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HeadlessMermaid
2015-05-14, 10:17 PM
The Stolen Child

http://40.media.tumblr.com/50ce5619aa76fb98fe89044c2ccf9b8c/tumblr_nodf7u9Ejl1sazby5o1_r2_400.jpg

Illustration by Arthur Rackham

Fluff
This template is inspired by the widespread myth of the changeling (not to be confused with the changeling race in D&D): a human baby that the fey would abduct and raise as their own, leaving a misshapen fey creature in its place. So while fey-related abilities are a given, it's not actually a cross-breed template, and there won't be any physical changes to the base creature (say, wings). It's a cultural/supernatural thing.

Crunch
Templates vary wildly in terms of balance, and I don't even know what's supposed to be "correct". But in this case, I was aiming for something like half-fey (Fiend Folio) or phrenic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/phrenicCreature.htm).


Creating a Stolen Child
"Stolen Child" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A stolen child uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: A stolen child's type does not change (but see the Adopted by Fey special quality below).

Spell-Like Abilities: A stolen child with a Charisma score of 8 or higher gains spell-like abilities depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative. Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based.



HD
Abilities


1-2
Prestidigitation 3/day, glitterdust


3-4
Charm person, enthrall


5-6
Tasha's hideous laughter, suggestion


7-8
Minor creation, confusion


9-10
Charm monster or eyebite


11-12
Hold monster or dominate person


13-14
Mass invisibility


15-16
Mass suggestion


17-18
Mass charm monster or insanity


19+
Otto's irresistible dance



Whenever a stolen child sorcerer or bard gains one of the above spell-like abilities, it may convert it to bonus spell known of appropriate level. It may only add to its spells known a maximum of one bonus spell per spell level that way.

Special Qualities: A stolen child has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities.

Adopted by Fey (Ex): A stolen child is considered to have the fey type when it is beneficial. Otherwise, it is considered to have its normal type. So for example, a human stolen child is affected neither by a hold person spell (which affects humanoids but not fey), nor by a junglerazer spell (which affects fey but not humanoids). Similarly, it can be considered as either type when choosing feats, using magic items, qualifying for prestige classes and so on.

Woodland Stride (Ex): A stolen child may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at its normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect it.

Fey Gift: A stolen child gains one of the following abilities.

Summer Aura (Su): A stolen child gains a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting spells and effects. Each ally within 10 ft. of it gains a +4 morale bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting spells and effects. This ability functions only while the stolen child is conscious.
Winter Aura (Su): All enemies within 10 ft. of the stolen child suffer a -2 penalty to all saving throws. This ability functions only while the stolen child is conscious.


Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4.

Skills: A stolen child has a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Perform checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.

Alignment: Any, often chaotic.

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +2.

Debihuman
2015-05-15, 06:12 AM
I like this a lot. The last time I saw a changeling like this was in Ravenloft, the Arak (see The Shadow Rift and Denizens of Darkness for detail). This is not quite so malign. What about the simulacra that's left behind? Should there be some relationship between the two?

Debby

HeadlessMermaid
2015-05-15, 07:51 AM
I like this a lot.
High, thanks! :)


This is not quite so malign.
Seelie and Unseelie Fey

I've avoided separating abilities to "good" and "evil", because I prefer to leave these matters to the flavor of each setting, and far away from the crunch, where they would be too restrictive.

Still, if someone wants to differentiate between Seelie and Unseelie Fey, or Summer and Winter Courts and the like, it's quite easy. Children stolen by the Seelie Fey get the Summer Aura special ability, the charm monster, hold monster, and mass charm monster SLAs, and they tend towards good alignment. Whereas children stolen by the Unseelie get the Winter Aura ability, the eyebite, dominate person, and insanity SLAs, and they tend towards evil alignment.


What about the simulacra that's left behind? Should there be some relationship between the two?
Not that I know of. They go their own separate ways. I've read tales about the fey replacements and their shenanigans (they grow up very fast, they can speak and sing/play music immediately, they pull pranks or bring bad luck, they hiss at holy symbols, and so on), and I've read [fewer] tales about odd humans who turn out to have been taken by the fey at a young age. Nothing that connects the two, though.