and stats.
Pain Warden are outsider with the evil subtype. Since their fell they lose the “Guardinal” subtype and all his traits but gain the “Pain Warden” subtype.
Pain Warden subtype.
• Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision.
• Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions.
• Fast healing 5. Unlike normal fast healing, the fast healing of a Pain Warden can heal vile damage (Book of Vile darkness p. 34)
• Power from pain (ex): for every 10 points of damage suffered and inflicted in one round the Pain Warden gains a +1 moral bonus to skill checks, saves and attack rolls that applies on his next round and that stays until another round starts, changing the bonus. Calculate the bonus summing up the two sources and dividing by ten, rounded down. For example, a Pain Warden takes a full attack action inflicting 42 damages, he is blasted by a fireball, halving, for 15 damages and make a successfull attack of opportunity for 16 damages. 42+15+16 = 73/10 = 7.3, rounded down 7. When it’s again the Pain Warden’s turn, he gains a +7 moral bonus on skill check, saves and attack rolls. All the damage done in this turn and suffered later in that same round concur in calculating the bonus for the next round, not enhancing the current one.
Monsters
Musnoxium.
A Musnoxium (pl. Musnoxia) is a fallen musteval. This kind of Guardinal was shocked by the horrible number and severity of natural diseases that scourge the mortals. As such, when he became a Pain Warden, he was also elected as herald of plagues and his small but terrible power allows him to spread them all over the world.
Musnoxia enjoy the moaning and screaming of terminally ill creatures, love to walk in fields whose harvests are ruined by fungi and find the perfect hideout in plagued cities from where admire the perverted beauty of animals’ and mens’ bodies wrecked by boils and sores.
They like to work hidden, travelling under a false identity leaving behind a long list of places whose population of animal, humanoids and plant has been decimated.
The fall changed the slim and healthy appearence of the musteval in a black-furred, ratlike figure. He has bloodshot eyes and lacks small patches of fur that are replaced by oozing and unhealty yellow boils as large as a big coin.
Tiny Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural), touch 17, flatfooted 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/–8
Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d3–2)
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d3–2)
Space/Reach: 2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Noxious suppuration, Spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Immunity to diseases and poisons (even the supernatural ones), Power from pain, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +8, Climb +7, Escape Artist +10, Hide +18, Jump +0, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Survival +7, Tumble +7, Use Rope +4 (+6 bindings)
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 3 HD (Tiny); 4–6 HD (Small)
Noxious suppuration (Ex): The body fluids of a Musnoxium are tainted by a powerful disease. Every creature that bites or is bitten by this monster must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract a terrible, supernatural disease. Once one day has passed after the failed save and once every other day the victim takes 1 point of damage to STR and DEX and gain the sickened condition. Every day the victim is allowed to roll a new save, but the success only protects against the damage of that day and doesn’t remove the disease. Only if the victim make a successful save for three consecutive days, the disease is removed. Until a victim has removed this disease he also gain the “noxious suppuration” special attack, being able of spreading the plague. Simple unprotected contact with contaminated fluids of the sick man or woman is enough to require a save.
At will, a musnoxium can take a move action that doesn’t provoque an attack of opportunity to spit on a piercing or slashing weapon he is wielding and make it able to infect the first creature it successfully damages.
At will, a musnoxium can take a full-round action that provoques an attack of opportunity to add his body fluid to a body of water, either by self inflicting 1 damage and spilling blood in it, either by drooling saliva or urinating in it. In this way the musnoxium can contaminate 3 cubic ft. of water per his Con score (tipically 42 cubic ft.). Every creature that drinks it must make the save to avoid contractig the disease. Water retains the contamination for one hour.
Ratlike animals (includin bats) and vermin are immune to musnoxia’s disease: if put in a situation that could contaminate them they are instead not allowed a saving throw and gain the “noxious suppuration” special attack, being able of spreading the disease. A swarm attack is considered a bite attack for the purpose of being contaminated.
The disease’s DC is based on Constitution and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Spell-like abilities: at will - Alter self ; 1/day - Summon swarm Caster level 2nd, DC 8+spell level.
Arclades
An Arclades (pl. Arcladi) is a fallen Cervidal. Unlike other Guardinal, often sent on missions on the material plane and accustomed to a certain degree to its nature, Cervidals spend their near entirety of their existence as guardians on Elysium. Because of that they have little knowledge of nature out of their planar kingdom and when they finally see it, they are disgusted. Accustomed to gentle breezes and lulling winds, to warm, calm waters and an enjoyable climate, they soon discover a ghastly reality made of killer droughts and floods, of storms devasting the landscapes and dire cold. These harsh conditions spread unthinkable suffering among the living: entire colonies of humanoids, animals or plants can be swept away in a few moments by these events.
Once defenders of natural beauty, Arcladi are now protectors and enforcerers of nature’s might: they travel the material plane influencing the climate with the power of their horns and, when they can, causing disasters, It’s a true pleasure for an Arclades to help a river to break the dam that hold it prisoner, passing the next hours watching flooded creatures lose all they had... even life.
Arcladi trade their previous aspect with a demonic outlook: the skin takes a livid or sunburnt color and covers in black geometrical tattoos and the curved horns unroll becoming ibex-like.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 21 (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attacks: Slam +9 melee (1d6+5) or gore +7 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+5) and gore +7 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Powerful charge, catastrophic aura, spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Horn power, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Balance +9, Climb + 10, Concentration +9, Intimidate +9, Jump +20 [has a +8 racial bonus], Spellcraft +7
Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack
Challenge Rating: 4
Advancement: 5–12 HD (Medium-size).
Powerful charge (Ex): as a full round action an Arclades can lower his head and charge using his gore attack. When he does so he gains the normal benefit of a charge and he deals 2d6+7 damages.
Catastrophic aura (Su): an Arclades is surrounded by a 15ft aura that changes the climate in the space near him in one of the four way shown below. The aura is always active unless he chooses to suppress him as a free action. Reactivating it is a swift action, and also is a swift action changing from a type of aura to another. If the active effect of the aura requires a save or a skill or ability check, the DC is 17, it’s Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus. Damage inflicted by the aura is considered as inflicted by the Arclades for the purpose of calculating the bonus of Power from pain. An Arclades in immune to the effects of his own aura.
Unheartly heat: Arclades is surrounded by a bubble of unbearably hot air that creates around him a desert-like climate. Every round, every creature in the aura must make a Fortitude save to halve 1d6 lethal and 1d4 nonlethal damage. This ability create a climate otherwise identical to the “unheartly heat” weather condition presented in Sandstorm, p.12.
Unheartly cold: an Arclades is surrounded by a bubble of freezing air that plunges the area around him into a polar climate. Every round, every creature in the aura must make a Fortitude save to halve 1d6 cold damage and 1d4 nonlethal damage. This ability create a climate otherwise identical to the “unheartly cold” weather condition presented in Frostburn, p.9.
Strong winds: this aura shrouds the Arclades shrouds in a whirlwind that protects him and pushes enemy away. Every non magical object and ranged weapons hurled toward the Arclades miss automatically and magic weapons and projectiles they shot have a -4 on their attack roll. In addition, every creature caught in the aura must make a Strenght check at the beginning of its round (as for opposing to a bullrush attempt) against the aura DC. If it fails, the creature is pushed by the wind in the closest square out of the aura. If the Arclades is submerged by water, this ability functions equally well, creating, instead, a bubble of whirling water and terrible currents.
Earth trembling: If the Arclades is standing on the ground, this aura shakes the earth around him like a localized earthquake in tune with the beating of its hooves. Every round, every creature caught in the aura must make a Balance check or fall prone.
Horn power (Sp): Once a week an Arclades can unleash all his power by voluntarily breaking his horns. As a fullround action that provokes an attack of opportunity the Arclades grabs a horn with each hand and breaks tem. Doing this allows him to use a Control Weather effect (as per the spell) centered on himself as if casted by a druid of a caster level equal to twice his HD (tipically 8th).
Using this power leaves the Arclades tired (fatigued for one full day) and defenseless: his horns take 1d4+1 days to fully grow back and until then he loses is his gore attack and the Power Charge special attack. His magical power is also drained and the DC of his aura is lowered to 10 until the horns grow back.
This negative effects show up only if the horns are broken to use this ability, not if broken in any other occasion.
Spell-like abilities: 3/day - fist of stone, magic missile. 1/day - rhino rush Caster level 4th, DC 13+spell level.
Luvena
Luvenas are fallen Lupinals. When these brave, pack-hunting Guardinals leave Elysium to fight in the Material plane they most get shocked by the constant hunger that devours every living creature. As hunters, Lupinals are accustomed to the call of the hunt, to the need to prove their strenght against an enemy and win, but only as a game or training to do in the immense plains of Elysium. They know next to nothing about the dire hunger that afflicts those who fight for living, the urge to track down and kill everything that smells like blood only to survive, the mindless feeding frenzy that kicks in when they prey is slaughtered and the urge is to eat as much as possible because nobody knows when the next feeding opputunity will show up.
Horrified by this unknown world, some Lupinals leave the pack and start a period on abstinence from food deep in the wild to think about their discovery. Even if by nature Guardinals don’t need food to survive, some Lupinals start to actually feel hunger, soft at first but growing heavy and burning. At some point, their mind breaks and their body changes: the noble hunter leaves, making room for the relentless killer, thirsty for blood and starving for flesh. The well shaped body grow thinner and thinner while the beautiful fur becomes shaggy and gains an ivory white colour. Disproportionate jaws and blood-red pupils decorate the now slim jackal-like head.
Now Luvenas live only to hunt, kill and feed himself of what they slaughter; they also use their rage spell like ability at a whim, to bring people and beasts in a frenzied state, unleashing the killer hunter they have within.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together their group is called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 20 (+5 Dex, +3 natural, +2 leather armor) touch 15, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+14
Attacks: Claw +15 melee (1d4+7) or bite +10 melee (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Damage: 2 claws +15 melee (1d4+7) or bite +10 melee (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Improved grab, spell-like abilities, Trip, Feeding rage.
Special Qualities: Unnatural scent, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 13
Skills: Balance +16, Climb +17, Concentration +12, Hide +16, Listen +17, Move Silently +16, Spot +17, Survival +15.
Feats: Alertness, Power Attack, Track, Improved Critical (bite) [B]
Advancement: 9–24 HD (Medium-size)
Challenge Rating: 5
Improve grab (Ex): If a Luvena hits an enemy with his bite attack an enemy of at least one size lower, he inflicts his normal damage and can immediately attempt a grapple check without provoking an attack of opportunity an without need to make a touch attack to start the grapple.
Trip (Ex): If a Luvena hits an enemy with his bite attack an enemy, he inflicts his normal damage and can immediately make a trip attempt without provoking an attack of opportunity. If he fails, the enemy cannot try to trip him in return.
Feeding rage (Ex): Every time a Luvena get a taste of blood either by biting an enemy either by wounding him with his claws and licking them (this does not require an action) he enters a mindless state of brutal rage. When in this state, a Luvena gains a +4 bonus to Strenght, a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Refl. Saves. His bite attack becomes his primary attack (adds 1 ½ his strenght to damage) and the claws becomes secondary. When he makes a full attack he his allowed to make a second bite attack. He uses his full BAB for this attack but all the attack made in that round (including opportunity attacks) takes a -2 on the attack roll.
While in this state the Luvena is unable to distinguish between friend and enemies and always attacks the creature whose blood made him enter the rage or closest target if the first is not avaible. Once he manages to kill a target he is attacking, the Luvena forgets about the eventual ongoing battle and starts feasting on the corpse consuming it with a fullround action. During this process he is considered helpless. Once the corpse is eaten, the creature cannot be raised any means other than a wish, miracle or true resurrection. At the end of the round the Luvena’s feeding rage automatically ends and a Luvena cannot enter it again for 1d6 minutes.
Unnatural scent (Ex): This ability works like the normal scent ability with the following addiction. A Luvena is particularly able to sense and find wounded preys: if a creature in a mile radius is wounded and has lost at least ¼ of his total HPs, the Luvena is automatically aware of its presence and its general direction. When this happens, he must immediately make a Will saving throw (CD 20) or being forced to track down and kill the wounded creature. Usually a Luvena foregoes the save and willingly decides to start a hunt.
Spell-like abilities (Sp): at will - blood wind, blink, darkness, rage 1/day - Primal senses, Primal speed. Caster level 8th, DC 11+spell level.
Equiactur.
Equiacturs are fallen Equinals. This is the most common kind of Pain Warden: Equinals are the spine of Guardinal’s army and are often sent on the Material plane to fight against evil. Because of that Equinals have more than a occasion to experience the real face on nature they are also more likely to fall.
As outsider, Equinals have no need of food and water and when they do it in Elysium is only to gain a certain degree of pleasur sapping Ambrosia and delicious fruits but in their travels have learned to understand the meaning of the word “hunger”. As warriors they battle the forces of evil relentlessly, not caring of what happens around them. Only when the battle is over they realize the legacy of famine they left behind, a legacy made of burnt forest, destroyed crops and fields, of drained earth and water. As Equinals realize this, they discover the real face of a nature where only the fittest can survive .“Fittest” means the one that is able to find nourishment. For every survivor there are thousand of creatures that die of starvation: this is the will of “mother nature”.
Sickened by truth, Equinals that can’t endure it pass days and month travelling the Material Plane crying and crying, whinning unheard till the veil of cruel acceptance cover their minds. They accept reality and choose to become the enforcerer of this aspect of nature, travelling with the only purpose of causing famine and depriving living creature of their nourishment. An Equiactur’s body becomes sturdier and bulkier, switching the domesticated horse feature with those of a wild horse. His fur gains the color of dried blood, his eyes redden for tears and his mouth constantly drools sticky saliva.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together thet are called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Large Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (31 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, +11 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: 2 slams +10 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Spell-like abilities, depriving neigh.
Special Qualities: Spell resistance 18, Tongues, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5, Droll of famine.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +2, Concentration +12, Craft (Alchemy) +6, Jump +14, Knowledge (the planes) +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Listen +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Survival +11 (+13 on other planes), Tumble +4
Feats: Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Run [B]
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 7–9 HD (Large); 10–18HD (Huge)
Depriving neigh (Su): once per hour an Equiactur can emit a baleful shriek (audible and effective even underwater) as a swift action. Hearing this sound, all creatures in a 20ft radius suffer 5d6 nonlethal damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 18). Those who fail it are immediately deprived of every energy, become exausted and start suffering the effects of lack of food and water (see rules in Dungeons Master’s Guide, p.304), taking another 1d6 damage. The subjects also gain the dehydrated condition.
Creature that are holding their breath (such as ground creature underwater) must make a second DC 18 Fortitude save (even if they succeded in the first) or lose their breath. The current round is considered the last in which they can hold their breath and at the beginning of their next turn they start suffocating and are unconscious. The DC is Constitution based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Droll of famine (Su): At will, an Equiactur can spit his saliva on earth or in water as a free action and taint a 5ft cube. Earth and water so contaminated (and earth later soaked in that water) are unable to support life for the next month, making impossible to plants and animals to grow and live there. An Equiactur passing 24h to contaminate the land can taint a field of almost 600ft wide. This is considered a curse with a caster lever equal to the Equiactur HD.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will - detect good, dimension door (DC 16), dispel magic, fog cloud, greater magic fang,light, magic circle against good (self only), magic missile, power word (weaken), power word (fatigue) and see invisibility; 1/day— wall of pain (DC 16) and shrieking blast (DC 17). Caster level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Ausmetu.
Ausmetus are fallen avorals. The epiphany that make this kind of Guardinal fall is the realization that every creature in the world is constantly hunted by fear. The prey fears the predator, which in turn feara a stronger animal, an alpha male of his pack or the humanoid races that hunt it. Humanoids, on their account, fear beasts and monsters, but also fear each other or even the unknown. Normal plants, too, live in fear: the pure terror and the silent scream of impotence of a shrub being eaten by a herd of animals is one of the worst thing that nature can offer.
Powered by fear and remorse (as avorals they had an aura of fear, which give birth in the falling guardianal to a grave inner conflict), Ausmetus wholly embrace their trauma and devote their immortal life to sow terror among mortals. They often fly over their prey mixing their special attack with blur to appear in a greater number and fill their victim’s heart with dread.
The feathers of fallen avorals turns gray, black and pale yellow. They gain a vultur-like mien as their head becomes featherless and the skin gains an unhealty pink color. Talons and claws sharpen and become dreadfully longer and black, with a glassy reflection that make them look like obsidian.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together they are called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 7d8+35 (66pf)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft, fly 90 ft (good)
Armor Class: 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural), touch 16, flatflooted 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+9
Attack: Claw +13 melee (2d6+2) or wing +13 melee (2d8+2)
Full Attack: 2 claw +13 melee (3d6+2) or 2 wings +13 melee (3d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Horrific multiplication, Nightmare assault, Spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, true seing, SR 22, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +8
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +15, Disguise +3 (+5 acting) Handle animal +13, Hide +16, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (planes) +12, Listen +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +10, Spot +21
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Flyby attack, Great Flyby attack, Improved natural attack (claw) [B], Improved natural attack (wing) [B]
Challenge Rating: 9
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium); 15–21 HD (Large).
Horrific multiplication (Sp): 3/day as a standard action that doesn’t provoque an attack of opportunity a Ausmetu can create an effect similar to Mirror Image. It creates 1d4+2 illusory image of the Ausmetu that last and act as per the aforementioned spell. These illusions are able to mimic the effetc of the Ausmetu’s blur spell-like ability: if he activates it while using “horrific multiplication” (or vice versa), the generated images gain the same miss chance granted by the spell. In addition, every time an enemy attacks an illusion and destroys it he must make a Will saving throw to avoid becoming shaken by the horrible screams and wailing faces that the illusion produces before vanishing. An already shaken creature that destroys an illusion and doesn’t succeed on its saving throw becomes frightened instead. The illusions themselves are not fear effects, but the effect that’s triggered when an illusion is destroyed is a fear effect. This ability counts as a 3rd level spell cast at a caster level equal to the creature HD (tipically 7th).
Nightmare assault (Sp): When under the effect of Horrific multiplication, the Ausmetu can choose to end the effect early and launch all the illusion in an assault directed at one creature the Ausmetu can see. The illusion charge the target howling and screaming, flying all around him in a close circle before for a couple of second before attacking all together. The creature is allowed a Will saving throw to disbelieve the illusion (DC 18, the DC is Charisma based and adds a +2 racial bonus). If he fails his Will saves, he must then make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10+number of remaing illusion+ Cha modifier. If he succedes he only takes 3d6 damages; if he fails he is overwhelmed by fear and dies. This is a fear effect.
Spell-like abilities: at will - Blur (self only), dimensional door, dispel magic, gust of wind, magic missile, wave of grief. 3/day - Fear, Wind at back.
Urdol
Urdols are fallen Ursinals. Like Cervidal, it’s rare for an Ursinal to leave Elysium: closed in libriaries in their ivory towers they live their immortal life studing magic and nature with the aid of the scrolls, paintings and samples gathered from the multiverse. It rarely comes the time when Ursinals are obliged to leave their retirement and reach out to the Material plane where their arcane mastery is needed to defeat evil.
Here most of Ursinals discover a shocking truth: nature is not good and magic is one of her favored tool to wreak havoc among mortals. Dead magic and wild magic areas, born spontaneously, change the face of the world without caring for the tiny creatures living on it. Beings blessed with magic powers enters the region inhabited by magicless animals and destroy them, taking their place, and so do magical plants. Nature itself gives power of magic to this strange mortals - druids - that use it for their personal purpose, causing tempests and earthquakes everytime this matches their mood.
Discovering this, Ursinals feel like they’ve been wrong for all their life, studying arcane magic and defending the concept of “gentle nature” without proof.
Those who can’t get over this logical morass are struck by depression and rage: they destoy their grimoire, leave their towers and start wandering the Material plane, calling out Mother nature for an answer and ripping off their fur in desperation.
When they finally find the answer they sought, sorrow and pain have already settled in and changed them in Urdols: their arcane power has been replaced by the power of nature, grown in a corrupted and vile way. Their calm and serene appearence has been replaced by the alien and awful mien of a furless bear. Fur only remains on their paws, where it helps holding the liquid pain these creature are able to squeeze out of their enemies.
Large Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 10d8+40 (85 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +13 natural), touch 11, flatfooted 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+18
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d8+4) and bite +8 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: corrupted conversion, pain extraction, spells, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain*, Tongues, SR 25, Fast healing 5, lessen corruption.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14,Con 18, Int 16, Wis 18,Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +16, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (religion) +16, Knowledge (the planes) +16, Listen +17, Search +16, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +18, Spot +17, Survival +4 (+6 on other planes)
Feats: Combat casting, violate spell, widen spell, sculpt spell.
Challenge Rating: 11
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 11–15 HD (Large); 16–30 HD (Huge)
Corrupted conversion: an Urdol can lose any spell he prepared (but not his spell like abilities) to cast spontaneously a spell of the same level or lower taken from the Corrupt magic spell list in Book of Vile Darkness. This ability works as a cleric’s ability to convert prepared spells into cure / inflict spells and is an exception to the rule that states that corrupt spells can be cast only by preparation.
Lessen corruption (Ex): when an Urdol cast a corrupt spell whose corruption cost is determined randomly by a dice roll he always consider as if he had obtained 1 on each dice, taking the lowest possible damage. For example an Urdol that loses a 5th level spell to sponeously cast Forbidden speech (whose corruption cost is 1d6 Strenght damage) will take only 1 point of damage to strenght. If he loses a 3rd level spell to cast Absorb mind (whose corruption cost is 2d6 Wisdom damage) will take only 2 point of damage to Wisdom.
Pain extraction (Su): 3/day, after a successful attack roll with one of his claws but before rolling for damage, an Urdol can spend a swift action to inflict terrible wounds and extract a dose of liquid pain (BoVD p. 45) from his enemy. The Urdol rolls for damage but half the damage inflicted (rounded down) is now vile damage (Book of Vile darkness p. 34). In addiction wounds keep on bleeding, dealing every other round 1 point of damage. This continuous damage is considered for the purposes of the Urdol’s Power from Pain ability that is to be considered when calculating the bonus from Power from Pain special ability. If the damage of the attack is not prevented (using spells, damage reductions) and the enemy suffers at least one point of damage from it, liquid pain jets out of the open wounds, soaking the Urdol’s paws. This kind of liquid pain cannot be used as a drug but only as additional material component to enhance by +2 the Caster Level on a single spell. A single spell enhanced in this way consumes all the agony produced from a sigle attack. If unused, liquid pain fades after three rounds.
Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will—bestow curse (DC 17), daylight, deep slumber (DC 17), detect good, detect magic, dimension door, dispel magic, hold monster (DC 19), magic circle against good (self only), magic missile,, see invisibility; 3/day—harm (DC 20), heal (DC 20), poison; 1/day—Blasphemy (DC 21). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Spells: An Urdol casts spells as a 12th level druid. They favor area spells that deal damage and that can help them control the battleground. 6/6/5/5/4/3/2; save DC 14 + spell level. He tipicallty uses his Violate spell feat on spells like call lighting storm, inferno,
*An Urdol, at the beginning of his round, can decide to forego the normal benefit on Power from pain and gain instead it’s bonus on caster level checks made to either overcome spell resistence either to dispel a magical effect (such as those required by dispel magic, break enchantmente and so on).
Rex dolorum.
A Rex dolorum (pl. Reges dolorum, trasl. “King of pains”) is a fallen leonal. The decadence of such a brave and kind-hearted being is so unusual that it is thought that no more than a few dozen of them exist. Unlike other Guardinals, whose existence is shocked by a single aspect of nature and mortal life, Leonals are able to take a wide-ranging look to reality and remain shocked by suffering itself. In comparison with things they see on Material plane what they have previously defined as suffering when living on Elysium now looks like a child’s game.
All those aspect of nature that, singularly, made other fallen Guardinals feel guilty (famine, illness, destructive weather and magic) are now percieved altogether by Leonals in their first travel out of their homeland.
Most of them have hearts and minds strong enough to counter the feeling and use it as a spur to go on in their fight, but a few succumb to the burden of suffering and pity.
Wrecked in mind and soul, Leonals retire in isolation, shaving their mane for penance and practicing horrible rituals of self harming: they tear their skin open, letting it heal onlty to leave large scars, they pierce their flesh with red hot irons. The final act of this self destructive spiral is reached when the falling Leonal chooses to stick his skull with dozens of large-headed nails to whom he hooks as many chains, creating a new frightful metallic mane.
Once this ritual is completed and their body so modified, they leave their isolation with a personal mission to bring them back into the world and take from it as much suffering as possible. The brave heart that beated in leonal’s chest is not vanished but tainted with uncoscience that leads the Rex dolorum to charge thoughtlessly in battle.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 27 ( +3 Dex, +14 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+21
Attack: Claw +21 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +21 melee (1d6+9) and bite +16 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: pounce, Enchianing grab, rake 1d6+9, spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, SR 28, Fast healing 5, exceptional jumper, torturing aura.
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 17,Con 20, Int 14, Wis 10,Cha 18
Skills: Balance +22, Concentration +12, Hide +22, Intimidate +14, Jump +35, Listen+15, Move silently +22, Sense motive +15, Spot +15, Surviva +15.
Feats: Power attack, leaping charge, improved bull rush, shock trooper, improved initiative.
Challenge Rating: 12
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 13–18 HD (Medium); 19–36 HD (Huge)
Pounce (Ex): If a Rex dolorum charges a foe, he can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Enchaining grab (Ex): This ability works as improved grab. To use it a Rex dolorum must hit with its bite attack. He can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If he wins the grapple check, he establishes a hold and can rake. In addiction, if he wins the grapple, a Rex dolorum is allowed a second opposed grapple check with a -10 penalty to try to transfix his victim with the chains of his mane. If he wins he can mantain the grapple only with his mane and his not considered in grapple for the purpose of attacking the grappled enemy or other creature out of the grapple.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +20 melee, damage 1d6+8.
Exceptional jumper (Ex): A Rex dolorum is not limited by it’s size when determining maximum height and lenght of his jumps.
Torturing aura (Su): A Rex dolorum constantly emits an aura that causes terrible pain to bystanders opening dolorous wounds in their body. At the beginning of every Rex dolorum’s turn, every living creature in a 15ft radius centered on him (Rex dolorum included) must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of vile damage. Success halves the damage and make is normal slashing damage. This ability’s DC is based on Charisma and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will—, power word pain , hold monster (DC 19), wall of pain (DC 18); 3/day—cure critical wounds (DC 18), Symbol of pain (DC 19); 1/day— Bestow curse, greater (DC 20); Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
So I made up a new race of outsiders, using the seven Guardinals as base structure, changing a little bit the stats, the feats and expecially introducing new special abilities. I didn't to it because i need it for my game but only because... it needed to be done (i know you guys all know what i mean :smallsmile:).
So there you go: i hope you enjoy my work and maybe find it usefull for your games!
Comments and suggestions are always appreciated!!
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Pain Wardens
Tales and myths tell stories almost forgotten of fallen angels: when the greatest evil finally manages to find a gap in the heart of creatures of such beauty and kindness it not only destroys them but twists them in mind and body, leaving behind fearsome devils whose cruelty and power are greater than the goodness that was erased from them.
A similar fate awaits those Guardinals that lose faith in their role as heralds of the good and kindness in nature.
Sometimes century of segregate living in Elysium’s mesmerizing beauty make the Guardinals forget about the conflictual part of nature: living in the plane of pleasures, they forget that nature is also made of death, fear, violence, diseases, famine and natural disasters.
Because of that, the first time one of them is called or sent to Material Plane to accomplish some duty, the experience results in a huge trauma.
In a few hours, the guardianal is forced to remember all he forgot: beyond the glistening, epic façade of a handful of famous heroes, the vast majority of the world is in a costant struggle for life, with pain and anguish looming at every corner. For every druid that saves a sacrad wood from a demonic invasion a thousand farmers lose their lives to a poor harvest; for every purified field hundreds of cratures die of poison or disease.
Almost all the Guardinal react to this renewed clarity by enhancing their efforts in the fight for good, believeng that when all evil will be eradicated from the Multiverse all such misery, too, will be put to an end.
Once in a couple of centuries, however, some Guardinals prove to not be strong enough to stand this vision, and as a consequence become tainted. Slowly, they start considering all this suffering as a crucial aspect of nature, believing that animals, humanoids and plants alike are bound by their own nature to endure the pain and even die of it. They become detached, apathetic, insensitive to the needs of mortals.
It is when their lack of interest peaks they complete their fall: it all start with a little self-inflicted injury or with a small display of needless violence.
The obsession for pain, grown inside their heart for days, months and years, finally takes over the mind of the Guardinal. Pain is all he can think about, all he wants to experience, all he wants to bring to the world, because the world is nature and nature is suffering.
When he fully aknowledge the change, his eternal body follows up his mind in the process, twisting its beatiful appearence in a fearsome mien. His powers also change, matching his obsession.
Once tranformed, Guardinals lose their status gaining a new one: they’re now Pain Warden.
Still devoted to nature, the only thing they can see and guard upon is the many-faced misery that envelops the world like a dark shroud.
Once fallen, Pain Wardens still remain native of Elysium but dwell mostly on the material plane and in some Lower Plane. If they die they’re sent back to Elysium where they start suffering the pain given to evil creature on a good aligned plane. Strangely enough the Pain Wardens seem to enjoy even this pain. So they look for a secluded place in which they can hide, suffering until they’re allowed by planar rules to leave Elisyium and resume their mission.
Experience shows that each Guardinal type is susceptible to a particular kind of suffering and falling it transforms in a peculiar type of Pain Warden that matches this predispostion.
Seven types of Pain Warden match with the seven existing types of guardianal, as show below in their description.
Just like Guardinals with Talisid, Pain Wardens have a patron: Iersinies. Once Talisid’s 6th companion and mustevals patron, the ratlike Iersinies was the first guardianal to fall. Circumstances that brought to his fall are obscure but now he holds power above diseases and is considered the informal king of the Pain Wardens. Iersinies considers Talisid as a mortal enemy but, in return, is regarded as a poor, unfortunate creature worth only pity and compassion. Scholars say he once had (and maybe still has) a romantic affaire with Zuggtmoy, demonic queen of fungi, but this suggestion was never confirmed.
Rules and stats.
Pain Warden are outsider with the evil subtype. Since their fell they lose the “Guardinal” subtype and all his traits but gain the “Pain Warden” subtype.
Pain Warden subtype.
• Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision.
• Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions.
• Fast healing 5. Unlike normal fast healing, the fast healing of a Pain Warden can heal vile damage (Book of Vile darkness p. 34)
• Power from pain (ex): for every 10 points of damage suffered and inflicted in one round the Pain Warden gains a +1 moral bonus to skill checks, saves and attack rolls that applies on his next round and that stays until another round starts, changing the bonus. Calculate the bonus summing up the two sources and dividing by ten, rounded down. For example, a Pain Warden takes a full attack action inflicting 42 damages, he is blasted by a fireball, halving, for 15 damages and make a successfull attack of opportunity for 16 damages. 42+15+16 = 73/10 = 7.3, rounded down 7. When it’s again the Pain Warden’s turn, he gains a +7 moral bonus on skill check, saves and attack rolls. All the damage done in this turn and suffered later in that same round concur in calculating the bonus for the next round, not enhancing the current one.
Monsters
Musnoxium.
A Musnoxium (pl. Musnoxia) is a fallen musteval. This kind of Guardinal was shocked by the horrible number and severity of natural diseases that scourge the mortals. As such, when he became a Pain Warden, he was also elected as herald of plagues and his small but terrible power allows him to spread them all over the world.
Musnoxia enjoy the moaning and screaming of terminally ill creatures, love to walk in fields whose harvests are ruined by fungi and find the perfect hideout in plagued cities from where admire the perverted beauty of animals’ and mens’ bodies wrecked by boils and sores.
They like to work hidden, travelling under a false identity leaving behind a long list of places whose population of animal, humanoids and plant has been decimated.
The fall changed the slim and healthy appearence of the musteval in a black-furred, ratlike figure. He has bloodshot eyes and lacks small patches of fur that are replaced by oozing and unhealty yellow boils as large as a big coin.
Tiny Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural), touch 17, flatfooted 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/–8
Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d3–2)
Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d3–2)
Space/Reach: 2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Noxious suppuration, Spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Immunity to diseases and poisons (even the supernatural ones), Power from pain, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +8, Climb +7, Escape Artist +10, Hide +18, Jump +0, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Survival +7, Tumble +7, Use Rope +4 (+6 bindings)
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 3 HD (Tiny); 4–6 HD (Small)
Noxious suppuration (Ex): The body fluids of a Musnoxium are tainted by a powerful disease. Every creature that bites or is bitten by this monster must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or contract a terrible, supernatural disease. Once one day has passed after the failed save and once every other day the victim takes 1 point of damage to STR and DEX and gain the sickened condition. Every day the victim is allowed to roll a new save, but the success only protects against the damage of that day and doesn’t remove the disease. Only if the victim make a successful save for three consecutive days, the disease is removed. Until a victim has removed this disease he also gain the “noxious suppuration” special attack, being able of spreading the plague. Simple unprotected contact with contaminated fluids of the sick man or woman is enough to require a save.
At will, a musnoxium can take a move action that doesn’t provoque an attack of opportunity to spit on a piercing or slashing weapon he is wielding and make it able to infect the first creature it successfully damages.
At will, a musnoxium can take a full-round action that provoques an attack of opportunity to add his body fluid to a body of water, either by self inflicting 1 damage and spilling blood in it, either by drooling saliva or urinating in it. In this way the musnoxium can contaminate 3 cubic ft. of water per his Con score (tipically 42 cubic ft.). Every creature that drinks it must make the save to avoid contractig the disease. Water retains the contamination for one hour.
Ratlike animals (includin bats) and vermin are immune to musnoxia’s disease: if put in a situation that could contaminate them they are instead not allowed a saving throw and gain the “noxious suppuration” special attack, being able of spreading the disease. A swarm attack is considered a bite attack for the purpose of being contaminated.
The disease’s DC is based on Constitution and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Spell-like abilities: at will - Alter self ; 1/day - Summon swarm Caster level 2nd, DC 8+spell level.
Arclades
An Arclades (pl. Arcladi) is a fallen Cervidal. Unlike other Guardinal, often sent on missions on the material plane and accustomed to a certain degree to its nature, Cervidals spend their near entirety of their existence as guardians on Elysium. Because of that they have little knowledge of nature out of their planar kingdom and when they finally see it, they are disgusted. Accustomed to gentle breezes and lulling winds, to warm, calm waters and an enjoyable climate, they soon discover a ghastly reality made of killer droughts and floods, of storms devasting the landscapes and dire cold. These harsh conditions spread unthinkable suffering among the living: entire colonies of humanoids, animals or plants can be swept away in a few moments by these events.
Once defenders of natural beauty, Arcladi are now protectors and enforcerers of nature’s might: they travel the material plane influencing the climate with the power of their horns and, when they can, causing disasters, It’s a true pleasure for an Arclades to help a river to break the dam that hold it prisoner, passing the next hours watching flooded creatures lose all they had... even life.
Arcladi trade their previous aspect with a demonic outlook: the skin takes a livid or sunburnt color and covers in black geometrical tattoos and the curved horns unroll becoming ibex-like.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 21 (+3 Dex, +2 leather armor, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attacks: Slam +9 melee (1d6+5) or gore +7 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+5) and gore +7 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Powerful charge, catastrophic aura, spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Horn power, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Balance +9, Climb + 10, Concentration +9, Intimidate +9, Jump +20 [has a +8 racial bonus], Spellcraft +7
Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack
Challenge Rating: 4
Advancement: 5–12 HD (Medium-size).
Powerful charge (Ex): as a full round action an Arclades can lower his head and charge using his gore attack. When he does so he gains the normal benefit of a charge and he deals 2d6+7 damages.
Catastrophic aura (Su): an Arclades is surrounded by a 15ft aura that changes the climate in the space near him in one of the four way shown below. The aura is always active unless he chooses to suppress him as a free action. Reactivating it is a swift action, and also is a swift action changing from a type of aura to another. If the active effect of the aura requires a save or a skill or ability check, the DC is 17, it’s Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus. Damage inflicted by the aura is considered as inflicted by the Arclades for the purpose of calculating the bonus of Power from pain. An Arclades in immune to the effects of his own aura.
Unheartly heat: Arclades is surrounded by a bubble of unbearably hot air that creates around him a desert-like climate. Every round, every creature in the aura must make a Fortitude save to halve 1d6 lethal and 1d4 nonlethal damage. This ability create a climate otherwise identical to the “unheartly heat” weather condition presented in Sandstorm, p.12.
Unheartly cold: an Arclades is surrounded by a bubble of freezing air that plunges the area around him into a polar climate. Every round, every creature in the aura must make a Fortitude save to halve 1d6 cold damage and 1d4 nonlethal damage. This ability create a climate otherwise identical to the “unheartly cold” weather condition presented in Frostburn, p.9.
Strong winds: this aura shrouds the Arclades shrouds in a whirlwind that protects him and pushes enemy away. Every non magical object and ranged weapons hurled toward the Arclades miss automatically and magic weapons and projectiles they shot have a -4 on their attack roll. In addition, every creature caught in the aura must make a Strenght check at the beginning of its round (as for opposing to a bullrush attempt) against the aura DC. If it fails, the creature is pushed by the wind in the closest square out of the aura. If the Arclades is submerged by water, this ability functions equally well, creating, instead, a bubble of whirling water and terrible currents.
Earth trembling: If the Arclades is standing on the ground, this aura shakes the earth around him like a localized earthquake in tune with the beating of its hooves. Every round, every creature caught in the aura must make a Balance check or fall prone.
Horn power (Sp): Once a week an Arclades can unleash all his power by voluntarily breaking his horns. As a fullround action that provokes an attack of opportunity the Arclades grabs a horn with each hand and breaks tem. Doing this allows him to use a Control Weather effect (as per the spell) centered on himself as if casted by a druid of a caster level equal to twice his HD (tipically 8th).
Using this power leaves the Arclades tired (fatigued for one full day) and defenseless: his horns take 1d4+1 days to fully grow back and until then he loses is his gore attack and the Power Charge special attack. His magical power is also drained and the DC of his aura is lowered to 10 until the horns grow back.
This negative effects show up only if the horns are broken to use this ability, not if broken in any other occasion.
Spell-like abilities: 3/day - fist of stone, magic missile. 1/day - rhino rush Caster level 4th, DC 13+spell level.
Luvena
Luvenas are fallen Lupinals. When these brave, pack-hunting Guardinals leave Elysium to fight in the Material plane they most get shocked by the constant hunger that devours every living creature. As hunters, Lupinals are accustomed to the call of the hunt, to the need to prove their strenght against an enemy and win, but only as a game or training to do in the immense plains of Elysium. They know next to nothing about the dire hunger that afflicts those who fight for living, the urge to track down and kill everything that smells like blood only to survive, the mindless feeding frenzy that kicks in when they prey is slaughtered and the urge is to eat as much as possible because nobody knows when the next feeding opputunity will show up.
Horrified by this unknown world, some Lupinals leave the pack and start a period on abstinence from food deep in the wild to think about their discovery. Even if by nature Guardinals don’t need food to survive, some Lupinals start to actually feel hunger, soft at first but growing heavy and burning. At some point, their mind breaks and their body changes: the noble hunter leaves, making room for the relentless killer, thirsty for blood and starving for flesh. The well shaped body grow thinner and thinner while the beautiful fur becomes shaggy and gains an ivory white colour. Disproportionate jaws and blood-red pupils decorate the now slim jackal-like head.
Now Luvenas live only to hunt, kill and feed himself of what they slaughter; they also use their rage spell like ability at a whim, to bring people and beasts in a frenzied state, unleashing the killer hunter they have within.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together their group is called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 8d8+8 (44 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 50 ft.
AC: 20 (+5 Dex, +3 natural, +2 leather armor) touch 15, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+14
Attacks: Claw +15 melee (1d4+7) or bite +10 melee (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Damage: 2 claws +15 melee (1d4+7) or bite +10 melee (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Improved grab, spell-like abilities, Trip, Feeding rage.
Special Qualities: Unnatural scent, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 13
Skills: Balance +16, Climb +17, Concentration +12, Hide +16, Listen +17, Move Silently +16, Spot +17, Survival +15.
Feats: Alertness, Power Attack, Track, Improved Critical (bite) [B]
Advancement: 9–24 HD (Medium-size)
Challenge Rating: 5
Improve grab (Ex): If a Luvena hits an enemy with his bite attack an enemy of at least one size lower, he inflicts his normal damage and can immediately attempt a grapple check without provoking an attack of opportunity an without need to make a touch attack to start the grapple.
Trip (Ex): If a Luvena hits an enemy with his bite attack an enemy, he inflicts his normal damage and can immediately make a trip attempt without provoking an attack of opportunity. If he fails, the enemy cannot try to trip him in return.
Feeding rage (Ex): Every time a Luvena get a taste of blood either by biting an enemy either by wounding him with his claws and licking them (this does not require an action) he enters a mindless state of brutal rage. When in this state, a Luvena gains a +4 bonus to Strenght, a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Refl. Saves. His bite attack becomes his primary attack (adds 1 ½ his strenght to damage) and the claws becomes secondary. When he makes a full attack he his allowed to make a second bite attack. He uses his full BAB for this attack but all the attack made in that round (including opportunity attacks) takes a -2 on the attack roll.
While in this state the Luvena is unable to distinguish between friend and enemies and always attacks the creature whose blood made him enter the rage or closest target if the first is not avaible. Once he manages to kill a target he is attacking, the Luvena forgets about the eventual ongoing battle and starts feasting on the corpse consuming it with a fullround action. During this process he is considered helpless. Once the corpse is eaten, the creature cannot be raised any means other than a wish, miracle or true resurrection. At the end of the round the Luvena’s feeding rage automatically ends and a Luvena cannot enter it again for 1d6 minutes.
Unnatural scent (Ex): This ability works like the normal scent ability with the following addiction. A Luvena is particularly able to sense and find wounded preys: if a creature in a mile radius is wounded and has lost at least ¼ of his total HPs, the Luvena is automatically aware of its presence and its general direction. When this happens, he must immediately make a Will saving throw (CD 20) or being forced to track down and kill the wounded creature. Usually a Luvena foregoes the save and willingly decides to start a hunt.
Spell-like abilities (Sp): at will - blood wind, blink, darkness, rage 1/day - Primal senses, Primal speed. Caster level 8th, DC 11+spell level.
Equiactur.
Equiacturs are fallen Equinals. This is the most common kind of Pain Warden: Equinals are the spine of Guardinal’s army and are often sent on the Material plane to fight against evil. Because of that Equinals have more than a occasion to experience the real face on nature they are also more likely to fall.
As outsider, Equinals have no need of food and water and when they do it in Elysium is only to gain a certain degree of pleasur sapping Ambrosia and delicious fruits but in their travels have learned to understand the meaning of the word “hunger”. As warriors they battle the forces of evil relentlessly, not caring of what happens around them. Only when the battle is over they realize the legacy of famine they left behind, a legacy made of burnt forest, destroyed crops and fields, of drained earth and water. As Equinals realize this, they discover the real face of a nature where only the fittest can survive .“Fittest” means the one that is able to find nourishment. For every survivor there are thousand of creatures that die of starvation: this is the will of “mother nature”.
Sickened by truth, Equinals that can’t endure it pass days and month travelling the Material Plane crying and crying, whinning unheard till the veil of cruel acceptance cover their minds. They accept reality and choose to become the enforcerer of this aspect of nature, travelling with the only purpose of causing famine and depriving living creature of their nourishment. An Equiactur’s body becomes sturdier and bulkier, switching the domesticated horse feature with those of a wild horse. His fur gains the color of dried blood, his eyes redden for tears and his mouth constantly drools sticky saliva.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together thet are called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Large Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (31 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (–1 size, +11 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: 2 slams +10 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Spell-like abilities, depriving neigh.
Special Qualities: Spell resistance 18, Tongues, Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, Fast healing 5, Droll of famine.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +2, Concentration +12, Craft (Alchemy) +6, Jump +14, Knowledge (the planes) +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Listen +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Survival +11 (+13 on other planes), Tumble +4
Feats: Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Run [B]
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 7–9 HD (Large); 10–18HD (Huge)
Depriving neigh (Su): once per hour an Equiactur can emit a baleful shriek (audible and effective even underwater) as a swift action. Hearing this sound, all creatures in a 20ft radius suffer 5d6 nonlethal damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 18). Those who fail it are immediately deprived of every energy, become exausted and start suffering the effects of lack of food and water (see rules in Dungeons Master’s Guide, p.304), taking another 1d6 damage. The subjects also gain the dehydrated condition.
Creature that are holding their breath (such as ground creature underwater) must make a second DC 18 Fortitude save (even if they succeded in the first) or lose their breath. The current round is considered the last in which they can hold their breath and at the beginning of their next turn they start suffocating and are unconscious. The DC is Constitution based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Droll of famine (Su): At will, an Equiactur can spit his saliva on earth or in water as a free action and taint a 5ft cube. Earth and water so contaminated (and earth later soaked in that water) are unable to support life for the next month, making impossible to plants and animals to grow and live there. An Equiactur passing 24h to contaminate the land can taint a field of almost 600ft wide. This is considered a curse with a caster lever equal to the Equiactur HD.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will - detect good, dimension door (DC 16), dispel magic, fog cloud, greater magic fang,light, magic circle against good (self only), magic missile, power word (weaken), power word (fatigue) and see invisibility; 1/day— wall of pain (DC 16) and shrieking blast (DC 17). Caster level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Ausmetu.
Ausmetus are fallen avorals. The epiphany that make this kind of Guardinal fall is the realization that every creature in the world is constantly hunted by fear. The prey fears the predator, which in turn feara a stronger animal, an alpha male of his pack or the humanoid races that hunt it. Humanoids, on their account, fear beasts and monsters, but also fear each other or even the unknown. Normal plants, too, live in fear: the pure terror and the silent scream of impotence of a shrub being eaten by a herd of animals is one of the worst thing that nature can offer.
Powered by fear and remorse (as avorals they had an aura of fear, which give birth in the falling guardianal to a grave inner conflict), Ausmetus wholly embrace their trauma and devote their immortal life to sow terror among mortals. They often fly over their prey mixing their special attack with blur to appear in a greater number and fill their victim’s heart with dread.
The feathers of fallen avorals turns gray, black and pale yellow. They gain a vultur-like mien as their head becomes featherless and the skin gains an unhealty pink color. Talons and claws sharpen and become dreadfully longer and black, with a glassy reflection that make them look like obsidian.
When a Luvena, an Ausmetu and an Equiactur fight together they are called a “Triad of dire hunt” being the first the embodiment of the blood lust of the predator, the second of prey’s fear and the latter of the pain of creatures that failed their hunt and are now starving and dying.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 7d8+35 (66pf)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft, fly 90 ft (good)
Armor Class: 24 (+6 Dex, +8 natural), touch 16, flatflooted 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+9
Attack: Claw +13 melee (2d6+2) or wing +13 melee (2d8+2)
Full Attack: 2 claw +13 melee (3d6+2) or 2 wings +13 melee (3d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Evil-aligned natural attack, Horrific multiplication, Nightmare assault, Spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, true seing, SR 22, Fast healing 5.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +8
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +15, Disguise +3 (+5 acting) Handle animal +13, Hide +16, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (planes) +12, Listen +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +10, Spot +21
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Flyby attack, Great Flyby attack, Improved natural attack (claw) [B], Improved natural attack (wing) [B]
Challenge Rating: 9
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium); 15–21 HD (Large).
Horrific multiplication (Sp): 3/day as a standard action that doesn’t provoque an attack of opportunity a Ausmetu can create an effect similar to Mirror Image. It creates 1d4+2 illusory image of the Ausmetu that last and act as per the aforementioned spell. These illusions are able to mimic the effetc of the Ausmetu’s blur spell-like ability: if he activates it while using “horrific multiplication” (or vice versa), the generated images gain the same miss chance granted by the spell. In addition, every time an enemy attacks an illusion and destroys it he must make a Will saving throw to avoid becoming shaken by the horrible screams and wailing faces that the illusion produces before vanishing. An already shaken creature that destroys an illusion and doesn’t succeed on its saving throw becomes frightened instead. The illusions themselves are not fear effects, but the effect that’s triggered when an illusion is destroyed is a fear effect. This ability counts as a 3rd level spell cast at a caster level equal to the creature HD (tipically 7th).
Nightmare assault (Sp): When under the effect of Horrific multiplication, the Ausmetu can choose to end the effect early and launch all the illusion in an assault directed at one creature the Ausmetu can see. The illusion charge the target howling and screaming, flying all around him in a close circle before for a couple of second before attacking all together. The creature is allowed a Will saving throw to disbelieve the illusion (DC 18, the DC is Charisma based and adds a +2 racial bonus). If he fails his Will saves, he must then make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10+number of remaing illusion+ Cha modifier. If he succedes he only takes 3d6 damages; if he fails he is overwhelmed by fear and dies. This is a fear effect.
Spell-like abilities: at will - Blur (self only), dimensional door, dispel magic, gust of wind, magic missile, wave of grief. 3/day - Fear, Wind at back.
Urdol
Urdols are fallen Ursinals. Like Cervidal, it’s rare for an Ursinal to leave Elysium: closed in libriaries in their ivory towers they live their immortal life studing magic and nature with the aid of the scrolls, paintings and samples gathered from the multiverse. It rarely comes the time when Ursinals are obliged to leave their retirement and reach out to the Material plane where their arcane mastery is needed to defeat evil.
Here most of Ursinals discover a shocking truth: nature is not good and magic is one of her favored tool to wreak havoc among mortals. Dead magic and wild magic areas, born spontaneously, change the face of the world without caring for the tiny creatures living on it. Beings blessed with magic powers enters the region inhabited by magicless animals and destroy them, taking their place, and so do magical plants. Nature itself gives power of magic to this strange mortals - druids - that use it for their personal purpose, causing tempests and earthquakes everytime this matches their mood.
Discovering this, Ursinals feel like they’ve been wrong for all their life, studying arcane magic and defending the concept of “gentle nature” without proof.
Those who can’t get over this logical morass are struck by depression and rage: they destoy their grimoire, leave their towers and start wandering the Material plane, calling out Mother nature for an answer and ripping off their fur in desperation.
When they finally find the answer they sought, sorrow and pain have already settled in and changed them in Urdols: their arcane power has been replaced by the power of nature, grown in a corrupted and vile way. Their calm and serene appearence has been replaced by the alien and awful mien of a furless bear. Fur only remains on their paws, where it helps holding the liquid pain these creature are able to squeeze out of their enemies.
Large Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 10d8+40 (85 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +13 natural), touch 11, flatfooted 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+18
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d8+4) and bite +8 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: corrupted conversion, pain extraction, spells, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain*, Tongues, SR 25, Fast healing 5, lessen corruption.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14,Con 18, Int 16, Wis 18,Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +16, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (religion) +16, Knowledge (the planes) +16, Listen +17, Search +16, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +18, Spot +17, Survival +4 (+6 on other planes)
Feats: Combat casting, violate spell, widen spell, sculpt spell.
Challenge Rating: 11
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 11–15 HD (Large); 16–30 HD (Huge)
Corrupted conversion: an Urdol can lose any spell he prepared (but not his spell like abilities) to cast spontaneously a spell of the same level or lower taken from the Corrupt magic spell list in Book of Vile Darkness. This ability works as a cleric’s ability to convert prepared spells into cure / inflict spells and is an exception to the rule that states that corrupt spells can be cast only by preparation.
Lessen corruption (Ex): when an Urdol cast a corrupt spell whose corruption cost is determined randomly by a dice roll he always consider as if he had obtained 1 on each dice, taking the lowest possible damage. For example an Urdol that loses a 5th level spell to sponeously cast Forbidden speech (whose corruption cost is 1d6 Strenght damage) will take only 1 point of damage to strenght. If he loses a 3rd level spell to cast Absorb mind (whose corruption cost is 2d6 Wisdom damage) will take only 2 point of damage to Wisdom.
Pain extraction (Su): 3/day, after a successful attack roll with one of his claws but before rolling for damage, an Urdol can spend a swift action to inflict terrible wounds and extract a dose of liquid pain (BoVD p. 45) from his enemy. The Urdol rolls for damage but half the damage inflicted (rounded down) is now vile damage (Book of Vile darkness p. 34). In addiction wounds keep on bleeding, dealing every other round 1 point of damage. This continuous damage is considered for the purposes of the Urdol’s Power from Pain ability that is to be considered when calculating the bonus from Power from Pain special ability. If the damage of the attack is not prevented (using spells, damage reductions) and the enemy suffers at least one point of damage from it, liquid pain jets out of the open wounds, soaking the Urdol’s paws. This kind of liquid pain cannot be used as a drug but only as additional material component to enhance by +2 the Caster Level on a single spell. A single spell enhanced in this way consumes all the agony produced from a sigle attack. If unused, liquid pain fades after three rounds.
Spell-like abilities (Sp): At will—bestow curse (DC 17), daylight, deep slumber (DC 17), detect good, detect magic, dimension door, dispel magic, hold monster (DC 19), magic circle against good (self only), magic missile,, see invisibility; 3/day—harm (DC 20), heal (DC 20), poison; 1/day—Blasphemy (DC 21). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Spells: An Urdol casts spells as a 12th level druid. They favor area spells that deal damage and that can help them control the battleground. 6/6/5/5/4/3/2; save DC 14 + spell level. He tipicallty uses his Violate spell feat on spells like call lighting storm, inferno,
*An Urdol, at the beginning of his round, can decide to forego the normal benefit on Power from pain and gain instead it’s bonus on caster level checks made to either overcome spell resistence either to dispel a magical effect (such as those required by dispel magic, break enchantmente and so on).
Rex dolorum.
A Rex dolorum (pl. Reges dolorum, trasl. “King of pains”) is a fallen leonal. The decadence of such a brave and kind-hearted being is so unusual that it is thought that no more than a few dozen of them exist. Unlike other Guardinals, whose existence is shocked by a single aspect of nature and mortal life, Leonals are able to take a wide-ranging look to reality and remain shocked by suffering itself. In comparison with things they see on Material plane what they have previously defined as suffering when living on Elysium now looks like a child’s game.
All those aspect of nature that, singularly, made other fallen Guardinals feel guilty (famine, illness, destructive weather and magic) are now percieved altogether by Leonals in their first travel out of their homeland.
Most of them have hearts and minds strong enough to counter the feeling and use it as a spur to go on in their fight, but a few succumb to the burden of suffering and pity.
Wrecked in mind and soul, Leonals retire in isolation, shaving their mane for penance and practicing horrible rituals of self harming: they tear their skin open, letting it heal onlty to leave large scars, they pierce their flesh with red hot irons. The final act of this self destructive spiral is reached when the falling Leonal chooses to stick his skull with dozens of large-headed nails to whom he hooks as many chains, creating a new frightful metallic mane.
Once this ritual is completed and their body so modified, they leave their isolation with a personal mission to bring them back into the world and take from it as much suffering as possible. The brave heart that beated in leonal’s chest is not vanished but tainted with uncoscience that leads the Rex dolorum to charge thoughtlessly in battle.
Medium Outsider
(Extraplanar, Evil, Pain Warden)
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 27 ( +3 Dex, +14 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+21
Attack: Claw +21 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +21 melee (1d6+9) and bite +16 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: pounce, Enchianing grab, rake 1d6+9, spell-like abilities.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft. and Low light vision, Immunity to sickened and nauseated conditions, Power from pain, SR 28, Fast healing 5, exceptional jumper, torturing aura.
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 17,Con 20, Int 14, Wis 10,Cha 18
Skills: Balance +22, Concentration +12, Hide +22, Intimidate +14, Jump +35, Listen+15, Move silently +22, Sense motive +15, Spot +15, Surviva +15.
Feats: Power attack, leaping charge, improved bull rush, shock trooper, improved initiative.
Challenge Rating: 12
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 13–18 HD (Medium); 19–36 HD (Huge)
Pounce (Ex): If a Rex dolorum charges a foe, he can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Enchaining grab (Ex): This ability works as improved grab. To use it a Rex dolorum must hit with its bite attack. He can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If he wins the grapple check, he establishes a hold and can rake. In addiction, if he wins the grapple, a Rex dolorum is allowed a second opposed grapple check with a -10 penalty to try to transfix his victim with the chains of his mane. If he wins he can mantain the grapple only with his mane and his not considered in grapple for the purpose of attacking the grappled enemy or other creature out of the grapple.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +20 melee, damage 1d6+8.
Exceptional jumper (Ex): A Rex dolorum is not limited by it’s size when determining maximum height and lenght of his jumps.
Torturing aura (Su): A Rex dolorum constantly emits an aura that causes terrible pain to bystanders opening dolorous wounds in their body. At the beginning of every Rex dolorum’s turn, every living creature in a 15ft radius centered on him (Rex dolorum included) must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of vile damage. Success halves the damage and make is normal slashing damage. This ability’s DC is based on Charisma and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will—, power word pain , hold monster (DC 19), wall of pain (DC 18); 3/day—cure critical wounds (DC 18), Symbol of pain (DC 19); 1/day— Bestow curse, greater (DC 20); Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.