PDA

View Full Version : [LAYER]Castles in the Sand



The_Werebear
2007-07-17, 02:04 AM
The Mad Sands

Serinai stared into the bleak wasteland spreading out before her as the last disorientation of the teleportation spell wore off. Already, the halfling was beginning to hate the place. Behind her, Gartuk the half orc barbarian was still vomiting onto the black, crystalline sand that he was sunk to his knees in. He couldn't stand teleportation. Turning around with her hands on her diminutive waist, she frowned at her henchman and shouted, "Get up you slob. I hired you to fight, not puke." With a grunt, he pushed himself to and upright position, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and from behind it muttered "Screw you. What's gotten a worm into your apple." Normally, the halfling was more understanding of his teleportation sickness. Serinai sighed, half impatiently, half apologetically.

"I'm just on edge, that's all."

Planar Description
The Mad Sands are layer 193 of the Abyss, and are a wasteland of of knee deep black sand that blows about the area in a never ending whirl of crystalline grit. No natural waterways run through the area, and few creatures can survive the harsh extremes in temperature that swing violently and randomly. No geographic structure lasts for more than a few days, the most common being massive dunes that occasionally form. Castles of the sand dot the landscape, occasionally collapsing in a cloud of dust.
This is the dominion of Linanah, a Demoness of madness who specifically targets Arcane casters. The black sand is part of her trap. While on the plane, arcane spells are magnified in power, and even a vial of the sand can enhance a spellcaster's power to dangerous levels. The plane itself can be manipulated by anyone skilled in the arcane as well, forming whatever they desire. Like the sand, this is bait. Anyone posessing arcane knowledge on the plane will slowly lose the will to leave, then memories, then personality. Before long, he or she will be just another Sandwraith, a faded image of a person, battling the other victims of the plane while trying to hold together a crumbling castle in the sand.

Planar Traits
-Normal Gravity
-Normal Time
-Circular- If you go far enough in one direction in the Mad Sands, you will end up back where you started.
-Highly Morphic, Divinely Morphic- Anyone with the ability to cast Arcane spells greater than Fifth level can create any nonmagical, inanimate object out of the black sand that covers the plane. It will behave just like a normal object of that type, save it will appear matte black and have a shimmer effect. However, as soon as they cease to concentrate on the object, it returns to simply being a pile of sand. Many creatures of the plane use it to create elaborate castles, which fall apart the second they stop focusing on them. Any Lesser Deity can alter the plane at will, and in a more permanent fashion.
-Entrapping- This is similar to the Entrapping trait from Hades and Elysium. Any arcane spellcaster on the plane becomes more and more delusional and detached from reality. Their powers seem more interesting, and their companions more foolish and ignorant. At the conclusion of every day spent in the Mad Sands, any nonoutsider Arcane spellcaster must make a Will Save(DC 10+ their Arcane Caster level). On a successful save, victim takes 1d2 points of Wisdom Damage. Failure indicates they have become a Madsand mage, falling under the control of Linanah and losing all memories. Only a Wish or Miracle can restore the victim to their former state.
-Enhanced Magic- All Arcane spells take effect as if the caster was two levels higher. This does not affect the level of the spell. For example, a Fireball cast by a 7th level wizard in the Mad Sands would deal 9d6 damage instead of 7d6.
Mildly Chaos and Evil aligned

-Madsand- This is an item related to the plane, and the reason many mages would risk an expedition to retrieve some. A cubic foot of it will act, on the material plane, like it does in the plane itself, increasing the caster level of any Arcane spellcaster holding it by 2, and being able to be shifted into any mundane object that has the same mass as the sand. However, it also brings the entrapment trait. Any Spellcaster in contact with it for more than a day will have to make saves as if they were on the plane, with the same consequences for failure.

The_Werebear
2007-07-17, 10:06 AM
Inhabitants

Gartuk hadn't ever really liked the plane that much. For days it seemed, he had been wandering aimlessly, searching for anyone or anything. Serinai had collapsed in gibbering madness yesterday, and he had been forced to leave the only person who could have got him out behind. The black dune he had been climbing suddenly collapsed in front of him, sand fountaining up in a spiral. Gartuk stepped back with a curse. What would it be this time? Another giant serpent? More of those huge dark furred jackals with mad red eyes? The sand fountain coalesced, pulling itself into a tighter and tighter form, eventually shifting into a small black humanoid with bloodred eyes. A maddening, indecipherable babble started to issue from its lips as the black sand it was formed from faded into flesh tones, adopting the shape of Serinai. She staggered forward, eying the half orc hungrily, a mad grin on her face. Gartuk had never liked the plane. It looked like it was about to get worse.

A variety of different creatures inhabit the Mad Sands. Fiendish versions of desert creatures like Giant Scorpions and Monstrous Spiders roam the land, along with packs of fiendish jackals. However, few sentient or semi sentient creatures can survive. Packs of Allips are surprisingly common. A few Demons also have set up enclaves, primarily those interested in Arcane Spellcraft. The most common inhabitants, however, are the Madsand Mages, crazed remnants of the arcane spellcasters the plane has trapped.

Madsand Mage
Out of the black sand before you, a shape starts to pull itself together. Rising higher and higher, a humanoid form eventually begins to form. When the last traces of dust have pulled together, an emaciated man in a tattered robe stands before you. Instead of legs, a small tornado of black grit supports him from his thighs up. His hair is long and unkempt, and a mad technical babble about spellcraft starts to issue from his dried lips.

Madsand Mage is an acquired template that can be applied to any Humanoid, Giant, or Monstrous Humanoid that is capable of casting Arcane spells.

Size and Type: The creature's type changes to Outsider(Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic). Do not recalculate saves, hit die, or base attack bonus. Size is unchanged.

Speed: Madsand Mages fly at a rate equal to their base speed +10, with perfect maneuverability.

Armor Class: Madsand Mages gain a deflection bonus to their armor class equal to their Intelligence or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. This is always at least +1

Special Attacks:

Arcane Mutters (Su): Madsand Mages are continually muttering and babbling about arcane discoveries, theses, or random verbal components or spells. This continual whine can cause madness in minutes. Every creature within 30 feet of a Madsand Mage must make a Will save each round (DC is equal to 5+ the caster level of the Madsand Mage) or take 1d3 points of wisdom damage. Anyone who successfully makes five saves in a row is immune to the mutters for one day, and gains a +2 circumstance bonus on spellcraft checks for a day as well.

Spelldrain (Su) : Three times per day, if a Madsand Mage targets an Arcane spellcaster with a single target spell, they (if the prepare spells) keep the spell prepared or (if they are a spontaneous caster) keep the spell slot. The victim of the ability looses one spell slot or prepared spell of the same level of the spell. If they do not have a spell slot or prepared spell of the appropriate level, they instead lose one of the highest level.

Special Qualities:

Sandform (Su): At will, the Madsand Mage can disperse into a pile of black sand, which can move around as if blown by the breeze, even in no wind or against the wind. This functions as Gaseous Form, caster level equal to the caster level of the Madsand Mage.

Insanity(Ex): Madsand Mages are uniformly insane. They take a -5 penalty to Wisdom. Instead of adding their Wisdom to Will Saves, they may instead add their Intelligence or Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. They can not be cured from insanity.

Damage Reduction: The Madsand Mage gains Damage Reduction 10/ Cold Iron or Good

Outsider Traits: 60 foot Darkvision, Not able to be Resurrected, No need to eat, sleep, or drink.

Abilities: Increased from the base creature as follows: +2 Dex +6 Int, +6 Cha

Challenge Rating Increase by +2

Level Adjustment Same as base creature by +3

Madsand Mages are insane shades of the Arcane casters who have spent too much time in the plane and have become trapped. Composed of the black sand of the layer, they are absolutely loyal to Linanah. They are less cohesive themselves. Most spend their time constructing fortresses from the black sand with their minds, or assaulting others forts with catapults of the same material. When one destroys another they usually attempt to steal arcane knowledge from the others, stealing their spellbooks or trying to copy spells they cast. If they find someone who is not an arcane spellcaster, they simply try to kill and eat them, even though they technically don't need food.

Example Character- This was once a level 12 Halfling Wizard

The_Werebear
2007-07-17, 10:07 AM
And this one too!

The_Werebear
2007-07-17, 10:10 AM
I'll also be needing this one.