Iituem
2007-07-17, 08:51 AM
Wightblooded
"Look for me here
At the death of dreams,
Clawing at the shadows
That ensnare me.
Sleep escapes me
Hunger flees me
Cold shadows fill
My body now."
Frequent and horrifying are the stories of wights, those twisted undead who prowl about the graveyards of the living and drain the very life from them to feed. Yet the transformation to a wight is swift, consuming identity and memory in its wake. Some have sought another way, a path to undeath that retains the will and wit of their former lives, yet strengthened by the power of the forgotten men. For some this is the ultimate goal... or punishment.
The wightblooded are those who have begun this harrowing transformation, willingly or otherwise, plagued by horrors in their sleep as their bodies slow down and finally stop, their spirit twisted to be powered by darkness instead of light.
Hit Die: d12
The Wightblooded's class skills are Climb, Craft, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, Profession, Search and Spot.
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier
Alignment: Any, though characters with 8 Cha or less will become lawful evil as their identity becomes submerged.
This class gains no weapon or armour proficiencies beyond the initial slam attack.
Requirements: Must have been injected with the prepared wightblood poison and failed either of the two initial saves, as well as one save when levelling up.
Special: Upon failing the initial fortitude save and taking the first level in this class, a fortitude save against DC 14 must be taken each time the character levels up. On a successful save, the character levels up normally in whichever class he desires (including wightblooded). On a failed save, the character must take a level in wightblooded. At 4th level, the problem ends as the character becomes fully wightblooded and effectively a wight. Should the character make three consecutive successful saves, he shrugs off the poison once and for all, but retains any wightblooded levels he has to date.
Wightblooded
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Slam Attack, Creep (+4), Harden (+2), Nightmarish Conviction (+2 Cha), Death of Dreams (half sleep)
2nd|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+3|Creep (+8), Nightmarish Conviction (+4 Cha), Death of Dreams (No sleep, +2 Wis), Encroaching Undeath (resistances, half food)
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Encroaching Undeath (no food, +2 Dex, negative energy), Energy Drain, Harden (+4)
4th|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+4|Grip of Undeath, Create Spawn
[/table]
Slam Attack (Ex): At first level, the wightblooded gains an unarmed slam attack that deals 1d4 normal damage. He is proficient in this attack but unless he is also proficient in unarmed combat he may not perform this damage subdually without taking the standard penalty to attack. The wightblooded's energy drain ability can only be used in conjuction with its slam attack.
Creep (Ex): The wightblooded grows quieter in action and voice as he continues to battle against the poison in his soul. He gains a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently at first level, increasing to a +8 racial bonus at second level.
Harden (Ex): The wightblooded's skin grows taut and leathery as his progression continues, his flesh simply growing less and less sensitive to pain and damage. He gains a +2 racial bonus to Natural AC at first level, rising to a +4 bonus at third level.
Nightmarish Conviction (Ex): As the wightblooded begins his transition, he is plagued often by nightmares during his sleep. Although these do not interrupt his sleep or disrupt spell preparation in the morning, they leave the character shaken for one hour after waking. As a result of having to battle nightly against the terrors of his own dreams the wightblooded gains strength of conviction, gaining a racial +2 to Charisma at first level and a second +2 (for a total bonus of +4) at second level as he fights off sleep once and for all.
Death of Dreams (Ex): As the wightblooded continues to suffer the everpresent nightmares he faces whenever he goes to sleep, he gradually requires less and less of it. At first level, wightblooded require only half the sleep they would normally require to be rested, although they will still require 8 hours of rest to prepare spells (if they did in the first place). By second level, wightblooded have fought off the need to sleep entirely, no longer requiring it (although still requiring eight hours of rest to prepare spells). The wightblooded gains a +2 racial bonus to Wisdom from the insight brought about by the death of sleep, as well as darkvision out to 60 feet.
Encroaching Undeath (Su): As sleep fades from the life of the wightblooded, so too does food and drink lose its appeal. The wightblooded's body becomes sluggish, at 2nd level requiring only half the food per day to sustain it and gaining a racial +5 bonus to resist mind affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease.
At third level the wightblooded no longer requires food or water. His body begins to be powered by the decaying essence of negative energy rather than positive, growing leaner and faster from it and gaining a +2 racial bonus to Dexterity. The wightblooded grows gaunt and pale from the lack of food, which provides it with no sustenance and turns to ash in its belly.
A side effect of this is that at third level the wightblooded resembles the undead greatly, despite not yet having become one. It is now harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy and is subject to turning and rebuking as if undead.
Energy Drain (Su): As the wight ability of the same name. At third level the wightblooded can enact an energy drain with its slam attack upon an opponent subject to such and forcing the victim to make a fortitude save against DC 10 + 1/2 wightblooded levels + wightblooded's Cha bonus. On a failed save, the victim takes one negative level and the wightblooded gains 5 temporary hitpoints.
Grip of Undeath (Su): Upon completion of the transformation, the wightblooded's heart stops and his veins are instead filled with the surging power of undeath, granting him a superhuman +2 racial bonus to Strength. His Constitution score becomes a nonability (-) and he becomes immune to mind affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease. He is no longer subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain. He becomes immune to damage to his physical ability scores, as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. The wightblooded no longer needs to breathe.
Change all current and future HD to d12. Change the creature's type to Undead.
The wightblooded does not age and gains no more penalties or bonuses for aging than it already has (it does not lose those already accrued). Resurrection spells cast upon it will not turn it back into the living creature it once was, although a wish or miracle will return it to life minus all four of its wightblooded levels (set about half way through the XP needed to raise a level for the new, adjusted level). If reduced to 0 hit points, the wightblooded is destroyed and cannot be returned by means of resurrection. It can be restored with a create undead spell cast on the remains within 1 day per caster level of destruction, or a create greater undead spell cast on the remains within 10 years per caster level of destruction. Both effects will recreate the wightblooded hale and hearty, but at the loss of one character level. If the wightblooded only has four levels at the time of destruction, he will return as a wight.
Create Spawn (Su): At fourth level, those creatures slain by the wightblooded's energy drain ability will rise again 1d4 rounds later as common wights, completely enslaved to the wightblooded as if under compulsion. They retain none of the levels or abilities prior to transformation and are essentially new undead minions with a superficial resemblance to their former selves.
Item: Prepared Wightblood
Wights, being undead, generally have very little useable blood left in them. That which does remain can be used to work wonders, however. Each wight has on average one fluid ounce of viable blood left within their bodies (usually buried deep in their blackened heart), worth 900gp in raw materials. Preparation of this blood requires DC 20 Craft (alchemy) checks (progression is in gp per week, not sp) and the final product is worth 2700gp per fluid ounce.
Prepared wightblood can be applied as an injury poison and has a fortitude DC of 14 to resist. The initial effect is 1d2 minutes paralysis, secondary 1d6 hours sleep. If the victim fails either check, he becomes subject to wightblood. The prepared wight's blood begins a slow transformation, turning him gradually into the undead. Each time he attempts to level up, he must make another DC 14 fortitude save or be forced to take a level in wightblooded instead of what he intended (although he could take the level intentionally). He is no longer subject to the transformation either when it is complete or he has resisted the level up fortitude save three consecutive times.
Attempts to magically cure the condition generally fail, although a break enchantment spell will prevent the transformation for one level. A greater restoration spell will stop the progression of the condition, but not reverse any changes that have already taken place.
"Look for me here
At the death of dreams,
Clawing at the shadows
That ensnare me.
Sleep escapes me
Hunger flees me
Cold shadows fill
My body now."
Frequent and horrifying are the stories of wights, those twisted undead who prowl about the graveyards of the living and drain the very life from them to feed. Yet the transformation to a wight is swift, consuming identity and memory in its wake. Some have sought another way, a path to undeath that retains the will and wit of their former lives, yet strengthened by the power of the forgotten men. For some this is the ultimate goal... or punishment.
The wightblooded are those who have begun this harrowing transformation, willingly or otherwise, plagued by horrors in their sleep as their bodies slow down and finally stop, their spirit twisted to be powered by darkness instead of light.
Hit Die: d12
The Wightblooded's class skills are Climb, Craft, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, Profession, Search and Spot.
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier
Alignment: Any, though characters with 8 Cha or less will become lawful evil as their identity becomes submerged.
This class gains no weapon or armour proficiencies beyond the initial slam attack.
Requirements: Must have been injected with the prepared wightblood poison and failed either of the two initial saves, as well as one save when levelling up.
Special: Upon failing the initial fortitude save and taking the first level in this class, a fortitude save against DC 14 must be taken each time the character levels up. On a successful save, the character levels up normally in whichever class he desires (including wightblooded). On a failed save, the character must take a level in wightblooded. At 4th level, the problem ends as the character becomes fully wightblooded and effectively a wight. Should the character make three consecutive successful saves, he shrugs off the poison once and for all, but retains any wightblooded levels he has to date.
Wightblooded
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Slam Attack, Creep (+4), Harden (+2), Nightmarish Conviction (+2 Cha), Death of Dreams (half sleep)
2nd|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+3|Creep (+8), Nightmarish Conviction (+4 Cha), Death of Dreams (No sleep, +2 Wis), Encroaching Undeath (resistances, half food)
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Encroaching Undeath (no food, +2 Dex, negative energy), Energy Drain, Harden (+4)
4th|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+4|Grip of Undeath, Create Spawn
[/table]
Slam Attack (Ex): At first level, the wightblooded gains an unarmed slam attack that deals 1d4 normal damage. He is proficient in this attack but unless he is also proficient in unarmed combat he may not perform this damage subdually without taking the standard penalty to attack. The wightblooded's energy drain ability can only be used in conjuction with its slam attack.
Creep (Ex): The wightblooded grows quieter in action and voice as he continues to battle against the poison in his soul. He gains a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently at first level, increasing to a +8 racial bonus at second level.
Harden (Ex): The wightblooded's skin grows taut and leathery as his progression continues, his flesh simply growing less and less sensitive to pain and damage. He gains a +2 racial bonus to Natural AC at first level, rising to a +4 bonus at third level.
Nightmarish Conviction (Ex): As the wightblooded begins his transition, he is plagued often by nightmares during his sleep. Although these do not interrupt his sleep or disrupt spell preparation in the morning, they leave the character shaken for one hour after waking. As a result of having to battle nightly against the terrors of his own dreams the wightblooded gains strength of conviction, gaining a racial +2 to Charisma at first level and a second +2 (for a total bonus of +4) at second level as he fights off sleep once and for all.
Death of Dreams (Ex): As the wightblooded continues to suffer the everpresent nightmares he faces whenever he goes to sleep, he gradually requires less and less of it. At first level, wightblooded require only half the sleep they would normally require to be rested, although they will still require 8 hours of rest to prepare spells (if they did in the first place). By second level, wightblooded have fought off the need to sleep entirely, no longer requiring it (although still requiring eight hours of rest to prepare spells). The wightblooded gains a +2 racial bonus to Wisdom from the insight brought about by the death of sleep, as well as darkvision out to 60 feet.
Encroaching Undeath (Su): As sleep fades from the life of the wightblooded, so too does food and drink lose its appeal. The wightblooded's body becomes sluggish, at 2nd level requiring only half the food per day to sustain it and gaining a racial +5 bonus to resist mind affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease.
At third level the wightblooded no longer requires food or water. His body begins to be powered by the decaying essence of negative energy rather than positive, growing leaner and faster from it and gaining a +2 racial bonus to Dexterity. The wightblooded grows gaunt and pale from the lack of food, which provides it with no sustenance and turns to ash in its belly.
A side effect of this is that at third level the wightblooded resembles the undead greatly, despite not yet having become one. It is now harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy and is subject to turning and rebuking as if undead.
Energy Drain (Su): As the wight ability of the same name. At third level the wightblooded can enact an energy drain with its slam attack upon an opponent subject to such and forcing the victim to make a fortitude save against DC 10 + 1/2 wightblooded levels + wightblooded's Cha bonus. On a failed save, the victim takes one negative level and the wightblooded gains 5 temporary hitpoints.
Grip of Undeath (Su): Upon completion of the transformation, the wightblooded's heart stops and his veins are instead filled with the surging power of undeath, granting him a superhuman +2 racial bonus to Strength. His Constitution score becomes a nonability (-) and he becomes immune to mind affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease. He is no longer subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain or energy drain. He becomes immune to damage to his physical ability scores, as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. The wightblooded no longer needs to breathe.
Change all current and future HD to d12. Change the creature's type to Undead.
The wightblooded does not age and gains no more penalties or bonuses for aging than it already has (it does not lose those already accrued). Resurrection spells cast upon it will not turn it back into the living creature it once was, although a wish or miracle will return it to life minus all four of its wightblooded levels (set about half way through the XP needed to raise a level for the new, adjusted level). If reduced to 0 hit points, the wightblooded is destroyed and cannot be returned by means of resurrection. It can be restored with a create undead spell cast on the remains within 1 day per caster level of destruction, or a create greater undead spell cast on the remains within 10 years per caster level of destruction. Both effects will recreate the wightblooded hale and hearty, but at the loss of one character level. If the wightblooded only has four levels at the time of destruction, he will return as a wight.
Create Spawn (Su): At fourth level, those creatures slain by the wightblooded's energy drain ability will rise again 1d4 rounds later as common wights, completely enslaved to the wightblooded as if under compulsion. They retain none of the levels or abilities prior to transformation and are essentially new undead minions with a superficial resemblance to their former selves.
Item: Prepared Wightblood
Wights, being undead, generally have very little useable blood left in them. That which does remain can be used to work wonders, however. Each wight has on average one fluid ounce of viable blood left within their bodies (usually buried deep in their blackened heart), worth 900gp in raw materials. Preparation of this blood requires DC 20 Craft (alchemy) checks (progression is in gp per week, not sp) and the final product is worth 2700gp per fluid ounce.
Prepared wightblood can be applied as an injury poison and has a fortitude DC of 14 to resist. The initial effect is 1d2 minutes paralysis, secondary 1d6 hours sleep. If the victim fails either check, he becomes subject to wightblood. The prepared wight's blood begins a slow transformation, turning him gradually into the undead. Each time he attempts to level up, he must make another DC 14 fortitude save or be forced to take a level in wightblooded instead of what he intended (although he could take the level intentionally). He is no longer subject to the transformation either when it is complete or he has resisted the level up fortitude save three consecutive times.
Attempts to magically cure the condition generally fail, although a break enchantment spell will prevent the transformation for one level. A greater restoration spell will stop the progression of the condition, but not reverse any changes that have already taken place.