Steel Men and other strange creatures (3.5, PEACH)

[afroakuma]

Steel Man
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 1d8+4 (8 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: -2
AC 14; touch 8; flat-footed 14 (+4 natural, +2 armor, -2 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +4
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Batter
Special Qualities DR 5/adamantine and bludgeoning, ductile mind, endure elements, metallic, poison immunity, reactive energy resistance, water torpor
Saves Fort +1 Ref +0 Will +2
Abilities Str 16, Dex 7, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills Balance +2*, Concentration +5*, Listen +4, Search +5, Spot +4
Feats EnduranceB, Improved SunderB, Toughness
Environment Any desert
Organization Solitary, pair, task (3-6), ring (4 adults plus 2-8 noncombatants), or chamber (8-12 plus two 2nd-3rd level combatants and 1 cleric of 5th-6th level).
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure Half standard plus leather armor
Alignment Often lawful evil
Advancement by class; Favored Class Monk
Level Adjustment +1

Batter (Ex) A steel man ignores the first 10 points of hardness when attacking an object using its natural weapons. When performing a sunder with any weapon, the steel man gets a +2 racial bonus to the attempt.

Ductile Mind (Ex) Steel men have a complex perception of the mind and place low importance on personal motivation based on emotion. Their mindset makes them resistant to emotion-based manipulation, but their certitude in their mental superiority is quite unearned and leaves them open to outside influence not based on emotion. Steel men have a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against charm or emotion effects (including fear effects). Against illusions or compulsions that are not emotion-based, steel men suffer a -2 penalty to their saving throw.

Endure Elements (Ex) Steel men are fairly resilient where their environment is concerned, enjoying the benefits of the endure elements spell. This quality is nonmagical and cannot be dispelled or rendered inert by an antimagic field.

Metallic (Ex) Steel men are considered ferrous and metallic for the purpose of spells and abilities which would affect metal, such as rusting grasp. If heat metal or chill metal are cast on a steel man, its natural weapons take on the flaming or frost properties respectively for rounds 2-6 of the spell's effect. Transmute metal to wood instantly kills a steel man, though they are entitled to a Fortitude saving throw against the spell to resist its effects. Repel metal or stone pushes away a steel man as though it were a creature wearing metal armor. The antennae of a rust monster deal 1d6 damage per hit die of the rust monster (Fortitude half). Steel men receive a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against any effect which specifically targets flesh (such as flesh to stone) unless it would also affect metal (such as the corrosive acid of a gray ooze).

Poison Immunity (Ex) A steel man is immune to the vast majority of contact and injury poisons. Inhaled and ingested poisons affect a steel man normally. Special contact and injury poisons may be developed that would affect a steel man.

Reactive Energy Resistance (Su) A steel man has resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, and fire; however, these resistances fluctuate as they are tested. Whenever a steel man suffers fire damage (above whatever amount it resisted), it loses its racial cold resistance for 1 minute, and vice versa for cold damage lowering fire resistance. The same relationship applies to acid and electric damage and resistances.

Water Torpor (Ex) Steel men cannot drown in the way that humanoids normally do; when they would begin drowning, they instead enter a state of torpor, in which they are unconscious as though affected by a sleep spell (irrespective of HD). A steel man cannot wake from this torpor unaided while it remains immersed in water; the torpor ends 1d6 hours after the steel man is extracted from the water. Once per day while in this torpor state, a steel man suffers 1 Constitution damage. A steel man does not recover ability damage naturally while in a state of water torpor.

Skills A steel man has a +4 racial bonus to Balance and Concentration.

Taciturn and unsociable, the mysterious race known to their neighbors and foes alike as the steel men are not known on many worlds. This may be for the best, as they have consistently demonstrated a cold and callous certitude that the lands they occupy are not to be shared with other civilizations.

A steel man stands roughly 6 feet tall, with extremely little variance (5'10" + 1d4") in height, and weighs between 300 and 400 pounds. Despite the colloquial name, the race comprises both male and female members, though there is very little sexual dimorphism. Both sexes are broad-shouldered, with the physique of an athletic human, and are almost always completely hairless - the presence of short black hairs on the head and extremities is an indicator of extremely advanced age, cognate to whitening of hair in an elderly human, while the development of gray or rust-colored hair on any part of the body is a sign of illness or injury and is viewed the same way a disfiguring scar might be. Steel men are so named for both their muscular and androgynous appearance as well as the metallic tone of their skin, which resembles steel with a dull, nonreflective finish. Among their own kind, steel men are called nagla.

Most steel men are lawful neutral or lawful evil. It is rare for steel men to be neutral or neutral evil, and all but unheard of for a steel man to be chaotic in alignment. Good-aligned steel men are exceedingly rare. Unlike many other lawful societies of an evil bent, steel men do not practice slavery as a general rule. To their mind, any who bend are doomed to break, and the world cannot be built on the backs of those who would break. In turn, steel men rarely work well under other strong creatures and are intractable and defiant in the face of coercion.

Steel men place limited value on material goods that are not in some way serviceable and have extremely low regard for gold and copper coinage, though they have an innate appreciation for silver and platinum. They do not generally have a good sense of tone where music is concerned, though their sense of rhythm is excellent. The steel man aesthetic is stark and utilitarian. Steel men require one quarter of the water that a humanoid of similar size would need in order to survive, and half the food. However, a steel man must supplement their diet with small rocks, pebbles, or ferrous sands. Steel man cuisine is notable for being extremely dry, with as much moisture removed from food as possible. Spices and seasonings are strongly preferred to sauces, which are all but unknown. Steel men may cultivate and make use of inhaled narcotics, but avoid alcohol as it is often mixed with a higher water content than they enjoy.

Steel men are aware of their vulnerability to magical force effects, and those who dabble in arcane magic are likely to learn shield to protect against magic missiles. Steel men make poor rogues and bards, and may struggle to connect with nature in the traditional way of druids and rangers. Clerics, called nagavok, play an important role in steel man culture, with each ring meeting with a cleric of the five traditional faiths at least once a year. Steel men are likely to initiate hostilities with others for the sake of establishing dominance, but in turn are not generally vengeful - if they have been forced to withdraw or submit, steel men tend to back off for a substantial period in order to train and better themselves before they will make another attempt. A town which has fought off the steel men may not see their return for another 30 or 40 years, while an individual might not cast a challenge to a rival for a month or more.

Steel men are terribly intractable when it comes to what they are certain is true, which makes them vulnerable to magical compulsions and illusions that alter their perceptions. It can also prove difficult for diplomacy, as their demands are inflexible and their assessment of a situation rarely open to nuance. They are likely to cleave to both the letter and spirit of an agreement, as their principles dictate that to undermine the latter risks weakening the former. That said, steel men are utterly exacting regarding such agreements and treaties, and they are both willing and able to turn on a former ally the minute a deal elapses, without any regard for what has gone before. Friendship with a steel man should always be viewed as an in-the-moment thing - past bonds have little emotional heft for them, and future considerations are likely to be imagined differently from steel man's point of view.

Steel Man Characters

Steel men possess the following racial traits:

• +6 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence. Steel men are strong but inflexible, their minds sharp but not open to nuance.
• Medium-size.
• A steel man's base speed is 20 ft.
• Normal vision: unlike most monstrous humanoids, steel men do not possess darkvision.
• +4 racial bonus to Balance and Concentration checks. Steel men are careful and resolute in all that they do.
• +4 natural armor.
• Natural attack: slam 1d6 melee.
• Damage reduction 5/adamantine and bludgeoning.
• A steel man receives Endurance and Improved Sunder as bonus feats.
• Batter: as above
• Ductile Mind: as above
• Endure Elements: as above
• Metallic: as above
• Poison Immunity: as above
• Reactive Energy Resistance: as above
• Water Torpor: as above
• Automatic Languages: Nagla. Bonus Languages: Armandish, Asherati, Bhuka, Common, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Gol-kaa, Xeph.
• Favored Class: Monk
• Level Adjustment: +1

[Eurus]

Neat concept. I don't really have any objections or suggestions, except that normally "Creatures with 1 or less HD replace their monster levels with their character levels" (DMG), so giving them one RHD might not quite work.

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Steel Men

The steel men traditionally follow what are called the five faiths, and each ring is expected to host a representative from each of the faiths at least once each year. The head of the pantheon is Dolos, the creator deity of the steel men.

Dolos
Intermediate Power of Acheron
The Unbending, the Unbreakable, the Unyielding, the Hard God
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Steel men, individual accomplishment, refusal to yield
Divine Realm: Acheron/Tintibulus/The Unmarred Citadel
Symbol: A steel man's fist pointed downward
Domains Competition, Evil, Law, Metal, Strength
Favored Weapon: Warhammer

Creator deity of the steel men, Dolos the Unbending is a hard god who favors individual achievement and despises weakness. His faith preaches that all other races are doomed to bend, and that those who bend will one day break. For this reason, his clerics promote competitions between steel men, tests of mettle and fortitude, strength and prowess, to find the mightiest steel men and recruit them into the service of Dolos. An uncommunicative deity, Dolos never speaks with worshipers and rarely dispatches omens, preferring to work through the divine spells granted to his faithful. Priests of Dolos are discouraged from preparing healing spells, though it is not forbidden - but overuse may result in transgression of one's vows. He is depicted as a towering steel man wearing chainmail, wielding the mighty hammer with which he breaks the world and smashes away any weakness.

The visitation of Dolos takes place at the turn of the year, when each ring is asked to give witness that they neither bend nor break, and that those who are less than they will surely bend or break before them.

Ruusa
Lesser Power of Baator
Strifebringer, She Who Tests Us, She of Storm and Scouring, Longhair
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Endurance, strife, tribulation, pain, resilience
Divine Realm: Baator/Dis/Tower of Trials
Symbol: A rusted spike
Domains Destruction, Evil, Law, Protection, Retribution, Suffering
Favored Weapon: Guisarme

A cruel goddess who is believed to send troubles to plague the steel men, Ruusa is responsible for winnowing out the weak and culling those who would break under the strain of her fiercest torments. Depicted as an impossibly ancient steel woman covered in long rust-colored hair, she attracts faithful who are less concerned with their own strength than with disproving that of others, and her clerics often lead sorties against the lands of other races in order to test them and prove them wanting. Ruusa is associated with lightning, stinging winds, and corrosive and poisonous substances.

The visitation of Ruusa takes place in the harsh seasons - winter in cold lands, summer in hot lands, and during stormy periods in particular. Each ring is asked to declare that they stand strong against the worst the goddess can give them, and welcome her to try them once more.

Gredsen
Lesser Power of Arcadia
Chainmaker, He Who Links Us, Caller of Chambers, the Silver God
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Rings, unity, collective strength
Divine Realm: Arcadia/Buxenus/the Silver Sands
Symbol: Three silver rings linked in a triangle
Domains Family, Law, Metal, Nobility, Pact
Favored Weapon: Spiked chain

Though he would never openly call himself a rival to Dolos, Gredsen subtly pushes back against the dogma of the creator god by pointing out how steel men "bend" their own individual ambitions for the purpose of coming together as a ring, an unsubtle metaphor spelled out in his holy symbol and the links of his favored weapon. Just as Dolos wears chainmail, so is Gredsen depicted as the one who shapes and assembles it for his superior, with each ring in the mail comprised of steel men joined in such a social structure. Gredsen's faithful are the diplomats of the steel men, insofar as that term applies to the race, and are often found in leadership roles, to the consternation of the church of Dolos. Gredsen is associated with heat and cold, the powers he uses to shape metal to his will; he is generally depicted working metal or weaving. The church of Gredsen is responsible for the limited silver coinage produced in steel man society.

The visitation of Gredsen takes place at midyear, where each ring is asked to reflect on the strength of their unity, and the ways in which they yield to one another to ensure a result greater than any one steel man could produce alone.

Saprad
Lesser Power of Baator
The Sure, the Stygian, the Mindful, Truthseer
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Mental superiority, reason, intellect, death
Divine Realm: Baator/Stygia/the Maze of Doubt
Symbol: A circular labyrinth cracked down the middle
Domains Destiny, Domination, Evil, Law, Mentalism
Favored Weapon: Nunchaku

Steel men disavow emotion, but even they might feel a chill as they contemplate the Maze of Doubt, the testing ground said to await them after death, a labyrinth of ice hanging perilously above an endless black ocean, where those who fail to show resolve and confidence as they navigate the maze risk plunging into the inky depths beneath, never to resurface, to sink forever. The followers of Saprad relish the challenge - to them, confidence and intellect are the hallmarks of their people, and the resolve that Saprad represents is what prevents a steel man from bending or breaking. Saprad is often depicted in association with dark water, and water is his attribute alongside death. Steel men do not imagine harnessing the energies of death as a general rule, believing that superior reason will keep them strong and enduring, while the irrational lesser races fall to it of their own ineptitude. It is perhaps for this reason that Saprad is one of the few gods of death who does not make his realm in the Gray Wastes of Hades, nor does he offer the Death domain to his clerics. Saprad is also the patron of psionic steel men, who may pursue the psychic warrior class in particular.

The visitation of Saprad comes during the season of plenty, when each ring is asked to declare what they have achieved through their superior decisions, and lay out how they expect to profit from what they have accomplished in the year to come.

Briviba
Lesser Power of Limbo
She Who Has Never Bent, Breaker of Chains, the Divider, the Unstoppable
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Freedom, choice, self-determination, abandonment of tradition
Divine Realm: Limbo/Hall of the Shattered
Symbol: A shattered hand
Domains Chaos, Evil, Force, Liberation, Pride, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Spear

In the ancient past, she was for a brief moment known as Sapes (SAH-pez), a goddess created from the shadow of Dolos to serve as his consort. When he demanded that she yield to his rule, however, she defied him, shunning him and the name he gave her and taking on one of her own choosing. When he tried to chain her, bringing forth Gredsen to bind them together, she shattered their hands and broke their chains, and their battles brought forth Ruusa, who arose from the wicked cruelties each endured in their refusal to cede victory to the other. At long last, they spoke as equals, and Saprad came forth as reason and certitude. Neither would give ground, but it was to be understood that if she was truly to be of Dolos, then Briviba must by necessity be unwilling to bend or break, including to his own will. Her example carries on in her faithful, who are disliked by the churches of Dolos and Gredsen but tolerated as a necessity for their incitement of steel men to pursue those things at which they are most skilled. As each forges their own path at the goading of Briviba, Dolos hopes that they will find that path leads to him, while Gredsen desires that it weave into the paths of others with complementary paths in life. For her part, Briviba doesn't care one bit what any of the others hope for; to her, each steel man who breaks free of traditional roles and leaves ring and chamber is another victory, and she keeps the original broken hands of Dolos and Gredsen in her great hall as trophies of her original victory.

The visitation of Briviba comes randomly, and each steel man is challenged to prove they have become better as part of the ring and the community at large than they could have been on their own. Her faithful apply logic for the purpose of causing chaos and division, and they are known to be quite persuasive and skilled at sowing the seeds of doubt. Nevertheless, the faithful of the other gods cannot cast them out, for to do so would be to admit that there is a test which steel men might lack the resolve to pass without breaking or bending.

[afroakuma]

Neat concept. I don't really have any objections or suggestions, except that normally "Creatures with 1 or less HD replace their monster levels with their character levels" (DMG), so giving them one RHD might not quite work.

Quite right, and thank you for the reminder! Amended accordingly.

[afroakuma]

Spotto
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); climb 20 ft.
Init: +5
AC 15; touch 11; flat-footed 14 (+4 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +4; Grp +5
Attack Slam +5 melee (1d6+1) or rock +5 ranged (1d3+1)
Full Attack 2 slams +5 melee (1d6+1) or rock +5 ranged (1d3+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Disorienting double, squeeze 2d6+2
Special Qualities Distractible, hide in plain sight, immunity to phase spider venom, mirror image, planar boundary invisibility, planar immunity
Saves Fort +2 Ref +5 Will +5
Abilities Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills Balance +10, Climb +12, Escape Artist +3, Hide +8*, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats Agile, Improved Initiative
Environment Any and Ethereal Plane
Organization Solitary or trio (3)
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Often chaotic neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class Factotum
Level Adjustment +1

A strange and alien figure, the spotto is distinctive outside its preferred habitat but an absolute chameleon when moving about the terrain it calls home. Ranging between 5 and 7 feet tall, a spotto looks like a long-armed muscular humanoid with four stumpy fingers on each hand and an equal number of toes organized in a cross shape on its feet. Its head is wide and trapezoidal, with the longer edge on top of an utterly flat skull, and it possesses only one staring eye and no obvious nose, ears, or mouth. The most distinctive feature of the spotto, which gave rise to its common name, is its variegated skin, which has one dominant color broken up by countless fluctuating spots of another color. The most commonly seen spotto color configuration is white with black or dark gray spots, which allow it to blend in with certain kinds of stone. Other spotto color patterns include green and yellow in forests, gray and dun in caverns, and supposedly even a blue spotto variant which exists under the sea. All spotto have a dominant color, which is never less than 18-20% of their skin's surface area, and a secondary color, which forms spots that can reduce in size down to a mere 5% of their skin's surface area.

Spotto are intelligent but hard to predict; they do not speak in any audible language, but have their own mode of communication that relies on changing the patterns of their skin, which is extremely hard for other creatures to emulate. Some spotto are known to at least recognize and understand one or more other languages, and it is clear to observers that spotto must have some kind of society which has not yet been discovered for study. Spotto have been known to stalk individuals or small groups at a distance for days at a time, never engaging; it is theorized, based on the fact that spotto have never been known to voluntarily associate in pairs for more than an hour at most, that spotto culture requires a certain amount of contrast and dispute in order to function effectively. Spotto have been known to take levels in rogue, factotum, and psion, among other classes.

Planar phenomenologists believe there is some strange link between spotto and phase spiders; the former have been seen successfully using the latter as mounts, and spotto are known to be immune to phase spider venom. The true nature of this link continues to elude sages, though some theorize that spotto may be the result of obscene magical experiments involving mutation or crossbreeding.

In combat, spotto never fight fair - they strike from ambush and use traps and ranged weapons, only closing to melee when they have been denied any alternative or when they are confident a foe is weak and can be finished off. Spotto attack out of fear, confusion, or hunger; they are more than intelligent enough to break off an attack if it does not seem to be succeeding. Spotto appear to dislike ethereal filchers and are in turn strongly disliked by ethereal marauders, who will relentlessly pursue a spotto until one or the other is dead.

Disorienting Double (Su) Spotto are infamous for this disquieting ability, which they use on lone travelers most especially in order to disorient and panic them. By pulsing and swirling the spot patterns on their body to catch the ambient light as a standard action, a spotto can create the illusory impression that it occupies a second place near the viewer, a more threatening position. Creatures within 30 ft. of the spotto must make a Will save (DC 13 negates) or be affected as though by the spell phantom foeSC cast by a 10th-level sorcerer. Unlike the spell, this effect persists until its full duration has elapsed even if the victim starts its turn without a creature threatening it. Potential victims may avoid this affect by averting their gaze while fighting the spotto. A creature that successfully saves against this effect cannot be affected by the same spotto's disorienting double ability for 24 hours.

Distractible (Ex) Spotto are easily fascinated - any effect which would cause fascination forces a spotto to save at a -2 penalty. Against any form of pattern effect, spotto save at a -4 penalty. These penalties are cumulative.

Hide In Plain Sight (Ex) Each spotto has a favored terrain type to which it belongs (see the Horizon Walker prestige class for terrain types). While within such terrain, a spotto can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Mirror Image (Sp) Once per encounter, a spotto may rapidly pulse and flicker the spots on its body to create the illusion of being in multiple places at once, as the spell mirror image cast by a 4th-level sorcerer.

Planar Boundary Invisibility (Su) For some unknown reason, spotto cannot be seen across planar boundaries. A creature on the Ethereal Plane cannot see a spotto, nor can a creature looking through a rift from the Plane of Shadow. While the viewer is on a different plane from the spotto, the spotto is effectively invisible to the viewer at all times.

Planar Immunity (Ex) Spotto cannot be forcibly moved to another plane or extraplanar region by a spell or ability, unless the boundary they would be moved across is one which physically exists, such as a portal or gate. Maze, plane shift, and other such effects fail against a spotto unless it wishes to be affected.

Squeeze (Ex) When the spotto lands both of its slam attacks on the same target, it begins to violently dig and press with its stumpy fingers, crushing the victim's body and probing for soft places. This automatically deals an additional 2d6+2 damage. Spotto have a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Skills Spotto have a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks when in their favored terrain, but take a -8 penalty to Hide checks otherwise (as their natural coloration is vivid and garish and likely to stand out). These modifiers have not been factored into the stat block above. Spotto have a +4 racial bonus to Balance checks and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks. These modifiers are reflected in the stat block above.

[afroakuma]

Balco
Balco 1st-level Warrior
Small Monstrous Humanoid
HD 1d8+4 (8 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 5 ft.
Init: +1
AC 14; touch 10; flat-footed 15 (+2 natural, +2 armor, +1 size, -1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Kukri +2 melee (1d3+1, 18-20/x2)
Full Attack Kukri +2 melee (1d3+1, 18-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Conviction, flammable, low-light vision, spell-like abilities
Saves Fort +4 Ref +1 Will +3
Abilities Str 8, Dex 9, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13
Skills Bluff -1*, Diplomacy +3, Escape Artist +3*, Sense Motive -3*, Tumble +3*
Feats Cold EnduranceB, Toughness, Weapon Focus (kukri)B
Environment Cold hills
Organization Solitary, pair, band (4-6) or troop (10-20)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often lawful good
Advancement by class; Favored Class Paladin
Level Adjustment +0

Resembling nothing so much as anthropomorphic capybaras or hamsters with heavy moustaches, balcos are a good-natured and hardworking people who live in cooler climes and train for a higher calling. Balco culture holds that life is a series of experiences meant to strengthen them for a great and noble quest to be undertaken in the afterlife, and their interactions with others are colored by this belief system - learning how to work as one and contribute in some small way to a greater task is an important milestone for a balco. Rare are those who shun the communal good, and they are viewed with sorrow and concern in balco settlements. In true ant-and-grasshopper style, balcos are happy to help those who are infirm or unwell, but those with the capacity to help themselves who make no effort to share in the work will be left to their own devices.

Balcos generally have pleasant relationships with dwarves and gnomes, and occasionally meet halflings on their journeys; dwarves find them both too stolid (balcos do not drink) and too easygoing (balcos rarely invest a great deal of energy in mining, artisanal work, or architecture, with form following function and function being minimalist much of the time). Gnomes, conversely, see them as a pleasant but alien people, a sentiment which is generally reciprocated - balcos rarely dabble in the arcane arts and are not typically musical, and the balco idea of a hearty laugh is a sharp "hmph!" and a few nods of the head.

Balcos are rarely found in the same territory as frost giants or evil dragons; invariably, it seems, a balco community will devote its every effort to toppling the evildoers in their land, which generally results in the latter either giving ground and leaving out of sheer irritation at the balcos' persistence, or - more commonly - murdering the lot of them. Red dragons are an exception - they have been known to specifically hunt balco settlements out of a perverse desire to amuse themselves by setting the bold little creatures on fire.

Elves, including drow, cannot stand the natural odor of balcos and suffer a -2 penalty to Concentration checks while within 30 ft. of one. An elf within 60 ft. of a balco gets a +2 circumstance bonus to a Spot check to locate the balco, as the smell is a dead giveaway. Curiously, most other humanoids detect no particular odor from them; elves describe it as moldy hay.

Balcos venerate their creator god, Kavi, who according to their mythology went on a great quest into the Stormlands and was lost. They believe that Kavi sent back a messenger, Kaman, to steward his people and lead them to the Stormlands to rescue their god.

Conviction (Su) Balcos are touched by a preternatural grace arising from their conviction in the worth of their duty. As long as a balco is not shaken, frightened, panicked, cowering, stunned, or nauseated, she receives a +2 morale bonus on all saving throws, on initiative checks, and on weapon damage rolls. Balcos are not aware when this ability is suppressed, nor are they as a general rule aware that it is any kind of supernatural force; they chalk it up to good fortune and courage. This bonus is reflected in the statblock above.

Flammable (Ex) The dry and matted fur of a balco is an ideal fuel for flames. Balcos take 1 additional damage per die when subjected to fire damage (e.g. a 5d6 damage fireball deals 5d6+5 damage to a balco). The Reflex save DC for a balco to avoid catching on fire is 20 rather than 15; for any effect that specifies an alternative DC to avoid catching on fire, treat the DC as 5 higher for the balco.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - guidance, resistance; 1/day - bless weapon; the caster level is equal to the balco's character level.

Skills Balcos are surprisingly flexible despite the limitations of their manual dexterity and have a +4 racial bonus to Escape Artist and Tumble checks. Balcos are as a rule extremely poor judges of character, and they suffer a -4 penalty to Sense Motive checks. Due to their earnestness, balcos enjoy a +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks but suffer a -2 penalty to Bluff checks.

Balco Characters

Balcos possess the following racial traits:

• -2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Balcos aren't particularly mighty or agile, but they are sure, and insightful.
• Small size.
• A balco's base speed is 20 ft.
• Balcos can burrow at a base speed of 5 ft. through soft earth, dirt, or snow. Frozen or packed earth is too difficult for them to dig into unaided, and sand is no easier for them to dig through than a human could.
• Low-light vision: unlike most monstrous humanoids, balcos do not possess darkvision.
• +4 racial bonus to Escape Artist and Tumble checks. Balcos aren't particularly dextrous, but they have tremendous abdominal flexibility.
• -4 penalty to Sense Motive checks. Balcos are far too trusting.
• +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks.
• -2 penalty to Bluff checks.
• +2 natural armor.
• A balco may select an additional feat at 1st level.
• Balcos gain Cold Endurance as a bonus feat.
• Conviction: as above
• Flammable: as above
• Spell-Like Abilities: as above
• Automatic Languages: Balco, Common. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Gol-kaa, Orcish.
• Favored Class: Paladin
• Level Adjustment: +0

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Balcos

Balcos respect two deities in the main, their creator Kavi and the steward-god Kaman.

Kavi
Intermediate Power of Bytopia
The Explorer, the Most Bold, Stormchaser, the Dauntless, Hearthlight
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Balcos, noble quests, discovery, conviction, welcome
Divine Realm: Bytopia/Dothion/Rhonsocco
Symbol: A three-pointed star with two points pointing upward, a sun arching between them.
Domains Community, Courage, Good, Glory, Law, Protection, Travel
Favored Weapon: Kukri

A kind and brave deity, Kavi is the example that balcos are taught to strive for, as well as the motivation behind their pursuit of excellence and service in life. Thousands of years ago, his church taught that balcos who excelled would get to join Kavi on his quests into the Stormlands in pursuit of evils to cast down; however, at some point Kavi stopped sending his omens, and before long it was learned that their god had gotten lost, possibly captured, on his most recent quest. Now, the balcos seek to liberate their deity and return him home.

Kavi gave of his divine essence to his chosen in spades, exalting their conviction in him with his own personal blessing, which has not faded despite his absence. He favored many paths to service and excellence, not limiting his people to one idea of duty, but asking instead that they find a way to give the best of themselves to their community. He was an enemy of several evil powers, none of whom are sorry to have seen the last of him for at least a few millennia - and hopefully forever.

Kaman
Lesser Power of Bytopia
Steward of Kavi, the Messenger, Lightbringer, He Who Guards The Hearth, the Corruptor, the Defiler, Devourer of False Hopes
Alignment: True neutral, formerly neutral evil
Portfolio: Adventure, peril, hope, opportunity, custodial trust, deception, misrule, dismay, dissolution of social bonds
Divine Realm: Bytopia/Dothion/Rhonsocco and Carceri/Porphatys/Yachar
Symbol: A V with a sun dawning between the branches
Domains Animal, Competition, Destiny, Renewal, Strength, Trickery; formerly Destruction, Envy, Evil, Scalykind, Sloth, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Lucerne hammerDR331

Kaman is a study in biting off more than one can chew; believed by the balcos to be the messenger and ally of Kavi, and the steward of their god's realm while he is lost, Kaman installed himself into their cultural mythology as a guide and savior figure who would collect them in the afterlife and equip them to quest for their lost god. In truth, Kaman was never an ally of Kavi; what precisely his nature was before engineering his grand deception is hard to say. He may have been an advanced demodand, or an exiled demon, or a foul deity with worshipers who have since vanished. What is certain is that Kaman was something profoundly evil and wicked to his very core, a thing of scales and mouths and hunger masked behind a paper-thin veneer of hope and friendship.

Kaman infiltrated balco society shortly after the silence of Kavi, presenting himself to the priesthood through omens as a benevolent messenger, who would help Kavi's people save their deity from the Stormlands. In truth, Kaman had no intention of even bothering to go to Bytopia, nor does he have any idea what happened to Kavi save that the deity did vanish into Shurrock. His plan was to corrupt balco society, feeding them false hope while convincing them to betray the principles of their god in the name of "rescuing" him, and then to corner and devour their souls in the afterlife.

Unfortunately for Kaman, he lied much too well.

The balcos believe him, wholeheartedly, and write off his suggestions to nudge away from Kavi's dogma as the misunderstandings of a well-meaning stranger, disregarding the changes he pushes for. While some elements of society have frayed away, and the race as a whole is no longer as unified as it once was, it is a hollow victory at best for Kaman, for the faith of the balcos is earnest and total - and their belief is changing the nature of the dark deity despite his every attempt to stay true to his malevolent ideals. Kaman didn't even notice it happening until it was too late; already, he is no longer a true power of evil, and many of the powers that were at the heart of his perverse and poisonous nature are no longer his to command.

Kaman has begun to realize that he has little hope of regaining what he once was, though the catalyst for this is unknown - perhaps his original base of worshipers, some cult of evildoers, was wiped out and no longer able to anchor him to his old nature; perhaps in assuming divinity he simply overshot what his original essence could handle. Perhaps Kavi's investiture of his own divine grace into his people doomed Kaman's scheme from the start. Whatever the case, Kaman has begun searching for his good-aligned counterpart in earnest, hoping to divest himself of the balcos' well-meaning faith while he is still anything of his old self.

[afroakuma]

Kullen
Kullen 1st-level Warrior
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 1d8 (4 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +0
AC 13; touch 10; flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 natural)
BAB +1; Grp +2
Attack Dagger +2 melee (1d4+1, 19-20/x2) or denticle +1 ranged (1d4)
Full Attack Dagger +2 melee (1d4+1, 19-20/x2) or denticle +1 ranged (1d4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Cartilage blades, spit denticle, spray denticles
Special Qualities Amphibious, darkvision 60 ft., sharp skin, spoor
Saves Fort +2 Ref +2 Will -1
Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 11
Skills Climb +7*, Swim +7*
Feats Lightning Reflexes
Environment Any coastal or forest
Organization Solitary, pair, pack (4-10) or thicket (12-36 plus 100% noncombatants)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Half standard plus leather armor
Alignment Any
Advancement by class; Favored Class Ranger
Level Adjustment +0

A wild amphibious people, kullens keep to their own devices much of the time, hunting inland and in the waters for their favored foods and meeting with others to conduct trade. A kullen stands between 5-5 1/2 feet tall and is distinguished by three main features - the mouth, a cluster of needlelike protrusions where teeth should be, forming a conical shape; the "hair," a heavy shag of cartilaginous quills; and the eyes, moist and jet-black. One may also notice that the kullen squats on all fours to relax, displaying fearsome bony blades protruding from the elbows, and the inconsistency of skin tones among the group, with black, blue, green, and red all jostling with a kind of dull silvery color for predominance, sometimes appearing in bands or patches on the same kullen.

Kullens favor coastal dwellings and build homes along shores and cliffs when they can, though some kullens have been known to move inland to forested areas with a river. Their diet favors mollusks and eggs, both of which can easily be broken into using their wedge of denticles, the better to extract the slimy innards. Kullens also occasionally eat fish and birds, but otherwise make up the balance of their diet with tough and fibrous plant material such as kelp, pinecones, roots, stems, and tuberous water plants. They find most terrestrial meat not to their liking and are put off by fruit and fungi. Dairy products are toxic to kullens.

The kullen philosophy is simple and straightforward, and their live-and-let-live approach allows many attitudes to proliferate. They generally dislike sahuagin, but kullen communities may also have a bone to pick with locathah, merfolk, and aquatic elves depending on how deep they swim to find mollusks and shellfish. Many kullens enjoy their relationship with the sea, though not all of them - certainly a number of the inland communities much prefer their own way of life to that of their brethren and would never dream of going back to the coast.

Though often considered frightening in appearance to human and elf sensibilities, kullens may find good company with hadozee and have in the past made common cause with darfellans on worlds where both people exist, although finding a common language is difficult as each race finds the tongue of the other rather challenging to learn. In the woodlands, kullens tend to come to a common understanding with raptorans, but have rarely been able to make peace with elves for long unless some common enemy threatens both. Kullens have a particular dislike for fey in any environment, as they are impatient and quick to make decisions, which leaves them prone to being inveigled by the pranks of the fey.

Amphibious (Ex) Kullens breathe normally in air and water.

Cartilage Blades (Ex) A kullen's elbows naturally produce cartilaginous blades that can protrude up to a foot in length, which are regrown within 1d3 days if removed, provided the kullen is in reasonably good health (add 1 day per point of Constitution the kullen is missing). As a standard action, a kullen can withdraw a blade from each elbow (or either one individually) which functions identically to a dagger and provides a +2 circumstance bonus to Climb checks when used as a tool. Non-kullens wielding these blades suffer penalties as though not proficient with the weapon, as it has no true hilt and the sharp edges make handling difficult. Cartilage blades benefit from spells and effects which function on natural weapons as well as on manufactured weapons (i.e. both magic weapon and magic fang can enhance a cartilage blade, though these do not stack) provided they have been extracted from the elbow; otherwise, they are not treated as weapons as they cannot usefully be brought to bear against an enemy while still connected to the elbow.

Sharp Skin (Ex) The cartilaginous skin of a kullen is covered in short barblike protrusions. A creature grappling a kullen wearing light or no armor suffers 1 damage upon securing the grapple and on each successful grapple check thereafter (e.g. when the kullen is trying and failing to break the grapple). This damage is piercing damage which may be reduced by DR. If the kullen is swallowed whole, the swallowing creature suffers this damage at the start of the kullen's turn each round.

Spit Denticle (Ex) The mouth of a kullen is packed with sharp needlelike denticles, some of which loosen as new ones grow in their place. Each day, the kullen may spit up to ten of these in total, less 1 per point of Constitution the kullen is missing. An attack with a denticle is treated like a dart, with the following exceptions: a denticle is a natural weapon (it can be enhanced by magic fang but not magic weapon, and all remaining denticles can be affected by one casting of magic fang) and is not thrown, so Strength bonuses do not apply to damage with a denticle. Denticles are not affected by ranged weapon penalties underwater.

Spoor (Ex) The sloughed cartilaginous barbs, blade fragments, and denticle shards a kullen leaves in its wake are a boon to trackers. The DC to track a kullen is decreased by 4, and a kullen in a group counts as two creatures for the purpose of further decreasing the DC based on group size. This does not apply when the kullen is moving overland at half speed and taking care to clean up such debris.

Spray Denticles (Ex) In addition to the longer denticles, a kullen's mouth contains a number of smaller fragments which can be ejected in a 5 ft. square, functioning as caltrops. The kullen may spray denticles once per day as a standard action into any square they could normally reach with an unarmed strike (so a kullen which has been enlarged above Medium-size may be able to spray them further).

Skills Kullens use their rough skin and cartilaginous body parts to their advantage when climbing and enjoy a +2 racial bonus to Climb checks. These same features help them move in a streamlined fashion in water, providing a +2 racial bonus to Swim checks.

Kullen Characters

• +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom. Kullens dislike overthinking life and are impatient to move on; their mobility relies on physical prowess to ensure they can climb and swim to their heart's content.
• Medium-size.
• A kullen's base speed is 30 ft.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• +2 racial bonus to Climb and Swim checks. Kullens are adapted to move more easily in water and up surfaces.
• +1 natural armor.
• Amphibious: As above
• Cartilage Blades: As above
• Sharp Skin: As above
• Spit Denticle: As above
• Spoor: As above
• Spray Denticles: As above
• Racial Proficiencies: Kullens are proficient with the dagger, harpoon, and light and heavy picks. Kullens are proficient with cord armor.
• Automatic Languages: Kullen. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Hadozee, Sahuagin, Tuilvalanuue.
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment: +0

[Eurus]

Okay, Kavi and Kaman are just hilarious. I wasn't going to post again because I didn't want to interrupt your thread, but I had to say it.

[afroakuma]

Okay, Kavi and Kaman are just hilarious. I wasn't going to post again because I didn't want to interrupt your thread, but I had to say it.

Oh no, by all means, go ahead and comment whenever! It is nice to see feedback! :smallbiggrin:

...suppose it would help to put PEACH in the title...

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Kullens

The kullens have an odd and scattershot pantheon of gods who barely acknowledge one another's existence. If any of them is the creator deity of the kullen race, none care to mention it, and it seems to work out just fine for them as a whole. Kullens keep small shrines that may include symbols or tokens of one or more deities, but true clerics are uncommon. Generally, priests in kullen society are storytellers, sages, and hedge mages moreso than religious leaders, though some faiths have begun adopting a more ceremonial bent, with mixed results.

Akla
Demipower of the Beastlands
Cliffchaser, the Climber, the Aspiring, the Fearless, Quibblesticks
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Cliffs, mastery of rough terrain, climbing, tools
Divine Realm: Beastlands/Krigala/Jagged Valley
Symbol: A kullen fist gripping a pick
Domains: Chaos, Courage, Craft, Earth, Strength
Favored Weapon: Light pick

One of the twin deities who form the youngest part of the kullen pantheon, Akla is the goddess of cliffs, conqueror of the wilds, a relentless climber who enjoys perilous ascents and watching her charges devise the tools that will enable them to thrive in treetops, cliffsides, and river valleys. Anywhere the terrain is tough to tame, Akla wants to be, and her adherents relish the lifestyle she espouses. In addition to being a free spirit and outdoorsy soul, Akla is also the patron of tools, crafts, and implements to facilitate life and well-being.

Akla has a well-worn rivalry with her twin brother Rakla, and festivities may involve participants taking sides to imitate their humorous mythological squabbles, which invariably end, every single time, in the same way - one tackles the other off a cliff, they fall into the sea, and emerge with shellfish and other spoils of the ocean, each claiming they meant to do that and the other was lucky they are so clever. Akla is symbolized in shrines by shiny rocks.

Galka
Intermediate Power of Pandemonium
The Unsighted, the Unknown, Shellbreaker, the Other
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Choice, living with what comes, experience, death
Divine Realm: Pandemonium/Agathion/Grotto of Lost Choices
Symbol: A black seashell.
Domains: Chaos, Death, Luck, Passion, Travel, Time
Favored Weapon: Longbow

A genderless deity, Galka is depicted as a white-eyed, hunched kullen with barnacle-encrusted flesh and quills, wizened and long-taloned, sitting on a throne with no back on a pile of seashells, prying them open one by one. The shells, as visitors to Galka's remote and haunting realm will attest, contain visions of alternate realities - the pearl inside of each representing a choice that was not taken. This divine realm features a maelstrom that leads to alternate Primes, worlds in which a particular choice was made differently - but as Galka will cheerfully warn, may the traveler beware.

Galka is the kullen god of death, though the deity would much prefer that they not waste time dwelling on it except as motivation to live their lives and suck it up when they make a bad decision. Legend says that Galka's milky eyes are blind to the future, but that the deity is capable of seeing everything that is happening in the present. Galka's own dogma on the matter is quite simple - "any idiot can see the future: just wait." - and clerics of Galka are forbidden access to spells that see the future, such as augury and divination - though the power has been known to make odd and capricious exceptions such as the granted power of the Luck domain and the moment of prescience spell, which provides a moment of warning only.

Galka quite enjoys the longbow, though it is not a weapon the deity is known to wield often - it is moreso the symbolism of the weapon, that the arrow's flight will be as far as your strength can propel it, and its ultimate destination subject to the vagaries of wind and fortune. Galka is symbolized in shrines by dark seashells.

Panzuriel
Intermediate Power of Hades
The Severed God, the Swimmer-In-Shadows, the Banished One, the Call of the Deep
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: The ocean depths, murder, confusion, subversion, evil aquatic creatures
Divine Realm: Hades/Niflheim/Rezuriel
Symbol: A left footprint, kraken head, or squid eye surrounded by nine tentacles
Domains: Blackwater, Corruption, Darkness, Evil, Water
Favored Weapon: Whip (on land), net (underwater)

An opportunistic and malefic ancient deity, the profane Panzuriel, patron of krakens and other terrors of the depths, has discovered in the kullens an ideal race of amphibious minions to wield against the elves on land and at sea. With their increased strength and reduced willpower in comparison to many other peoples, kullens are perfect for mental domination, and Panzuriel's dark tentacles have reached out to corrupt all those he can catch, establishing terrifying cults whose prominence threatens the peace of kullens, who may find themselves drawn into wars with other sea races by the influence of those under Panzuriel's sway.

Panzuriel demands harsh cyclopean altars of stone in solitary locations, such as sea caves and barren clifftops. Few of his cultists maintain proper shrines to the other gods, and those that do may mark the influence of their dark god with squid ink or blood.

Rakla
Demipower of the Beastlands
Skyseeker, Egg-Thief, the Brash One, Feastgiver, the Diver
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Food, hunting, thievery, ambushes, the sky, the ocean
Divine Realm: Beastlands/Krigala/The Lake That Mirrors The Sky
Symbol: A mantis shrimp or crab claw
Domains: Air, Animal, Chaos, Feast, Ocean, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Twin brother of Akla, Rakla is a jovial prankster with a bottomless appetite for food, boasting, and trying the patience of his sister. Myths surrounding him paint him as a clever rogue who pushes the limits of his luck just a bit too far and ends up plummeting out of trees or off cliffs for his troubles, somehow always coming out on top. Patron of divers and enemy of birds, Rakla enjoys thinking up complex plans, but all too often they are supplanted on the spur of the moment by "but what if I just jumped on it?" Rakla claims that he and his sister divided the world between them, and that she foolishly took only the earth, leaving him to take both the sky and the sea and leave her dangling in between. For her part, Akla is all too happy to punch him into the sky and send him tumbling into the sea, to see how he enjoys his supposed superiority. Nevertheless, when trouble escalates beyond his comfort level, Rakla turns to his sister to provide the tool he needs to get out of a scrape.

Young kullens enjoy playing at Akla and Rakla, with the latter being a particularly admired role model for children (at least among the children, less so the parents). Rakla's followers prepare for festivals by plotting to bring down birds or catch a particularly noteworthy sea creature (large fish and squid being prized) for the feast, though by and large the community still prefers shellfish where available. Rakla is symbolized in shrines by eggshells or bird feathers.

Tull
Lesser Power of Ysgard
The Bone God, the Hunter, the Dragon In Bone, Sunchaser, Tull of the First Hour
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Day and night, combat, fear, fire, strife
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Muspelheim/Caves of Ash and Bone
Symbol: An animal skull pierced by a kullen cartilage dagger
Domains: Bone*, Chaos, Darkness, Fire, Sun, War
Favored Weapon: Ranseur

If any of the deities of the kullens are in truth their creator god, none is more likely than Tull, a gargantuan hunter figure depicted as a kullen with more teeth, more elbow blades, more quills... just more of everything that makes a kullen a kullen. Also frequently stylized with a crude draconic motif, Tull is more straightforward and purposeful than Akla and Rakla; while Akla adventures to prove her strength, Tull employs strength in service of specific needs; while Rakla hunts for food, Tull hunts to eliminate threats, establish territory, and subjugate others to his own ends. In mythology, Tull brings forth each day by hunting the sun pelican Gadlak, who roosts in a cave in Nidavellir, chasing the golden bird and her radiance up into the skies. His task complete, Tull returns to his slumber among the flames of his home, the light preventing him from seeing when Gadlak notices that he has gone and sneaks out of the sky again. Akla and Rakla are said to be gifts that Gadlak offered Tull to be spared his wrath, but he cast them both out and swore the sky would have Gadlak's light. The moon, too, is believed to be an egg laid by Gadlak; when it is crescent, it is said to be the eggshell, and that it has already been broken and eaten.

Tull's followers hunt large animals such as whales to deliver the spoils to the community, not only meat (which kullens do not eat themselves for the most part) but the more valuable bones, fats, and hides of great beasts. Fire is said to be the gift of Tull, from feathers he has ripped from Gadlak's wings in their daily chase. In shrines, Tull is marked by a flame or a set of small animal bones.

Bone Domain
Granted Power You gain Improved Natural Armor or Improved Toughness as a bonus feat.
1st - boneblastBoVD (remove the Evil tag and spell has no material or undead component)
2nd - bonefiddleSC
3rd - skull watchSC
4th - wall of bonesCArc
5th - necrotic skull bombCoR
6th - control undeadSC (corporeal undead with bones only)
7th - arrow of boneSC
8th - skeletal guardSC (remove the Evil tag and skeletons are destroyed if they fall out of caster's control)
9th - crushing hand (hand is skeletal, immune to cold damage, and has DR 5/bludgeoning)

[sandmote]

First, these are amazing. I haven't played enough 3.5e to comment on monster balance, but the lore is interesting and the pantheons flow very well from the theme of the races. "The worshipers change the evil god" is an excellent inversion of the usual.

As you mentioned you do want commentary, at this time I have two quibbles, although I do feel I'm missing some information in each case:

First, why is Ruusa's domain in the nine hells? I kind of assumed a goddess of fierce torments would favor the endless slopes of Ghenna before I noticed, which incidentally would also help avoid bending to the strict hierarchy of Baator.

Second is Briviba's favored weapon. I'm aware spears can work for a lone fighter but they're usually associated with formations and not requiring much training to use (which seems to run counter to her theme of mastering your natural talents). I think the glaive usually has the "lone master" association, if that was the idea. I'd figure she's favor either the Sai (associated with surprise disarming, pun intended) or something granting a bonus to sunder attempts. I can't recall such a weapon at the moment, but it could be a racial weapon like the orcish, gnomish, and dwarven double weapons. In any case, I figure it should be a weapon mechanically useful to stop someone from bending you to their will?

[Tzardok]

Those are all interesting races with creative deities. I haven't noticed any problematic abilities.
But something I'm interested in that is missing would be the divine rank of those deities, at least on the demi-greater scale.

[afroakuma]

First, these are amazing. I haven't played enough 3.5e to comment on monster balance, but the lore is interesting and the pantheons flow very well from the theme of the races. "The worshipers change the evil god" is an excellent inversion of the usual.

Glad you enjoyed it! It was a twist I thought was fun to do - and logically, it had to have happened somewhere...


First, why is Ruusa's domain in the nine hells? I kind of assumed a goddess of fierce torments would favor the endless slopes of Ghenna before I noticed, which incidentally would also help avoid bending to the strict hierarchy of Baator.

As a goddess, she can disregard a lot of the hierarchical nonsense of the devils. Baator is more her speed because devils make better torturers - kochrachons are more reliably enthusiastic about causing pain, for instance, whereas yugoloths are only reliably jerks. As well, on Gehenna one could theoretically climb higher than her tower, whereas in the desolate plain of Dis, those who leave the tower are faced with an endless wasteland of blackened iron ores and sands - the only place to go is up through her trials.


Second is Briviba's favored weapon. I'm aware spears can work for a lone fighter but they're usually associated with formations and not requiring much training to use (which seems to run counter to her theme of mastering your natural talents). I think the glaive usually has the "lone master" association, if that was the idea. I'd figure she's favor either the Sai (associated with surprise disarming, pun intended) or something granting a bonus to sunder attempts. I can't recall such a weapon at the moment, but it could be a racial weapon like the orcish, gnomish, and dwarven double weapons. In any case, I figure it should be a weapon mechanically useful to stop someone from bending you to their will?

A spear is also a symbol of keeping others away from you. Briviba, as the patron of extreme individuality, wields her spear as a mandate to others to remain at a distance and not try to approach lest they be impaled. As a steel woman, she would still generally prefer to just punch her enemies in the head a lot. There is also the other common symbolic association that a spear has - Briviba was made to be a consort, and to be under the power of a male deity, but instead she has taken up the spear, which has certain phallic connotations, emblematic of how she defied his plans for her role and decided on her association with the pantheon of her own accord.


Those are all interesting races with creative deities. I haven't noticed any problematic abilities.
But something I'm interested in that is missing would be the divine rank of those deities, at least on the demi-greater scale.

Good point, I should see about adding those.

[anthon]

what means PEACH?

this is 2nd thread with PEACH. I'm completely lost.

[Morphic tide]

what means PEACH?

this is 2nd thread with PEACH. I'm completely lost.

Please Evaluate and Critique Honestly. I think.

[Eurus]

Possibly silly question, what is a "ring" in the context of Steel Man civilization? Is it a single extended family/household, or a professional group of some kind?

[afroakuma]

Please Evaluate and Critique Honestly. I think.

Correct.


Possibly silly question, what is a "ring" in the context of Steel Man civilization? Is it a single extended family/household, or a professional group of some kind?

An extended family/household or polyamorous adult group with their collective offspring. As indicated on their organization, a ring is 4 adults with 2-8 noncombatants, which may include children or elderly dependents.

[afroakuma]

Norrag
Norrag 1st-level Warrior
Small Fey
HD 1d6-1 (2 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +1
AC 14; touch 12; flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +0; Grp -6
Attack Short sword +3 melee (1d4-2, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Short sword +3 melee (1d4-2, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Cross boundary
Special Qualities Cold iron vulnerability, fey heartline, lingering sight, portal link, wand charge, wandlore
Saves Fort -1 Ref +3 Will +2
Abilities Str 6, Dex 13, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 13
Skills Balance +4, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +4, Spellcraft +4, Spot +4, Tumble +4, Use Magic Device +7
Feats Craft WandB, Weapon Finesse
Environment Any forest
Organization Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard plus random 0th- or 1st-level wand with 2d4 charges remaining
Alignment Usually chaotic good
Advancement by class; Favored Class Sorcerer
Level Adjustment +0

The boundary between the Plane of Faerie and the Material Plane is strange and nebulous, a phenomenon even where planar metaphysics are concerned. Just as the properties of this coexistence are hard to fully understand, so too are the rules under which the fey choose to interact with mortals. The strange detente and balance that exists does so through arcane and strange rules governing contact between Faerie and the Prime, as well as the comportment of fey on the latter plane and the mysterious paths between. Those paths, where the magic of Faerie flows, are watched by the norrags.

A fey caste charged with curating the places where the boundary is thin, norrags have a preternatural awareness of interplanar boundaries and the things that cross them. They are also curiously magical - not possessed of raw magical abilities in the way that many other fey are, but able to capture the essence of fey magic in wands of enchanted wood that bears the touch of Faerie, wands whose powers they can invoke far better than mortals do.

A norrag stands 3 to 4 feet tall and weighs around 35 to 50 lbs., appearing as an adult elf, but shorter and with a leaner, more slight build. Norrags have feathers blending in with their hairline, which may take on unusual colors distinctive from their hair, which is generally a brown tone ranging from ecru to walnut. Their skin resembles wood in various tones, with whorls and striations, and norrags enjoy applying plant oils that can often give the impression of stain. A norrag's fingers are disproportionately long and fragile, and have an extra joint. Norrag eyes are smooth and featureless orbs of black or a solid dark hue such as midnight blue, deep green, or crimson.

Norrags wander to check on various sites where the boundaries are thin, exploring the world and examining how differences emerge in places close to and far from the edges of Faerie. They occasionally interact with local fey but rarely involve themselves unless they have a sense that something is unbalanced or out of joint. Disturbances to the natural or magical fabric of the world may draw a norrag's attention and active interest. Norrags eat a diet of berries, nuts, flowers, and insects. A norrag's tongue functions much like that of a frog. It must be noted that what a norrag concerns itself with is sometimes hard to fathom, and a norrag might take up the side of a marauding monster against a village, or oppose a search for a vanished hunter because he has trespassed the rules of the fey. Norrags are observers first and not compelled to enforce fey law, but their interest in balancing the needs of the Prime and Faerie may see them acting against their kindred just as easily.

Cold Iron Vulnerability (Su) Norrags, like many other fey, are averse to cold iron. When struck with a cold iron weapon, a norrag suffers an additional 1d6 damage on a successful attack. A norrag wearing a cold iron item or holding one in hand is sickened until it is at least 5 ft. away from their person.

Cross Boundary (Su) By the ancient Covenant of Teorainn, norrags are endowed with mysterious abilities regarding supernatural boundaries, including those erected by magical rings of protection, a divine shield of faith, or even a spell of abjuration to hedge out entities of opposed disposition. A norrag's melee attacks ignore deflection bonus to AC.

Fey Heartline (Su) A norrag can sense the general location of nearby sites of significance to fey, including places where the planar boundary between the Material and Faerie is thin. Such locations may be near ancient trees, standing stones, behind waterfalls, atop hills, etc. and are more common in rural and unpopulated areas. To use this ability, a norrag must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom check, +1 per size category of the nearest settlement within 100 miles (thorp, hamlet, village etc.) in order to detect an active fey site. A successful check functions as know direction except that it indicates the direction of the nearest active fey site rather than north. Use of this ability requires 1 minute of uninterrupted focus, during which time the norrag cannot perform any other actions. The strength of the heartline depends on the nature of the world - a "bright" world has a great deal of fey activity (fey are regularly encountered on the Material Plane), and the heartline will find a fey site within 1d4 miles multiplied by the size category of the nearest settlement within 100 miles (minimum 1). A "liminal" world has fey activity around specific boundary sites only, and fey are rarely encountered away from these borders with the Plane of Faerie without the use of magic to call them. The heartline will find a fey site within 1d20 miles multiplied by the size category of the nearest settlement within 100 miles (minimum 1). A "dark" world has no known fey activity and may be all but dead to the Plane of Faerie. The heartline will find a fey site within 10d10 miles multiplied by ten times the size category of the nearest settlement within 100 miles (minimum 10). This ability has a chance to fail and give the norrag a false perception, which is more likely if strong magic or strong magical sites unrelated to the fey are nearby. On a bright world, the base chance of success is 70% + 1% per character level. On a liminal world, the base chance of success is 40% + 1% per character level. On a dark world, the base chance of success is 5% + 1% per character level. A norrag using this ability always knows whether it is currently within a fey site.

While at a fey site, a norrag can use this ability (with the same Wisdom check and chances of success) to call to any fey in the nearby area. The norrag's call extends out to 1 mile + 1 mile per point of Charisma bonus (if any) and broadcasts a three-word message in Sylvan chosen by the norrag - some more powerful sites may provide a bonus to this range. Fey within this radius can sense the location from which the call has arisen and may choose whether or not to investigate; some other Sylvan-speaking beings such as unicorns may also perceive the call. The norrag's call also extends through the boundary between planes if it is present, which may result in a creature from the Plane of Faerie appearing. Fey or other creatures that choose to respond to the call arrive at such speed as they can normally travel under their own ability and are in no way bound to be helpful to the norrag, and may elect to attack or otherwise display hostile behavior. Norrags take care with this use of their heartline ability, as particularly territorial and powerful fey such as verdant princes and frostwind viragos are highly likely to respond to a call in their territory. Use of the calling function requires 1 hour of uninterrupted focus.

Lingering Sight (Su) A norrag can see an "echo" of a creature that journeys across a planar boundary for 1 minute following such a crossing. This may allow the norrag to see which direction a creature is moving when it is on a coexistent plane, for instance after having used ethereal jaunt. The norrag does not innately know which plane a creature has crossed into. This ability allows a norrag to see a creature under the effects of blink and similar effects and attack it without miss chance. While it offers no direct help against invisibility, it does at least help to differentiate for the norrag whether a creature has gone ethereal or invisible as the latter will leave no echo.

Portal Link (Su) A norrag who finds a rift, gate, or portal between planes, such as may form at a fey site, may form a link with it by spending 8 hours performing a ritual within 60 ft. of the transplanar passage to create an attunement. Once this link is forged, the norrag benefits as though from portal beaconSC and portal alarmSC (mental alarm only) with respect to that portal, without limit to the duration. The link is broken if the norrag passes through any other transplanar conduit or uses any other method of travel between planes (such as ethereal jaunt or plane shift), if the conduit is closed or destroyed (the norrag will sense such an event), or if the norrag establishes a link to a new portal. The link leaves traces that can be detected with a Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (arcana) check (DC 20 + 1/2 the norrag's HD + the norrag's Wisdom modifier). A successful dispel wardSC or other dispel effect cast targeting the link severs it (use the norrag's HD as the effective caster level for such a check).

Wand Charge (Su) Norrags have extraordinary abilities when it comes to wielding wands. A norrag has a number of charges equal to 1 + the norrag's Charisma modifier (minimum 1) which replenish each day after resting. When using a wand, the norrag may expend a number of their own charges equal to the level of the spell stored in the wand to "cast" the spell from the wand without consuming any of the item's own charges. A norrag with metamagic feats may also apply the effects of one of their metamagic feats to a spell from a wand while triggering it by expending their own charges equal to the level adjustment of the metamagic feat (e.g. a norrag wanting to Empower a fireball from a wand would spend two of their own daily charges to do so). When a wand charge is used with a wand, the DC to save against the spell is the better of the wand's normal DC or the DC of the spell if the norrag had cast it as a sorcerer (using the norrag's Charisma modifier). This ability may not be used to add charges back to a wand that is missing charges; it only substitutes for the use of the wand's remaining charges. A norrag cannot use this ability with a wand that has no charges remaining.

If used with an eternal wand, wand charges may be spent to cast from the wand without using up one of its normal daily uses.

Wandlore (Su) Norrags possess little in the way of direct magical ability, but they have a surpassing ability to craft wands from magical wood that they can then employ. A norrag chooses a virtual list of "spells known" (using the bard's spells known progression and the norrag's total character level) which it can employ with its Craft Wand feat to create wands as though the norrag was a spellcaster of appropriate level. Despite this ability, norrags do not have any inherent link to the wand once it is crafted, and must still meet the normal requisites to use a wand or bypass them via Use Magic Device.

0th Level
arcane mark
caltropsSC
create water
cure minor wounds
dancing lights
dawnSC
daze
detect magic
detect poison
flare
ghostharpSC
ghost sound
instant searchSC
know direction
launch itemSC
light
lullaby
mage hand
mending
message
minor disguiseSC
naturewatchSC
open/close
prestidigitation
purify food and drink
ray of frost
read magic
resistance
silent portalSC
songbirdSC
sonic snapSC
stickSC
summon instrument
touch of fatigue

1st Level
accelerated movementSC
alarm
animate fireSC
animate rope
animate waterSC
animate woodSC
amplifySC
backbiterSC
beastland ferocitySC
benign transpositionSC
branch to branchSC
buoyant liftingSC
buzzing beeSC
calm animals
camouflageSC
cause fear
charm animal
charm person
comprehend languages
cheatSC
climb wallsSC
cloudburstSC
color spray
command
cure light wounds
dead endSC
deathwatch
detect animals or plants
detect law
detect secret doors
detect snares and pits
detect undead
disguise self
dispel wardSC
distort speechSC
distractSC
endure elements
enrage animalSC
entangle
entropic shield
erase
expeditious retreat
faerie fire
feather fall
focusing chantSC
goodberry
grease
greater mage handSC
guiding lightSC
hawkeyeSC
healthful restSC
herald's callSC
hide from animals
hideous laughter
hold portal
horrible tasteSC
hypnotism
improvisationSC
inciteSC
inhibitSC
insidious rhythmSC
instant locksmithSC
ironthunder hornSC
joyful noiseSC
jump
lesser confusion
longstrider
low-light visionSC
luminous gazeSC
magic aura
magic missile
magic mouth
magic stone
magic weapon
master's touchSC
moon lustSC
nerveskitterSC
net of shadowsSC
nightshieldSC
obscure object
obscuring mist
omen of perilSC
pass without trace
phantom threatSC
portal beaconSC
protection from law
ray of clumsinessSC
reduce person
remove fear
remove scentSC
resist planar alignmentSC
sanctuary
sandblastSC
scatterspraySC
serene visageSC
shillelagh
shock and aweSC
signSC
silent image
sleep
slow burnSC
snake's swiftnessSC
snowshoesSC
speak with animals
sticky fingersSC
summon nature's ally I
swift expeditious retreatSC
swift invisibilitySC
targeting raySC
undersongSC
undetectable alignment
unseen servant
updraftSC
ventriloquism
winter chillSC
wood woseSC

2nd Level
alter self
animal messenger
animal trance
augury
aura against flameSC
avoid planar effectsSC
baleful transpositionSC
barkskin
binding windsSC
blinding spittleSC
blur
bonefiddleSC
bramblesSC
briar webSC
burrowSC
calm emotions
cat's grace
circle danceSC
cloak poolSC
cloud of bewildermentSC
continual flame
countermoonSC
cure moderate wounds
curse of ill fortuneSC
curse of impending bladesSC
daggerspell stanceSC
dark waySC
darkness
daze monster
delay poison
delusions of grandeurSC
detect thoughts
discern shapechangerSC
discolor poolSC
dissonant chantSC
distracting raySC
eagle's splendor
earthbindSC
easy trailSC
embrace the wildSC
enthrall
entice giftSC
find traps
fog cloud
fox's cunning
ghost touch armorSC
glitterdust
graceSC
greater alarmSC
gust of wind
harmonic chorusSC
healing stingSC
hold animal
hold person
heartfireSC
hypnotic pattern
invisibility
kelpstrandSC
knock
know vulnerabilitiesSC
lesser spell immunitySC
levitate
lively stepSC
locate object
make whole
malevolent miasmaSC
mark of the outcastSC
marked object
mass camouflageSC
mass snake's swiftnessSC
mesmerizing glareSC
mindless rageSC
minor image
mirror image
misdirection
miser's envySC
nature's favorSC
nightmare lullabySC
one with the landSC
phantom foeSC
phantom trap
portal alarmSC
protection from arrows
quick potionSC
rage
ray of stupiditySC
ray of weaknessSC
reduce animal
reflective disguiseSC
remove paralysis
scentSC
shadow maskSC
share huskSC
silence
snare
sonorous humSC
speak to alliesSC
spider climb
status
sting raySC
stolen breathSC
suggestion
summon nature's ally II
surefooted strideSC
swift flySC
swimSC
tongues
touch of idiocy
train animalSC
tree shape
veil of shadowSC
warp wood
wave of griefSC
weapon shiftSC
whispering wind
winter's embraceSC
wood shape
zone of truth

3rd Level
air breathingSC
allegroSC
analyze portalSC
anticipate teleportationSC
attune formSC
bestow curse
blink
capricious zephyrSC
charm monster
clairaudience/clairvoyance
cone of dimness
confusion
creaking cacophonySC
create food and water
crumbleSC
crushing despair
cure serious wounds
daylight
deep slumber
deeper darkness
dirge of discordSC
dispel magic
displacement
dissonant chordSC
dominate animal
downdraftSC
entangling staffSC
false gravitySC
fear
flashburstSC
forestfoldSC
g'elsewhere chantSC
gaseous form
ghost touch weaponSC
giant's wrathSC
glibness
glyph of warding
great thunderclapSC
haunting tuneSC
helping hand
interplanar messageSC
invisibility purge
invisibility sphere
know opponentSC
lesser geas
lesser telepathic bondSC
listening coinSC
love's lamentSC
major image
mark of the hunterSC
mass curse of impending bladesSC
mass snowshoesSC
nature's balanceSC
nauseating breathSC
phantasmal decoySC
phantom steed
puppeteerSC
quench
ray of dizzinessSC
remove curse
reverse arrowsSC
rust raySC
safetySC
scrying
sculpt sound
see invisibility
servant hordeSC
shadow bindingSC
shadow cacheSC
shadow phaseSC
shrink page
sign of sealingSC
sinkSC
sleet storm
slow
speak with animals
speak with plants
speechlinkSC
spiderskinSC
spikesSC
summon nature's ally III
suppress breath weaponSC
suppress glyphSC
suspended silenceSC
thornskinSC
tiny hut
treasure scentSC
tremorSC
unluckSC
vine mineSC
water breathing
water walk
weather eyeSC
wind wall

4th Level
air walk
antiplant shell
arcane eye
assay spell resistanceSC
astral hospiceSC
backlashSC
break enchantment
cacophonic shieldSC
celebrationSC
command plants
detect scrying
dimension door
dimensional anchor
discern lies
dismissal
dispelling screenSC
dominate person
essence of the raptorSC
ethereal mountSC
freedom of movement
fugueSC
glowing orbSC
greater invisibility
greater resistanceSC
hallucinatory terrain
hold monster
illusory wall
implacable pursuerSC
improved portal alarmSC
land wombSC
languorSC
lay of the landSC
legend lore
locate creature
make manifestSC
mass reduce person
mass surefooted strideSC
mass swimSC
minor creation
modify memory
neutralize poison
panaceaSC
planar toleranceSC
poison vinesSC
protégéSC
rainbow pattern
ray deflectionSC
ray of deanimationSC
repel vermin
ruin delver's fortuneSC
rusting grasp
scramble portalSC
secure shelter
sending
sensory deprivationSC
shadow conjuration
sirine's graceSC
spark of lifeSC
spectral weaponSC
spell enhancerSC
spell immunity
spell vulnerabilitySC
starvationSC
stone shatterSC
sudden stalagmiteSC
summon nature's ally IV
translocation trickSC
voice of the dragonSC
wind at backSC
zone of silence


Skills A norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey, fey sites, the Plane of Faerie, fey-related magic, and wands. A norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Use Magic Device checks to use a wand.

Norrag Characters

• -4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Charisma. Norrags are otherworldly and nimble, but have frail physiques.
• Small size.
• Fey type: Norrags are unaffected by spells that only affect humanoids. Norrags have low-light vision.
• Norrag base speed is 30 ft.
• +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey, fey sites, the Plane of Faerie, fey-related magic, and wands. Norrags may make such checks as though trained. A norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Use Magic Device checks to use a wand and can always make Use Magic Device checks as though trained.
• Norrags gain Craft Wand as a bonus feat.
• Cold Iron Vulnerability: as above
• Cross Boundary: as above
• Fey Heartline: as above
• Lingering Sight: as above
• Portal Link: as above
• Wand Charge: as above
• Wandlore: as above
• Racial Proficiencies: Norrags are proficient with simple weapons and short swords. Norrags are proficient with light armor.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Gnoll, Gnome, Infernal, Treant, Tuilvalanuue, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Sorcerer
• Level Adjustment: +0

[afroakuma]

Sea Norrag
Sea norrag 1st-level Warrior
Small Fey (Aquatic)
HD 1d6+1 (4 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 60 ft.
Init: +1
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 14 (+3 shell armor, +1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +0; Grp -6
Attack Short sword +3 melee (1d4-2, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Short sword +3 melee (1d4-2, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Cross boundary
Special Qualities Amphibious, cold iron vulnerability, fey heartline, lingering sight, portal link, wand charge, wandlore
Saves Fort +1 Ref +3 Will +2
Abilities Str 6, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +4, Spellcraft +4, Spot +4, Swim 10*, Tumble +4, Use Magic Device +7
Feats Craft WandB, Weapon Finesse
Environment Any aquatic
Organization Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard plus random 0th- or 1st-level wand with 2d4 charges remaining
Alignment Usually chaotic neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class Druid
Level Adjustment +0

Some of the paths between Faerie and the Prime are linked to bodies of water, and the custodians of the boundary go where they are needed. Thus the sea norrags, who inhabit lakes, ponds and coastlines, constructing wands of coral, shell, and pearl with which to conduct their fey magic.

A norrag stands 3 to 4 feet tall and weighs around 35 to 50 lbs., appearing as an adult elf, but shorter and with a leaner, more slight build. Sea norrag feathers may appear more like thin trailing fins or strands of kelp, and their hair is generally lighter than their land-based brethren. Their skin resembles sand with swirls of darker hues. A norrag's fingers are disproportionately long and fragile, and have an extra joint - those of sea norrags are also slightly webbed. Norrag eyes are smooth and featureless orbs of black or a solid dark hue such as midnight blue, deep green, or crimson. A sea norrag is somewhat ungainly on land. Their bodies occasionally pick up calcifications on the skin that give seashell patterns and can result in iridescent patches.

Unlike their more common cousins, sea norrags are somewhat alienated from the Seelie Court and frequently keep their own counsel. They are notably less outgoing as a general rule, eat fish and other sea creatures live, and are predisposed to hide and lurk when presented with a new situation. More than one observer has noted them to be eerie and off-putting, and they have been associated with traps laid by kelpies and the vanishing of sailors.

Amphibious (Ex) Sea norrags breathe normally in air and water.

Cold Iron Vulnerability (Su) As norrag.

Cross Boundary (Su) As norrag.

Fey Heartline (Su) As norrag. A sea norrag's call can broadcast in Aquan instead of Sylvan, at the sea norrag's discretion.

Lingering Sight (Su) As norrag.

Portal Link (Su) As norrag.

Wand Charge (Su) As norrag.

Wandlore (Su) Sea norrags have a slightly different list of spells they can know with this ability, which otherwise is the same as the norrag ability of the same name.

0th Level
acid splash
arcane mark
create water
dancing lights
daze
detect magic
detect poison
flare
ghostharpSC
ghost sound
inflict minor wounds
instant searchSC
know direction
launch itemSC
light
lullaby
mage hand
mending
message
minor disguiseSC
naturewatchSC
open/close
prestidigitation
read magic
resistance
silent portalSC
songbirdSC
sonic snapSC
stickSC
summon instrument
touch of fatigue

1st Level
accelerated movementSC
alarm
animate rope
animate waterSC
animate woodSC
amplifySC
backbiterSC
beastland ferocitySC
benign transpositionSC
buoyant liftingSC
calm animals
camouflageSC
cause fear
charm animal
charm person
comprehend languages
cheatSC
climb wallsSC
cloudburstSC
color spray
command
dead endSC
deathwatch
detect animals or plants
detect law
detect secret doors
detect snares and pits
detect undead
disguise self
dispel wardSC
distort speechSC
distractSC
endure elements
enrage animalSC
entangle
entropic shield
erase
expeditious retreat
faerie fire
feather fall
focusing chantSC
grease
greater mage handSC
guiding lightSC
hawkeyeSC
healthful restSC
herald's callSC
hide from animals
hideous laughter
hold portal
horrible tasteSC
hypnotism
improvisationSC
inciteSC
inhibitSC
insidious rhythmSC
instant locksmithSC
ironthunder hornSC
jump
kuo-toa skinSw
lesser confusion
low-light visionSC
luminous gazeSC
magic aura
magic missile
magic mouth
magic stone
magic weapon
master's touchSC
moon lustSC
nerveskitterSC
net of shadowsSC
nightshieldSC
obscure object
obscuring mist
omen of perilSC
pass without trace
phantom threatSC
portal beaconSC
protection from law
quickswimSw
ray of clumsinessSC
reduce person
remove fear
remove scentSC
resist planar alignmentSC
sanctuary
sandblastSC
scatterspraySC
serene visageSC
shillelagh
shock and aweSC
signSC
silent image
sleep
snake's swiftnessSC
speak with animals
sticky fingersSC
summon nature's ally I
swift expeditious retreatSC
swift invisibilitySC
targeting raySC
undersongSC
undetectable alignment
unseen servant
updraftSC
ventriloquism
wave blessingSw
webfootSw
wood woseSC

2nd Level
alter self
animal messenger
animal trance
augury
avoid planar effectsSC
baleful transpositionSC
barkskin
blinding spittleSC
blur
bonefiddleSC
bramblesSC
briar webSC
calm emotions
cat's grace
circle danceSC
cloak poolSC
cloud of bewildermentSC
continual flame
countermoonSC
curse of ill fortuneSC
curse of impending bladesSC
daggerspell stanceSC
dark waySC
darkness
daze monster
delay poison
delusions of grandeurSC
detect thoughts
discern shapechangerSC
discolor poolSC
dissonant chantSC
distracting raySC
eagle's splendor
earthbindSC
easy trailSC
embrace the wildSC
enthrall
entice giftSC
find traps
fins to feetSw
fog cloud
fox's cunning
ghost touch armorSC
glitterdust
graceSC
greater alarmSC
gust of wind
harmonic chorusSC
healing stingSC
hold animal
hold person
hypnotic pattern
invisibility
jig of the wavesSw
kelpstrandSC
knock
know vulnerabilitiesSC
lesser spell immunitySC
levitate
lively stepSC
locate object
make whole
malevolent miasmaSC
mark of the outcastSC
marked object
mass camouflageSC
mass snake's swiftnessSC
mesmerizing glareSC
mindless rageSC
minor image
mirror image
misdirection
miser's envySC
nature's favorSC
nightmare lullabySC
phantom foeSC
phantom trap
portal alarmSC
pressure sphereSw
protection from arrows
quick potionSC
rage
ray of stupiditySC
ray of weaknessSC
reduce animal
reflective disguiseSC
remove paralysis
scentSC
shadow maskSC
share huskSC
silence
snare
sonorous humSC
speak to alliesSC
spider climb
status
sting raySC
stolen breathSC
suggestion
summon nature's ally II
surefooted strideSC
swift flySC
swimSC
tongues
touch of idiocy
train animalSC
tree shape
turbiditySw
urchin's spinesSw
veil of shadowSC
warp wood
wave of griefSC
weapon shiftSC
whispering wind
winter's embraceSC
wood shape
zone of truth

3rd Level
air breathingSC
allegroSC
analyze portalSC
anticipate teleportationSC
attune formSC
bestow curse
blink
capricious zephyrSC
charm monster
clairaudience/clairvoyance
cone of dimness
confusion
creaking cacophonySC
create food and water
crumbleSC
crushing despair
daylight
deep slumber
deeper darkness
detect shipSw
dirge of discordSC
dispel magic
displacement
dissonant chordSC
dominate animal
downdraftSC
entangling staffSC
false gravitySC
fear
flashburstSC
g'elsewhere chantSC
gaseous form
ghost touch weaponSC
giant's wrathSC
glibness
glyph of warding
great thunderclapSC
haunting tuneSC
helping hand
interplanar messageSC
invisibility purge
invisibility sphere
know opponentSC
lesser geas
lesser telepathic bondSC
listening coinSC
love's lamentSC
major image
mark of the hunterSC
mass curse of impending bladesSC
nature's balanceSC
nauseating breathSC
phantasmal decoySC
phantom steed
puppeteerSC
quench
ray of dizzinessSC
remove curse
reverse arrowsSC
roar of the wavesSw
rust raySC
safetySC
scales of the sealordSw
scrying
sculpt sound
see invisibility
servant hordeSC
shadow bindingSC
shadow cacheSC
shadow phaseSC
shrink page
sign of sealingSC
sinkSC
sirine's callSw
sleet storm
slow
speak with animals
speak with plants
speechlinkSC
spikesSC
summon nature's ally III
suppress breath weaponSC
suppress glyphSC
suspended silenceSC
tiny hut
treasure scentSC
unluckSC
water breathing
water walk
weather eyeSC
wind wall

4th Level
air walk
antiplant shell
arcane eye
assay spell resistanceSC
astral hospiceSC
backlashSC
break enchantment
cacophonic shieldSC
celebrationSC
command plants
control currentsSw
detect scrying
dimension door
dimensional anchor
discern lies
dismissal
dispelling screenSC
dominate person
essence of the raptorSC
ethereal mountSC
flowsightSw
freedom of movement
fugueSC
glowing orbSC
greater invisibility
greater resistanceSC
hallucinatory terrain
hold monster
illusory wall
implacable pursuerSC
improved portal alarmSC
land wombSC
languorSC
lay of the landSC
legend lore
locate creature
make manifestSC
mass reduce person
mass surefooted strideSC
mass swimSC
minor creation
modify memory
neutralize poison
panaceaSC
planar toleranceSC
poison vinesSC
protégéSC
rainbow pattern
ray deflectionSC
ray of deanimationSC
repel vermin
ruin delver's fortuneSC
rusting grasp
scramble portalSC
secure shelter
sending
sensory deprivationSC
shadow conjuration
sirine's graceSC
spark of lifeSC
spectral weaponSC
spell enhancerSC
spell immunity
spell vulnerabilitySC
starvationSC
stone shatterSC
sudden stalagmiteSC
summon nature's ally IV
thalassemiaSw
translocation trickSC
voice of the dragonSC
wake trailingSw
wind at backSC
zone of silence


Skills A sea norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey, fey sites, the Plane of Faerie, fey-related magic, and wands. A sea norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Use Magic Device checks to use a wand. A sea norrag has a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks.

Norrag Characters

• -4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution. Sea norrags are more resilient than their land cousins, but eerie and insular.
• Small size.
• Fey type: Norrags are unaffected by spells that only affect humanoids. Norrags have low-light vision.
• Sea norrag base speed is 20 ft.
• Sea norrag base swim speed is 60 ft.
• +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey, fey sites, the Plane of Faerie, fey-related magic, and wands. Sea norrags may make such checks as though trained. A sea norrag has a +4 racial bonus on Use Magic Device checks to use a wand and can always make Use Magic Device checks as though trained.
• +8 racial bonus on Swim checks.
• Sea norrags gain Craft Wand as a bonus feat.
• Amphibious: as above
• Cold Iron Vulnerability: as above
• Cross Boundary: as above
• Fey Heartline: as above
• Lingering Sight: as above
• Portal Link: as above
• Wand Charge: as above
• Wandlore: as above
• Racial Proficiencies: Norrags are proficient with simple weapons and short swords. Norrags are proficient with light armor.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Aquan. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Auran, Celestial, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Sahuagin, Sylvan, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Druid
• Level Adjustment: +0

[afroakuma]

Latha
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Obyrith)
HD 11d8+66 (115 hp)
Speed 5 ft. (1 square), fly 30 ft. (poor)
Init: +8
AC 21; touch 9; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +4 Int, -1 size)
BAB +11; Grp +15
Attack Feeler +11 melee (2d6+5 and poison)
Full Attack 2 feelers +11 melee (2d6+5 and poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Form of madness, poison, soul violation, spell-like abilities, swallow whole
Special Qualities Bleed eyes, darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/cold iron and lawful, fast healing 5, immune to blindness, observation, obyrith traits, perceptual travel, telepathy 100 ft., true seeing
Saves Fort +13 Ref +11 Will +11
Abilities Str 20, Dex 5, Con 22, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 17
Skills Appraise +18, Balance +11, Bluff +17, Climb +19, Concentration +20, Disguise +17, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Listen +18, Search +22, Sense Motive +18, Spot +22,
Feats Ability Focus (demonic possessionFCI), Ability Focus (perceptual travel), Hover, Improved Initiative
Environment Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating 10
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement 12-22 HD (Large); 23-33 HD (Huge)

At first glance, a latha could be mistaken for an enormous gastropod, a slimy bed of blackened and leathery flesh topped by an engorged mound of bloated, pulsating white goo, the whole dragged forward by two long, thin, probing feelers where a snail's eyestalks would be. Only when it rises into the air does the dark orifice on its back become apparent, a vertical gash filled with teeming black orbs that twitch and writhe. The whole gives the effect of a gigantic eye infested with some kind of awful black maggots in its depths.

Lathas are ancient and terrible demons fueled by a hedonistic and driving curiosity. Faced with the ordered multiverse, they are determined to see as much of it as they can to exhaust their curiosity and assuage their boredom. Lathas do not limit themselves to a mortal's version of curiosity, however - they will intrude, dissect, probe, and devour, violating every boundary as they seek to slake their lust for knowledge and experience. Many lathas enjoy using possession in order to expand their reach (see rules in Fiendish Codex I, pp.21-26) and savor new ways of bringing everything that multiverse has to offer into their grasp.

Bleed Eyes (Ex) When a latha suffers 5 or more damage from a slashing or piercing weapon, the membranes of its flesh discharge a thin clear slime containing several sticky black orbs, which are the latha's eyes. A latha gets a +2 insight bonus to AC against further attacks made with that weapon. As the eye adheres to the weapon that struck the blow, this property has no effect on a ranged weapon. As a full-round action, a weapon may be scrubbed of the little eyes using alcohol, axiomatic water, holy water, or universal solvent. The eyes also remain in the place where the latha was wounded, allowing it to see in a 5 ft. radius around the square where it was originally injured. The eyes go inert after 1 hour.

As lathas do not have conventional blood, spells and effects that would affect or manipulate blood have no effect on a latha.

Form of Madness (Su) A creature within 60 ft. that observes a latha must attempt a DC 18 Will save. Failure indicates that the creature has been seized with a revulsion for its own capacity to see. After 1d4 rounds have passed, the creature must spend its next available action attempting to remove its own eyes, and will continue committing to that course of action until blinded. An affected victim whose sight is removed through a less destructive method (blindfolding, blindness spell, etc.) will be calm for 1d4 days before the madness escalates, at which point - regardless of ability to see - the victim will attempt to put its eyes out once more, as even feeling their presence has become intolerable. Removing an eye deals 1d6 damage and imposes a -8 penalty to Search and Spot checks.

Regardless of whether or not a creature has eyes, any creature perceiving the latha who fails its Will save also suffers 1d4 Wisdom drain.

The madness can be cured by heal, greater restoration, miracle, or wish, though the former two will not repair any eyes that have been gouged out. Regenerate can recover removed and destroyed eyes for a victim, though unless the madness has been healed, doing so will only prompt the victim to attempt to remove the newly regenerated eyes. Remove blindness and similar effects are of no use for restoring sight lost by the removal of eyes. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Observation (Ex) Lathas observe and recall in vast detail, constantly studying everything around them with their myriad eyes and probing with their feelers. A latha's understanding of the world is complex and subtle, allowing the latha to use its Intelligence modifier in place of its Dexterity modifier on initiative checks, ranged attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saves. Any time a latha would be denied its Dex bonus to AC, its Int bonus is also denied - the latha must be capable of reacting in order to make effective use of prior observations.

Obyrith Traits Obyriths are immune to poison and mind-affecting spells and abilities. Obyriths have resistance to acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10.

Perceptual Travel (Su) Once per round as a swift action, a latha may attempt to apply its warped perception of reality to its own location. The latha selects any place it can currently see. Creatures within 30 ft. of that point may make a Will save (DC 21). If any creature fails this save, the latha has successfully imposed its perception on local reality, and teleports to the chosen position. The save DC is Int-based.

Poison (Ex) Contact, Fortitude DC 21, initial damage 2d4 Dex, secondary damage 1d10 Wis. The save DC is Con-based. A creature striking the latha with an unarmed strike or natural attack makes contact with the poison on its body.

Soul Violation (Su) A creature swallowed by a latha suffers from a horrible affliction, as the thousands of slimy eyes probe every aspect of the creature's existence. Even if removed from the bowels of the demon, a victim of this ability can no longer benefit from the effects of spells and abilities that would conceal its presence, location, or nature from magical detection (nondetection, undetectable alignment, misdirection, etc.) Spells and abilities which conceal or disguise the victim's presence, location or nature from conventional detection (disguise self, invisibility, use of the Hide skill) continue to function. After 1d10 days, the victim must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 21) or turn to stone as their essence has been utterly probed to its last mote of independent existence by the residual effects of the latha's sight, as flesh to stone - however, stone to flesh will not free the victim unless the soul violation has been released. Dispel evil, wish, or miracle are required to end this effect.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - arcane eye, clairvoyance, ray of enfeeblement. 3/day - hold person (DC 16), prying eyes. 1/day - eyebite (DC 19), magic jar (DC 18). Caster level 11th, save DCs Cha-based.

Swallow Whole (Ex) A latha can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Medium or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6+5 points of crushing damage per round and is afflicted with soul violation. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 10 points of damage to the latha's innards (AC 15) or attempt to climb out through the main orifice by making a successful grapple check against the latha at a -4 penalty. If a creature has emerged via cutting its way out, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A latha can hold one Medium, two Small, or four Tiny or smaller creatures.

Skills A latha has a +4 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks.

[Tzardok]

Right, because we need even more evil eye monsters. :smalltongue:

I like the Form of Madness, feels really evil. I also have the sudden desire to crossbreed this thing with a beholder, just to see what comes out.

[afroakuma]

Powl
Powl 1st-level Warrior
Small Fey
HD 1d6 (3 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +4
AC 13; touch 11; flat-footed 13 (+1 armor, +1 shield, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp +2
Attack Club +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack 2 clubs -2 melee (1d6+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Cold iron vulnerability, false tracks, gangly build, gnaw stone, powl mark, shillelagh, smell hunger, stick block
Saves Fort +0 Ref +2 Will +2
Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills Balance +4, Climb +7, Hide +8, Survival +4, Use Rope +2
Feats Improved Initiative, Two-Weapon FightingB
Environment Any plains, hills, and forest
Organization Solitary or brigade (4-16)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually chaotic (any)
Advancement by class; Favored Class Ranger
Level Adjustment +0

Low-level grunts of Faerie, powls (rhymes with howl) are known by many names in the rural lands they favor - knockmen, nain-ogres, coneyhops, knot-goblins - but are often sneeringly referred to by other fey, regardless of relative size, as "runts". Although a powl in truth bears little resemblance to a pug, the similarities are there with a stretch of the imagination - just below the height of a dwarf, powls have squashed faces, button noses, wide-set bulging eyes, and an overly large mouth. Their hair is invariably a shade of red, generally bright, and does not grow along the sides of their heads, making their whippet-like ears all the more apparent. What most immediately distinguishes a powl, however, is that its arms are quite long, muscular, and slightly lopsided.

Powls serve in various menial functions in fey society, generally jobs that let them work alone and employ their strength and flexibility to something simple and enjoyable. Many powls, however, grow bored with the idea of doing a thing for the sake of others because it is expected of them, and opt to amble away from their roles to do their own thing. This being Faerie, nobody misses a given powl for very long. "There's always another powl" is a popular saying among the fey elite.

Powls are found among both the Seelie and Unseelie, with many more unaffiliated. They are typically creatures of simple goals and comforts, who like to leave their mark and make their presence known, but are not keen on sticking around to deal with people. Evil powls can be foul and brutish ruffians who haunt and terrorize for their own amusement, while good-aligned powls may leave a few rabbits on the stoop of a hungry family. The knock on the door that heralds a powl's gift gave rise to one of their popular nicknames, though the powl has usually hidden or climbed a tree by the time someone checks the door.

Powls eat small game, roots, and fish, as well as gnawing on the occasional bit of stone. They enjoy ropes and may trade for a length of well-made cord. A powl is slightly taller than a gnome and much more stout. Most powls encountered are male, though tales tell of run-ins with female powls with quick tempers and hefty cudgels.

Cold Iron Vulnerability (Ex) Powls, like many other fey, are averse to cold iron. When struck with a cold iron weapon, a powl suffers an additional 1d6 damage on a successful attack. A powl wearing a cold iron item or holding one in hand is sickened until it is at least 5 ft. away from their person.

False Tracks (Ex) A powl's feet naturally mimic the footprint of a small animal, generally a dog, rabbit, fox, badger, or weasel. Each powl's feet mimic one specific animal, which does not change during their lifetime. This imposes a +5 adjustment to the DC of any Knowledge (nature) checks to identify the tracks of a powl, as well as a +2 adjustment to the DC of Survival checks to track a powl, as random animal tracks are likely to confound the issue. Powls wearing shoes or other footwear leave appropriate tracks as normal.

Gangly Build (Ex) Powls have long and lopsided arms, which they can actually shift back and forth (switching which is the longer arm) with a shrug of their shoulders. While this uneven length confers no additional reach, it does allow a powl to grapple and to comfortably wield weapons as though it was one size category larger. This ability also qualifies as the prerequisite Dexterity score for any non-epic two-weapon fighting feat, including but not limited to Double HitMini, Dual StrikeCAdv, Greater Two-Weapon DefenseCW, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Haft StrikeDR331, Improved Two-Weapon DefenseCW, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Oversized Two-Weapon FightingCAdv, Pin ShieldCW, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon PouncePHBII, and Two-Weapon RendPHBII. A powl must still meet all other prerequisites to select one of these feats.

Gnaw Stone (Ex) Powls require a bit of rock in their diet to remain healthy, or else they suffer the penalty for going hungry. A powl's broad, flat teeth are nearly useless in a combat capacity, but when directed against objects, a powl has a bite attack that deals 1d4 damage and ignores the hardness of any kind of nonmagical rock or stone. Wood, metal, and packed earth, among other materials, retain their full hardness against this bite, generally rendering it useless.

Powl Mark (Sp) Once per day a powl may leave an arcane mark which may be made either visible to fey, or visible only to powls, at the powl's discretion, as the spell cast by a 1st-level sorcerer.

Shillelagh (Sp) Powls favor clubs and quarterstaffs in combat, for they have the magical ability to enchant them with ferocious heft as the spell shillelagh. A powl can use this ability for 1 minute per day per hit die it possesses (including from class levels). These minutes need not be consecutive, but must be spent in one-minute increments. Extra time not used is wasted.

Smell Hunger (Su) Powls have the supernatural ability to smell the hunger of other beings. This functions as the scent ability, except that ranges are doubled if the creature being scented is carnivorous and that a creature which is currently sated (not experiencing hunger) gives off no odor to smell. This odor can alert a powl to prey or threats, and scenting a hungry creature provides the powl a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks made when encountering that creature within 1 minute of catching the odor. The smell of hunger is supernatural and is given off even by mindless and nonliving creatures (note that undead who do not feed on flesh or blood but rather on life energy, ability scores, etc. do not qualify as carnivorous for the purpose of determining range). Oozes do not trigger this ability. Wooden and packed soil barriers do not block the smell of hunger, though stone, metal, ice, and other similarly solid materials do.

Stick Block (Ex) Powls favor durable wooden bludgeoning weapons in their combat style, and know how to use them for defense as well as offense. A powl holding a light bludgeoning weapon in its off hand gets a +1 shield bonus to AC. A powl wielding a double weapon instead gets a +2 shield bonus to AC, as it can block with the haft as well as the anterior end.

Skills A powl has a +2 racial bonus to Climb and Hide.

Powl Characters

Powls possess the following racial traits:

• +2 Strength, -4 Intelligence. Powls are surprisingly strong for their size but generally uncurious about detail and not terribly bright.
• Small size.
• A powl's base speed is 20 ft.
• Fey type: Powls are unaffected by spells that only affect humanoids. Powls have low-light vision.
• +2 racial bonus to Climb and Hide checks.
• A powl receives Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat.
• Cold Iron Vulnerability: as above
• False Tracks: as above
• Gangly Build: as above
• Gnaw Stone: as above
• Powl Mark: as above
• Shillelagh: as above
• Smell Hunger: as above
• Stick Block: as above
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Gol-kaa, Halfling.
• Favored Class: Ranger
• Level Adjustment: +0

[afroakuma]

Arix
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +1
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 16 (+4 natural, +2 armor, +1 Dex)
BAB +2; Grp +4
Attack Cold iron crúcatéad +5 melee (1d6+2, x3)
Full Attack Cold iron crúcatéad +5 melee (1d6+2, x3) and braid blade DU120 +2 melee (1d3+1, 18-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with crúcatéad)
Special Attacks Phantom threat
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., feyward, horrible taste, scent
Saves Fort +1 Ref +4 Will +6
Abilities Str 14, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 9
Skills Knowledge (nature) +4*, Listen +8*, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +4*, Spot -1*, Tumble +6
Feats Blind-FightB, Iron WillB, Weapon Focus (crúcatéad)
Environment Cold and temperate hills and forests
Organization Solitary, trio (3), or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement by class; Favored Class WarbladeToB
Level Adjustment +1

Rarely seen by most races, arix keep to themselves whenever possible, chiefly disinterested in the goings-on of others as long as they do not truck with the fey. More than anything else, arix utterly despise fey of any kind, and will make ferocious efforts to hunt down and murder fey in their lands whenever possible.

An arix resembles an anthropomorphic goat, standing some 7 ft. tall fully erect but nearly always carrying itself slightly hunched. A thick mane of rusty reddish, brown, or black hair is usually tied into a single long braid attached to a blade at the end. Their hands and feet resemble bird talons, and around their back and shoulders grow dark reddish, brown, or black feathers. The nostrils of an arix are unusually long and vertical, resembling outward-pointing curly brackets, and their eyes are a uniform black with an odd gray thread crossing them horizontally. The arix language sounds like a mix of bird shrieks and guttural low rumbles, and is notably difficult for non-arix to speak properly.

Arix tracks are difficult to identify as belonging to arix (+4 DC) and may be mistaken for griffon tracks or the tracks of a large bird.

Arix dislike travelling in pairs; they need to be able to form a majority opinion lest they otherwise fall to infighting. They are not fond of stealth and are generally abrasive and overly forward. Nevertheless, arix are generally content to defend their territory with words before violence, and can be engaged with a bit of diplomacy provided one is not known to be an ally of the fey. Arix are rarely willing to believe in anything they cannot touch and hold firm in their grasp - simply showing an arix something is unlikely to be trusted as evidence, as the arix have a long and unpleasant history of dealing with fey trickery. Besides their knowledge of the fey, arix are also experts at working cold iron to make weapons and other implements, and they have been known to be hired by dwarves from time to time for assistance in locating veins of iron with the requisite purity and working it to the desired application. Arix have a dim view of elves due to their frequent association with fey, as well as a strong dislike of shapeshifters of any kind. An arix always assumes it is in the right, regardless of its alignment - the rare good-aligned arix are just as overbearingly self-righteous as the run-of-the-mill evil arix are self-involved. Arix horns are fragile and shed with some frequency, making them useless for gore attacks. Apart from fey and elves, arix do not like gnolls as a general rule, and they are the mortal enemies of trolls and ettercaps, both of which consider arix flesh quite tasty and both of which hunt down arix as a preferred prey.

In the event that a corporeal undead is created from an arix, it retains the feyward ability. Should that undead creature possess flesh, it also retains its horrible taste ability - death and decay do the odious flavor of the arix no favors.

Feyward (Ex) Some believe that arix eat small amounts of cold iron as part of their diet; others that their hatred for fey runs so deep in their blood that at has imbued them with properties antithetical to fey. Regardless of the truth, an arix enjoys a +2 deflection bonus to AC against attacks from fey or creatures and effects conjured by fey magic, and a +2 luck bonus on saving throws against effects generated by fey or creatures and effects conjured by fey magic. An arix who is under the influence of a mind-affecting effect created by a fey or a creature or effect conjured by fey magic may make a new saving throw to break free of that effect each round even if they would otherwise not be entitled to do so. Arix are not able to use magic items crafted by fey.

Horrible Taste (Ex) The oily hair and flesh of an arix is considered intensely repugnant by most creatures with the noted exception of ettercaps and trolls. To certain predators including leucrottas, perytons, bearhounds, and most forms of carnivorous plant, arix blood and flesh is actively toxic (equivalent to dark reaver powder, and bypasses the immunities of the plant type). This ability otherwise protects an arix as the horrible tasteSC spell, except that it ignores the poison immunity of plants and treats them as creatures with a sense of taste.

Phantom Threat (Sp) Three times per day as a swift action, an arix can afflict a creature with phantom threatSC (DC 12, CL equal to character level, minimum 5). The save DC is Int-based.

Scent (Ex) An arix enjoys double the normal range for this ability (60 ft., 120 ft. upwind, 30 ft. downwind) but can only smell animals, dragons, fey, and plants. All fey are treated as possessing a strong smell for this purpose. An arix can gain the scent ability from another source, in which case it enjoys doubled ranges on that ability as well and it can apply to all sources of smell.

Arix possess racial proficiency with the crúcatéad, an exotic weapon resembling a long chain with a vicious hook at the end, not unlike a kusari-gama. The crúcatéad has reach and may also be used against adjacent foes. As the chain can wrap around an enemy's leg or other limb, the wielder can make trip attacks with it. If the wielder is tripped during their own trip attempt, they can drop the crúcatéad to avoid being tripped. When using a crúcatéad, the wielder gets a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails). The wielder can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier to attack rolls with a crúcatéad sized for them, even though it isn't a light weapon. When landing a hit with the crúcatéad, the wielder may make an opposed grapple check to drag the winner of the check 5 ft. toward the loser.

Arix are also racially proficient with all forms of pick and with the braid blade.

Arix Characters

Arix possess the following racial traits:

• +4 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Cha. Arix are wiry and tough with sharp and discerning acumen, but their identity is tied up strongly in what they despise rather than their own hopes and ambitions.
• Medium-size.
• An arix's base speed is 30 ft.
• Arix are proficient with all forms of pick, with the crúcatéad, and with the braid bladeDU120. Arix are proficient with light armor.
• An arix treats the crúcatéad as a discipline weapon for the Iron Heart and Tiger Claw disciplines for the purpose of Blade MeditationToB and similar abilities.
• Arix have a +4 racial bonus to Craft checks involving cold iron.
• Arix have a +4 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey and Spellcraft checks involving fey magic, and can make such checks pertaining to fey untrained.
• Arix gain Blind-Fight and Iron Will as bonus feats.
• Arix have a +2 racial bonus to Listen checks, but suffer a -2 racial penalty to Spot checks. Arix do not trust their eyes as fey illusions have long been a thorn in their sides.
• +4 natural armor.
• Racial Hit Dice: An arix begins with two levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +2, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.
• Racial Skills: An arix's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Knowledge (nature), Listen, Sense Motive, Survival, and Tumble.
• Racial Feats: An arix's monstrous humanoid levels give it one feat.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Feyward: as above
• Horrible Taste: as above
• Phantom Threat: as above.
• Scent: as above.
• Automatic Languages: Arix. Bonus Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Orcish, Sylvan, Terran, Tuilvalanuue.
• Favored Class: WarbladeToB
• Level Adjustment: +1

[afroakuma]

Terror Fish
Tiny Magical Beast
HD 1d10 (5 hp)
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 30 ft.
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 14; flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 size, +1 natural)
BAB +1; Grp -11
Attack -
Full Attack -
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Blood gas, terror shriek
Special Qualities Amphibious, darkvision 60 ft., impulse, low-light vision, resistance to sonic 20
Saves Fort +2 Ref +4 Will +2
Abilities Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 3, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills Hide +10, Jump +10*, Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +10*
Feats Dodge
Environment Temperate and warm aquatic, marshes, and forests
Organization Splash (4-10) or boil (11-100)
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Often neutral
Advancement 1-2 HD (Tiny); 3-6 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment -

Reputable scholars consider "terror fish" to be a vicious misnomer, for the creatures are neither fish nor are they intent on causing terror. Terror fish are small amphibians resembling a cross between an axolotl and a pale white toad, with silvery veins and massively bulging, blood-red eyes. Terror fish acquired the misnomer in part due to the gauzy and iridescent "fins" that trail from their limbs, backs, and tails, assisting in camouflage when splayed out. Indeed, terror fish (properly known as ranabari) spend a good deal of their time stationary with their eyes closed, resembling small chunks of marble or gypsum, with their fins blending in with grass and other nearby plant life. Unlike toads and frogs, terror fish have no tongues. They eat insects and similar prey by making an exaggerated "kiss face" and drawing it in with their lips, causing a temporary pucker while the food is delivered into the oral cavity.

Terror fish are creatures of simple pleasures and benign curiosities. Due to their frightening sound, terror fish generally have tremendously limited contact with humanoids and thus do not particularly recognize them as a threat or hostile presence - indeed, terror fish are often quite calm around just about anything that is not a recognized predator, though water birds of any kind scare them severely. Terror fish are prized by some as pets or familiars, for they are friendly and affectionate, as well as vocal - frequently purring contentedly or making a kind of conversational burbling as they nudge about indulging their curiosity. This may also prove a liability, as terror fish are quite loud (+8 to Listen checks to hear one) relative to their size, and may require training to be quiet in appropriate situations.

Creatures sensitive to sound tend to despise terror fish, for obvious reasons. Locathah consider their flesh a delicacy, as do sahuagin, though tritons and merfolk both dislike the flavor and texture. Terror fish have been found in subterranean lakes where they may be fed on by aboleths, ixzan, and other dwellers of the dark depths. Terror fish meat is poisonous to gnomes and all reptilian humanoids (equivalent to id moss), though some deal in it as a soporific drug. The bloody smell of water where terror fish are present can attract dangerous creatures to the area, who are likely to be all the more hungry for having been tricked into hunting for food that is not present. Terror fish are prized by apothecaries for their magical applications, with terror fish oil being a useful component in potions of remove deafness, terror fish skin being useful in the making of earplugs or soundproof pouches for fragile objects, and terror fish bones being a useful component in spells with the Sonic descriptor (+1 to the DC if the bones have been properly treated, normally costing about 100 gp to do).

Blood Gas (Ex) Terror fish rarely spend more than about 20% of their time in the water, but while they are in contact with water, specialized enzymes in their skin react to produce bubbles of a signature crimson gas that gives off the smell of blood. A single healthy terror fish gives off enough gas bubbles to cause a surface area roughly equal to a bathtub to appear to be boiling merrily, while a small number of them can easily cause a brook, pond, or creek to appear to be boiling. Those within 10 ft. of water so affected must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 10) or become sickened for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Impulse (Ex) Terror fish have excellent leg and tail muscles which provide them with surprising grace and flexibility. They use their Dexterity modifier in place of their Strength modifier for Strength-based skill checks.

Terror Shriek (Su) Terror fish get the "fish" name from their fins and their habit of jumping out of water to try and catch insects in their mouths. The "terror" part derives chiefly from their capacity to unleash utterly nightmarish screams as a standard action, which they employ to bring down prey so that they can approach and ingest it. The terror shriek hits with full force in a 60 ft. radius around the terror fish, causing any kind of vermin to immediately die (Fort DC 10 negates, natural 1 does not automatically fail). Creatures in the area suffer 2d4 sonic damage and are shaken for 1d4 rounds (Fort DC 10 half damage and duration). A terror fish prefers to rest for at least 1 hour between shrieks, as doing so earlier causes 1 point of Constitution damage to the terror fish.

Skills Terror fish have a +8 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks.

[Debihuman]

I think these might be a tad overpowered for LA+0 but judging that isn't my forte.

Kullen shows +2 armor in AC but doesn't say where it comes from.

Debby

[afroakuma]

Suan
Suan 1st-level Warrior
Medium Humanoid (Suan)
HD 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +1
Attack Spear +2 melee (1d8)
Full Attack Spear +2 melee (1d8)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Tranquil gaze
Special Qualities Dreamtouch, fey kindred, hunch, immunity to fascination and sleep effects, low-light vision, sleepscent, superstition
Saves Fort +3 Ref +2 Will +0
Abilities Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 6, Cha 11
Skills Bluff +2*, Climb +2*, Diplomacy +2*, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +2*
Feats Force of PersonalityB, Weapon Focus (spear)
Environment Warm and temperate plains, hills, and forests
Organization Solitary, pair, or kithband (3-7)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard plus studded leather armor
Alignment Often chaotic good
Advancement by class; Favored Class Bard
Level Adjustment +0

At one time a tribe of fey concerned with sleep and dreams, a little over a thousand years ago the suanta made a strange transition from being creatures of Faerie to beings wholly of the Prime. The reasons, if they are known, are not discussed with outsiders, and when the information has been obtained coercively it is always a different story. For better or for worse, the truth is not readily available - and the suanta don't mind in the least.

A suan (pl. suanta) resembles a human with a faint hint of elven heritage, with thick wavy hair that resembles richly stained wood with an odd hint of blue that seems to come and go. At one temple emerges a small curved horn, no longer than an inch or so (young suanta are born with two of these horns, with one gradually shrinking as they age). Their fingertips feel unnaturally smooth to the touch, despite having the telltale whorls of fingerprints, and they are incapable of smiling with both sides of their mouth at the same time - they can only do a side-smirk of sorts. The signature trait that picks out a suan without fail is that suanta have heterochromia - one eye is always dark around the rim of the iris, the other quite bright around the rim of the iris, and each is a different color. When viewed, they seem to flicker and dance ever so slightly - suan eyes are unmistakably inhuman. The colors and positions of these eyes and horns help suanta identify various families and lineages among their kind. Others tend to find the eyes of a suan hypnotically calming to gaze into.

Suanta very rarely eat meat, though they can drink blood and eat insects and such. Their primary diet is tree bark, leaves, and juices - a suan requires considerably more dietary sugars than other humanoids. Suanta respond to the aroma of roses and apples in the same way that humans respond to imbibing alcohol. They dislike the feel and odor of copper, which causes them pain to be around in large quantities (-1 morale penalty to all rolls and checks if at least 1 cubic foot of copper is within 10 ft.), and are known to be fond of nicknames as they are not generally good at remembering names for people or places. Suanta despise basilisks and will go out of their way to hunt them down. Suanta skin wrinkles in cold temperatures (below 40F/4C) and smooths when they get warm again.

Suanta are not tremendously devout, but most at least acknowledge the goddess Sáimhríoch, their patron and protector. They largely live among other races, only gathering in small family groups that never number eight or more. A very loose confederation exists among suanta, where a single representative of a local group shares tales and happenings at annual moots of up to seven such representatives, with those moots having a representative who shares matters with a regional moot, and so on. This looseness of association means that while suanta can spread information, collaboration on major initiatives is all but nonexistent. Suanta live on average about 220 years or so.

The suan warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 9.

Dreamtouch (Su) Once per day a suan may concentrate for 10 minutes to communicate with a sleeping creature. The sleeper must be somewhere on the same plane as the suan, and the suan has no ability to tell whether the message is received or whether the sleeper is out of range. The suan transmits an image of themself and a single word, including tone of voice (hurried, calm, welcoming, angry, and so forth). The suan must have seen the individual in order to be able to send the dreamtouch. Use of this ability causes the suan to become fatigued for 1 hour. It is of no use with creatures who do not sleep, such as elves.

Fey Kindred (Su) Suanta are descended from predecessors who were once fey. For any effects that are dependent on creature type, there is a 50% chance that a suan counts as a fey rather than a humanoid. This does not apply to prerequisites, for which a suan does not count as fey unless their type is changed via template or similar modification.

Hunch (Su) Suanta still recollect something of their fey awareness of the supernatural. They gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting effects.

Sleepscent (Su) Suanta have an incredible ability to "smell" when a creature is truly asleep or unconscious rather than just faking it. A suan can "smell" a sleeping creature of Diminutive or larger size from 30 ft. away (60 ft. for Large or Huge creatures, 120 ft. for Gargantuan or Colossal creatures). Creatures pretending to be asleep must make a Bluff check against the suan, who gets a +10 racial bonus to a Sense Motive check to see through such a deception. This ability communicates in very broad terms the depth of the creature's slumber but offers no information about the identity of a sleeping creature, just a vague direction sufficient for the suan to point out which creature is sleeping if they can actually see what they are "smelling." Although this ability is not actually scent, it does require air to succeed; an airtight barrier (such as a wall of force) or vacuum will impede this sense, as will cold iron, copper, gold, or lead in a wall (even as loose bars rather than a solid barrier). Note that as elves trance rather than sleep, this ability is useless against them.

Superstition (Ex) Suanta fear the number eight and will not voluntarily gather eight or more of their kind, an association ripe with historical ties to disaster for the race. Other groups larger than eight are not a problem, but a suanta will not travel in or associate with a group that numbers exactly eight. Suanta confronted with the number eight in some fashion (eight enemies, an eight-sided pattern, etc.) suffer a -2 morale penalty to checks involving the presence of the number eight (for example, -2 to checks to interpret a puzzle with eight sides). Curiously, spiders seem to be the exception; arachnoid foes do not seem to trigger this for suanta, but other kinds of beings with eight limbs or eight heads and so on will trigger this morale penalty as normal. They suffer a similar morale penalty when facing foes with no eyes, or when handling weapons or other equipment made of cold iron.

Tranquil Gaze (Su) A suan possesses a gaze attack that can be used in two ways. As a standard action, a suan may fascinate one creature within 30 ft. who can see the suan's eyes for 1 round. As a move action, a suan can focus their gaze on a single creature, causing sleep as the spell (caster level = suan's character level) but affecting only a single creature with HD equal to or less than the suan's character level. Affected creatures may make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 suan's character level + suan's Charisma modifier) to resist either effect. A suan may use each ability up to three times per day. Creatures affected by the fascination effect of this gaze make their saves against this or any other sleep effect at a -2 penalty. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.

Skills Suanta have a +4 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey and can make such checks pertaining to fey untrained. They have a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks so long as the target can see the suan's eyes. They have a +2 racial bonus to Climb checks. A suan suffers a -4 penalty to Disguise checks to appear as anything other than a suan as long as their eyes are visible; if concealed, this becomes a +2 bonus to Disguise checks to appear human.

Suan Characters

Suanta possess the following racial traits:

• +2 Dex, -2 Int, -2 Wis, +2 Cha. Suanta are naturally agile and disarming to be around, but have a tendency to daydream and get distracted from worldly matters.
• Medium-size.
• A suan's base speed is 30 ft.
• Suanta are proficient with the shortspear, spear, dart, javelin, and whip.
• Suanta have a +4 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) checks involving fey and can make such checks pertaining to fey untrained.
• Suanta have a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks as long as the target can see the suan's eyes.
• Suanta fingers have excellent grip, affording a +2 racial bonus to Climb checks.
• Suanta gain a bonus feat for which they do not need to meet the prerequisites, which must be selected from the following list: Agile AthleteRotW, any Hex featDR339, Arcane FlourishPHBII, BrachiationCAdv, Captivating MelodyCM, Combat Expertise, Combat IntuitionCAdv, Companion SpellbondPHBII, Dazzling IllusionCM, DashCWar, Deceitful, Dodge, Fey BloodlineDR311, Fey HeritageCM, Force of PersonalityCAdv, InsightfulCArc, Irresistible GazeSK, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator, Ocular SpellLoM, Persuasive, Pole BalanceDR331, Split ChakraMoI, Touch of CaptivationPGE
• Dreamtouch: As above
• Fey Kindred: As above
• Hunch: As above
• Sleepscent: As above
• Superstition: As above
• Tranquil Gaze: As above
• Low-light vision
• Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Auran, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Illumian, Treant, Tuilvalanuue.
• Favored Class: Bard
• Level Adjustment: +0

Sáimhríoch
Lesser Power of Arborea
Dreamsinger, Mother of Night, She Who Brings Sleep, the Silent Shield, Star-Eyes
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Dreams, evening hospitality, slumber, suanta, wonder
Divine Realm: Arborea/Pelion/Restwell
Symbol: A black disc with two starlike eyes, each colored differently
Domains: Chaos, Community, Dream, Good, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Spear

Formerly a member of the Seelie Court and still sometimes a guest in their realm, Sáimhríoch Star-Eyes is the patron goddess of the suanta. Her involvement in the changing of her people from true fey to humanoids is unknown, but the goddess has never indicated she is upset with the situation, nor conversely does any holy text mention her being at the heart of the decision. Veneration of Sáimhríoch is actually more common among races that have contact with suanta than among the suanta themselves, for most do not have their own goddesses of sleep and peaceful night, and the suanta are sometimes believed to be watchful bringers of rest and safe slumber (which, oddly, used to be true when they were still fey). Her epithet "the Silent Shield" is a bit of a misnomer, as Sáimhríoch is depicted as singing while playing a harp; it has been suggested that it may refer either to the fact that her music lulls listeners to sleep as though it lacked the volume to keep them awake, or that the goddess is never attested to actually speak.

Among the suanta, it is said that Sáimhríoch brings about the night by threatening the sun with the sharp end of her spear, and that in turn the dawn comes because the sun approaches from behind and does not fear the blunt end. Her realm is a dark and starry oasis that sits on the shore of a lake formed from the tears of sleepers. While she is opposed to cruelty, Sáimhríoch is quite particular about hospitality and shelter from the dark and instructs her followers to make reprisal swift and harsh against any who would transgress the notion of sacred hospitality. She is depicted as loving children (though curiously, is said to have none of her own except the night itself) and to have gifted suan children with a second horn "so they have something just for them that the adults cannot have." Unusually for a mother goddess figure, Sáimhríoch is also frequently depicted as a skilled athlete (throwing her spear and hunting for the sun) and trickster figure, with one myth saying that elves used to sleep until she used her gaze to cause Corellon Larethian to lower his guard and fall into a deep slumber so that she could lay with his wife and steal his favorite starlight to forge into her spearhead.

[afroakuma]

Going to take a brief pause here and ask if anyone has anything they would like to see covered in this thread, any general preferences, and so forth. I still have plenty of ideas, but I'm open to requests for e.g. more fey, more humanoids, more demons...

[sandmote]

Since you're asking, these are still really interesting. Specifically interesting creatures are something I'd enjoy reading more than specific creature types.


[size=3] They eat insects and similar prey by making an exaggerated "kiss face" and drawing it in with their lips, causing a temporary pucker while the food is delivered into the oral cavity. This sounds like a description of suction feeding. Exception that you also say the fish spend most of their time on land, where suction feeding is ineffective. And I expect that when they stay underwater fast moving prey would try to escape the area of their Blood Gas, so they'd have heavily restricted ability to hunt underwater too. Maybe change this to say they lunge at prey?


Fey Kindred (Su) Suanta are descended from predecessors who were once fey. For any effects that are dependent on creature type, there is a 50% chance that a suan counts as a fey rather than a humanoid. This does not apply to prerequisites, for which a suan does not count as fey unless their type is changed via template or similar modification. I though 3.5e was pedantic enough that you'd need to specify when this chance is rolled? I assume the Suan counts as humanoid/fey the firs time it is exposed to an instance of an effect, and then counts as the same type for the same instance of the effect in the future. But it feels weird to be looking at a 3.5e feature where this sort of thing isn't spelled out?

This might have more to do with my lack of familiarity with 3.5e though.

[afroakuma]

Since you're asking, these are still really interesting. Specifically interesting creatures are something I'd enjoy reading more than specific creature types.

Fair enough!


This sounds like a description of suction feeding. Exception that you also say the fish spend most of their time on land, where suction feeding is ineffective. And I expect that when they stay underwater fast moving prey would try to escape the area of their Blood Gas, so they'd have heavily restricted ability to hunt underwater too. Maybe change this to say they lunge at prey?

It's important to remember that terror fish have no real need to lunge at anything - their scream kills insects very, very dead. Their basic method of predation is to unleash a scream, killing a small swarm of insects in the vicinity, then casually yooping up the dead bugs one by one. It's rather effective as most of their own natural predators are scared off by the scream, which gives them a comfortable lunchtime window.


I though 3.5e was pedantic enough that you'd need to specify when this chance is rolled? I assume the Suan counts as humanoid/fey the firs time it is exposed to an instance of an effect, and then counts as the same type for the same instance of the effect in the future. But it feels weird to be looking at a 3.5e feature where this sort of thing isn't spelled out?


I'll check with people who know better.

[enderlord99]

Going to take a brief pause here and ask if anyone has anything they would like to see covered in this thread, any general preferences, and so forth. I still have plenty of ideas, but I'm open to requests for e.g. more fey, more humanoids, more demons...

Some undead, please.

[Tzardok]

I'd like a few Deathless or upper planes natives, please.

[afroakuma]

Lundria
Lundria 1st-level Warrior
Medium Humanoid
HD 1d8-1 (3 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +4 (+6)
AC 12 (14); touch 10 (12); flat-footed 12 (+2 armor)
BAB +1; Grp +2
Attack Short sword +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack Short sword +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Fatecalling aura, foretelling of fate
Special Qualities Low-light vision, moonvision, phases of the soul, prophecy, sleep vulnerability, surrender to destiny
Saves Fort +1 Ref +0 (+2) Will +2
Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 8, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 8
Skills Sense Motive +3, Spot +3
Feats Born under the Crescent MoonB, Improved Initiative
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard plus leather armor
Alignment Any
Advancement by class; Favored Class Any
Level Adjustment +0

A rare and strange people often believed to be linked to the fey, lundrias are not definitively tied to Faerie, though their otherworldly natures and habit of dwelling near boundaries to that other realm do nothing to dispel this association. Though scholars often classify lundrias as an offshoot of humans rather than a true race in their own right, lundrias can be born of many races, with a coupling of a lundria and another humanoid offering a 10-40% chance of yielding a lundria child if the lundria parent is male, 30-60% chance if the lundria parent is female. Lundrias almost never appear in numbers, not due to any inherent avoidance on their part but rather due to their scarcity, for the goddess who created them scattered them across a thousand Prime worlds for the sake of discovery and wonder.

As noted, lundrias most resemble an offshoot of humans, with alabaster-white skin that can acquire silvery freckles and solid black eyes with patterns on them that exactly mirror the moon (or moons) in the sky of the world they are on presently. They are frequently described as having a "soft" look and a "tragic beauty," a characterization that often annoys them to no end, as lundrias are no more prone to sorrow than any other humanoid. Lundrias have very fine vellus hair on roughly 30% of their body and no other hair below the neck, while their eyebrows tend to grow long and feathery. The hair of their heads tends to be worn extremely long and is resilient to cutting; lundrias have only been seen with two shades of hair, either a platinum silver or a midnight black that looks almost blue depending on the light. Lundria skin can become brittle and form frostlike "snowflake" patterns when exposed to sunlight or bright moonlight for too long; lundrias tend to find this effect very mildly itchy, like a minor course of eczema, and will often rub down affected areas with abrasive cloth. They prefer cooler temperatures and cannot stomach any food containing or made with yeast. Lundrias tend to have long, slender fingers, and often have a habit of stroking, tapping, or running their fingers across the surface of metal.

Lundria culture is a thin and tenous thing; it can often be very difficult for a lundria to learn more about her heritage, as there are very few places that serve as any kind of hub for their people, and most of those are remote either in wildspace or on the planes. A lundria may be viewed as a witch, changeling, or otherwise seen with suspicion among other humanoids. This is not helped by the fact that lundria personalities shift with the months, to say nothing of their apparent lack of interest in worldly matters. Some believe them to be "cursed" due to their aura involuntarily pushing those on the brink of death one step closer to the grave. Nevertheless, lundrias are possessed of surprising insight and perception, and they have been sought out as "star sages" or "moonsages" by wizards and monarchs for their prophetic abilities.

Lundrias generally enjoy music and history and are often characterized by rich and deeply felt emotions that they conceal beneath a placid veneer. They are slow to form bonds with others and struggle to establish trust, particularly given how rapidly they change in personality. All lundrias are born at night and identify with their "kindred" who were born under the same phase as they - it is said that there will one day be a lundria born beneath the noonday sun, and that this individual shall threaten all kindred, for she will belong to none. Lundrias are immune to lycanthropy whether transmitted by bite or via magical curse, and they are naturally suspicious of lycanthropes. Lundrias despise moonbeasts and mooncalves; the feeling is mutual, and either kind of creature will seek to kill a lundria on sight. Night hags enjoy preying on lundrias, and it is suspected there is ancient bad blood at work.

Lundrias have an extreme gender disparity, with 95% being female. A surpassingly small number of lundrias (disproportionately many more male than female) may (1%) be born with more severely frail health but a greater sense of self and natural magnetism (-2 Con, +2 Cha on top of other racial modifiers). For some as-yet unknown reason, these lundrias often possess violently antisocial attitudes and are marked by persistently evil alignments whatever the phase of their soul. Lundrias live for approximately 500 years.

Fatecalling Aura (Su) At the start of a lundria's turn, any living creature within 30 ft. of her with fewer than 0 hp remaining loses 1 hp. This is not a negative energy effect and the loss of hp cannot be prevented or mitigated through damage reduction, regeneration, and so on. The lundria is incapable of turning off this effect - it is constant. Any given creature can only be affected by one lundria's fatecalling aura each round.

Foretelling of Fate (Su) Once per encounter as a swift action, a lundria may choose a target within line of sight. For up to 10 minutes, when that target makes any kind of check that requires a roll of a d20 and rolls a natural 15 or higher, before the results of the roll are known, the lundria may force a reroll of that check (this does not require an action or for the lundria to personally witness the attempt being made, it is a foretelling of something that will happen). While a target is under her foretelling of fate, the lundria is incapable of using her prophecy and surrender to destiny abilities. Any hostile action the lundria personally takes against a creature under her foretelling of fate instantly terminates the effect, as she has intervened in the fate she herself foretold, changing the future (same kinds of actions that would break invisibility).

Moonvision (Ex) A lundria sees in moonlight as though it were full daylight. She can also discern any kind of writing, artwork, or other visual information that is designed to appear only under the light of the moon in some capacity - the same properties that make such a visual interact with moonlight also make it inherently visible to the lundria.

Phases of the Soul (Ex) A lundria's soul is a complex thing indeed; at every new moon, it takes on a new shade, shifting to a new phase. When this happens, the lundria goes through a few changes:

• She must choose a new alignment within one step of her current alignment. If her alignment is somehow forced on her, she receives a new saving throw to end the effect modifying her alignment.
• She may reallocate up to four skill ranks (including those invested in Speak Language or skill tricks), provided this reallocation does not disqualify her from any feat or class she holds (but see below).
• She may exchange one non-Birth, non-Regional, non-Heritage feat she possesses for another feat that she could have chosen instead of that feat (i.e. if a lundria exchanges a fighter bonus feat, she must exchange it for another fighter bonus feat; if a feat was conferred by a class ability or race and did not offer an alternative, it cannot be exchanged). She must meet the prerequisites for the new feat. If she exchanges a feat for which she had required skill ranks, she may reallocate those ranks as per the above as they no longer constitute a prerequisite. (DM's note: any other kind of feat that is inherent to the character's birth, race, bloodline, or upbringing is similarly unchangeable).
• Once per year on a new moon, she may exchange her most recently acquired class level for a level in another class for which she meets the prerequisites. If she chooses to do this, her XP total becomes the minimum required to attain her current level; any excess XP is lost immediately and irrevocably.
• If she possesses a selection of spells known, powers known, or other such limitation, she may exchange one such spell, power, or the like for another.
• If the lundria possesses traitsUA, one of her traits must change on the night of the new moon.

A lundria retains all of her memories, but her personality shifts slightly as her soul enters the new phase. Some lundrias exhibit duality of soul, alternating between two states with precious little variance, while others have a panoply of shades throughout the year and beyond and may never revisit the same exact nature of themselves.

Prophecy (Sp) A lundria possesses the gift of foretelling. Once per day she may use this gift on behalf of another creature via touch, requiring 1 full minute, as though they were the subject of an augury cast at the lundria's character level. The creature touched provides the question for the augury, and the lundria receives the response, which she may reveal in whatever manner she wishes or not at all. During the activation time of this ability, the moons in the lundria's eyes appear to shift as though moving across the night sky for many nights in quick succession. In order to make use of this ability, a lundria must possess a personal focus, a totem or touchstone unique to her with a minimum 100 gp value. If it is damaged, destroyed, or lost, she may secure a replacement, but requires 24 hours to attune to it before being able to use this ability anew.

Sleep Vulnerability (Ex) Lundria have difficulty resisting sleep and similar effects, suffering a -4 penalty to Will saves to avoid falling asleep. They are treated as having 4 fewer HD for the purpose of effects such as sleep, deep slumber, symbol of sleep and the like. Lundrias suffer the same penalty against nightmare and any ability that copies the effects of that spell.

Surrender to Destiny (Su) As a swift action once per day, a lundria may immerse herself in the flow of destiny and possibility, allowing her limited prescience to guide her actions rather than trying to rely on her innate reflexes. For 1 minute after using this ability, the lundria uses her Wisdom modifier in place of her Dexterity modifier (on AC, initiative, skills, Reflex saves, and so on). If a lundria finds herself at 0 Dexterity or is otherwise incapable of moving, she cannot meaningfully benefit from use of this ability - it only benefits her insofar as she can actually move.

• -2 Con, -2 Int, +2 Wis. Lundrias are frail and frequently cast their minds away from the here and now to ruminate on the bigger picture, affording them great insight at the expense of focus, memory, and particular knowledge.
• Medium-size.
• A lundria's base speed is 30 ft.
• A lundria gains one of the following Birth feats as a bonus feat: Born under the Crescent MoonDR340, Born under the Full MoonDR340, Born under the Gibbous MoonDR340, Born under the Half MoonDR340, Born under the New MoonDR340.
• A lundria does not need to meet the Strength prerequisite for the MoonwarriorDR313 feat.
• A lundria casts spells of the Divination school and manifests powers of the Clairsentience discipline at +1 caster/manifester level.
• A lundria cannot be infected by lycanthropy in any form. Other forms of transformation work normally on a lundria.
• If a lundria has opened her brow chakraMoI, her essentia capacity for brow soulmelds increases by 1.
• Fatecalling Aura: as above.
• Foretelling of Fate: as above.
• Moonvision: as above.
• Phases of the Soul: as above.
• Prophecy: as above.
• Sleep Vulnerability: as above.
• Surrender to Destiny: as above.
• Low-light vision
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Any.
• Level Adjustment: +0

[Metastachydium]

Okay, but seriously: why do you hate official LA +0 races so much?

[afroakuma]

Okay, but seriously: why do you hate official LA +0 races so much?

Hate? How so?

[Metastachydium]

Hate? How so?

Many of your no RHD LA +0 races (the norrag, the suan, the lundria) are swimming in racial traits, including special qualities that are sometimes quite potent. Don't get me wrong, I really don't like LA but these critters make even LA +1 races simply obsolete through the sheer number of abilities they get for free.

[afroakuma]

Many of your no RHD LA +0 races (the norrag, the suan, the lundria) are swimming in racial traits, including special qualities that are sometimes quite potent. Don't get me wrong, I really don't like LA but these critters make even LA +1 races simply obsolete through the sheer number of abilities they get for free.

It's important to note a few things:

• Most LA +1 races are not worth LA +1. It's a very poor metric for power. I work with people who have even more experience than I in 3.5 to ensure that when there's an LA +1 on one of these races, it earns its place.
• LA +0 is all over the map in terms of number of racial features. My balance point is dwarves, who have net +0 stat adjustment, irreducible speed, darkvision, stonecunning, stability, bonuses on saves against poisons, spells, spell-like abilities, a racial bonus to attack rolls against very common low-level foes, a dodge bonus against giants, and two more specific skill perks. Add to that that the ability to wield an exotic weapon as a martial weapon is basically equal to half a feat (a good feat? No, but a feat - Exotic Weapon Proficiency) and dwarves get two of them (plus some supplemental ones in other materials).
• Compare that to the lundria, above, who possesses a net -2 to ability scores, a saving throw penalty to a specific band of effects, an immunity to one very narrow effect (lycanthropy), a 1/day spell-like ability without combat applications, a 1/encounter ability that has meaningful combat application but is tightly constrained... they may be more interesting abilities than the default LA +0 races get, but that doesn't make them pound-for-pound better.
• As for whether humans get left behind here (lundrias, among others, get a bonus feat as well as a truckload of other features), it's important to remember that the specific value of the human bonus feat is not merely that it's an extra feat - it's that it's an extra feat slot, which makes it viable to build from. Conversely, there is no feat, prestige class, or other feature in the game that cares if you have Born under the Crescent Moon, which is a nice flavorful feat but contributes dramatically less to build effectiveness than, say, Dodge.

In summation, they're more interesting (I hope) but I don't believe there would be a meaningful power differential and I think the core LA +0 races still all have their place.

[Metastachydium]

1. Stat adjustments are massively overrated (which is directly responsible for ridiculously weak races getting a +1 LA (khm, hobgoblin, khm)).
2. Many of those dwarven racial traits are incredibly situational or of very limited use. An at-will move action gaze attack (as sleep but actually useful bacause it scales) is, in turn, quite strong and let's not even get into the norrag's Wand Charge and Wandlore (I mean, innate capability to produce a vastly superior version of eternal wands without a single spellcasting level PLUS a wand-specific Deceive Item-equivalent (but better!) is simply not playing in the same league as stuff like stonecunning, stability and weapon familiarity combined).

[afroakuma]

1. Stat adjustments are massively overrated (which is directly responsible for ridiculously weak races getting a +1 LA (khm, hobgoblin, khm)).
2. Many of those dwarven racial traits are incredibly situational or of very limited use. An at-will move action gaze attack (as sleep but actually useful bacause it scales) is, in turn, quite strong and let's not even get into the norrag's Wand Charge and Wandlore (I mean, innate capability to produce a vastly superior version of eternal wands without a single spellcasting level PLUS a wand-specific Deceive Item-equivalent (but better!) is simply not playing in the same league as stuff like stonecunning, stability and weapon familiarity combined).

1. Yes and no. It depends on how they are being valued. It would take a lot to make stat adjustments worth a +1 LA on their lonesome, as you note; but conversely, net negative adjustments to stats have the potential to be severely impactful depending on how they land.
2. A bonus to all saving throws against spells is not situational. Many of the others are - but it's important to note that this also applies in a meaningful sense to the abilities of norrags, etc. as well. Lundrias, for example, get increased essentia capacity on brow chakra soulmelds, but this feature only comes online at 9th level at the earliest, and the brow chakra is relatively limited in application. Norrags can indeed make wands, but are still required to front the costs for doing so, must still make Use Magic Device checks to employ such a wand if they are not capable of using it via their class, and it's just a regular ordinary wand if sold or handed off to anybody else. It gives them appreciable flexibility, yes, but is still ultimately situational unless they are willing to meaningfully invest WBL to do things with it, which at that point is an allocation of resources beyond your racial pick.

In any event, I do not believe they are excessively "over the curve" or would merit adjustment to LA +1. You are welcome to disagree, and of course the great merit of D&D is that DMs can take material and adjust it as they see fit to make it work in line with how they would like the game to operate. I believe that these races can stand alongside, rather than overtaking, elves and dwarves and all the rest.

[Alea]

I dunno that these all hit that “dwarf” sweet spot—I’d say they’re more competitive with a higher tier of LA +0, the likes of human, strongheart halfling, warforged, dragonborn, whisper gnome, non-Dragonwrought “Playing to their Strengths” kobold. But those are all LA +0 races, and all of them are easily stronger picks than any of these in the right situation. For humans, honestly, that’s still going to be most situations. Afro is entirely correct that the value of the human bonus feat is less about what the feat itself can get you, and much, much more about the “build accelerant” that it represents.

[Metastachydium]

1. Yes and no. It depends on how they are being valued. It would take a lot to make stat adjustments worth a +1 LA on their lonesome, as you note; but conversely, net negative adjustments to stats have the potential to be severely impactful depending on how they land.

That's an


2. A bonus to all saving throws against spells is not situational.

That's why I didn't mention that one, specifically, but rather stonecunning (because seriously), stability and weapon familiarity (whoever uses a dwarven urgrosh or buckler axe anyway?). I could also add the bonuses to skills, especially Appraise and even the resistance to poison.


Many of the others are - but it's important to note that this also applies in a meaningful sense to the abilities of norrags, etc. as well. Lundrias, for example, get increased essentia capacity on brow chakra soulmelds, but this feature only comes online at 9th level at the earliest, and the brow chakra is relatively limited in application. Norrags can indeed make wands, but are still required to front the costs for doing so, must still make Use Magic Device checks to employ such a wand if they are not capable of using it via their class, and it's just a regular ordinary wand if sold or handed off to anybody else. It gives them appreciable flexibility, yes, but is still ultimately situational unless they are willing to meaningfully invest WBL to do things with it, which at that point is an allocation of resources beyond your racial pick.

I wouldn't be so quick to undervalue the stuff with the wands. A crafted (massively superior eternal!) wand of CLW is well worth the expenditure even at a fairly low level and the quasi-Deceive Item makes UMDing it a child's play with a minimal investment into CHA (which the stat adjustment helps with). Also, unlike many of the dwarven traits, such as the +1 to hit against orcs and goblinoids, which become weaker and weaker to the point of irrelevance as the character levels, the usefulness of the wand traits increases with time.


In any event, I do not believe they are excessively "over the curve" or would merit adjustment to LA +1. You are welcome to disagree, and of course the great merit of D&D is that DMs can take material and adjust it as they see fit to make it work in line with how they would like the game to operate. I believe that these races can stand alongside, rather than overtaking, elves and dwarves and all the rest.

Alright. It's your call, of course. You said PEACH, I gave my honest opinion, and if I'm not helpful, please do ignore me.

[afroakuma]

I wouldn't be so quick to undervalue the stuff with the wands. A crafted (massively superior eternal!) wand of CLW is well worth the expenditure even at a fairly low level and the quasi-Deceive Item makes UMDing it a child's play with a minimal investment into CHA (which the stat adjustment helps with). Also, unlike many of the dwarven traits, such as the +1 to hit against orcs and goblinoids, which become weaker and weaker to the point of irrelevance as the character levels, the usefulness of the wand traits increases with time.

It does, yes, but I like that about it - I enjoy exploring the space where racial options become more relevant over time rather than vastly less, which is also why the suanta have a scaling gaze ability. You do raise a good point about that one, though - I need to go revisit it as originally they could only sleep-zap someone they had already fascinated, which made it require a full round to get someone to sleep and thus was a less valuable proposition. As currently written it's more powerful than I want it to be.


Alright. It's your call, of course. You said PEACH, I gave my honest opinion, and if I'm not helpful, please do ignore me.

Oh no, I appreciate the feedback. It's important to see whether there are concerns and to appraise them against my design goals and intended metrics. As Alea noted above, there are several LA +0 races that easily outcompete these, but multiple perspectives never hurt when it comes to reviewing the minutiae of what these races are able to do and how it stacks against official races.

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Lundrias

Lundria religion is a bit haphazard given the rarity and dispersal of lundrias across the spheres. Word-of-mouth carries much of their lore, which often transforms greatly in the telling, and lundria clerics are fairly uncommon. Nevertheless, much in the same way that lundrias come to recognize their kindred, so too do they find a spiritual awakening calling them to higher ideals, which often correspond with at least part of the pantheon.

Lundrias are the creation of their patron goddess Elen Eliré, though they were not the first to worship the Starpainter - in her home crystal sphere, she is a deity venerated by humans and elves, among others. Each of their gods is a fragment of Elen Eliré, one aspect of her representing a phase of the moon. A few heretical lundria clerics claim that Elen Eliré herself is but one aspect of one of the other gods, and that which one is supreme in any given age may change. Orthodox believers (even those of chaotic evil alignment who utterly despise Elen Eliré) consider her the source of the other gods and teach that none can exist without the existence of all of the others, by definition. Apart from their pantheon, lundrias are also touched by alien powers from the deep reaches of the Material Plane, the otherworldly Moongods. The entire pantheon opposes the continued influence of these sinister beings.

Lundria clerics can worship the lundria pantheon rather than an invididual deity; the available domains are Destiny, Moon, Mysticism, Night, and Oracle. By the grace of Elen Eliré, lundria paladins who worship any member of the pantheon (or the pantheon as a whole) do not lose access to their class features provided their alignment remains within one step of lawful good (allowing paladins despite a lundria's phases of the soul requiring an alignment change on a monthly basis).

Elen Eliré
Intermediate Power of the Beastlands
The Unwavering Light, the Fullness of Creation, Starpainter, Secret Star-Queen
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Lundrias, realized potential, the moon, wisdom
Divine Realm: Beastlands/Karasuthra/Palace of Starlight and Silence
Symbol: A crystal surrounding a full moon
Domains Good, Glory, Moon, Mysticism, Radiance, Zeal
Favored Weapon: Morningstar

Creator goddess of the lundrias and source of the other lundria deities, Elen Eliré represents the full moon (Purnama Kindred), power, and purpose. Originally a goddess of secret undertakings and small efforts to achieve a greater triumph, she represented the endurance of hope against evil on her home world, eventually becoming the leader of the faction opposing the malevolent solar deity Zohas after he slew their champion and patron, a knightly god of stars who was Elen Eliré's lover. The lundrias are her mourning, her grief, her love, and her legacy - a thousand thousand stars across a thousand thousand worlds, illuminating unwalked paths. Having been essentially conscripted into a role she had never wanted to play, she swore to her children that they would never be forced to be something; they are ever-changing souls by her gift, in her hope that they will all become the best of every identity they have ever taken.

In order to accommodate the changing natures of the lundrias and ensure that she might not become turned against her own design by their worship following strange currents, the lunar goddess divided her aspects, separating herself so that her children would have freedom. In this way, she has been a lesser power (before the downfall of Zohas), a greater power (after the triumph over Zohas), and now an intermediate power. Elen Eliré is depicted as a middle-aged woman who has retained much of her youth, with hair like clouds in the night, residing in a palace built on the back of a colossal crystal elephant that floats through the sky. She is said to never speak but only observe, and that under her gaze mortals find wisdom by being forced to fill her silence with the lies they tell themselves to avoid the truth, each one flying away as a moth into the darkness, leaving only that which cannot be denied. Many depictions paint her as a figure of sorrow who has lost her words to the grief of being forever split apart and incapable of becoming whole, but others (correctly) show her as a complete figure of soft and benevolent aspect - for her separation from the rest of the pantheon is her way of remaining forever complete.

Elen Eliré manifests as a dream to all lundrias in their youth, a hazy flash of their life's destiny in total, never fully remembered but providing the insight needed to follow fate's course - or defy it.

Elen Ulundri
Demipower of Ysgard
Sole Star of the Darkest Night, Illuminator of Ways, Princess of Fates Foretold
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Prophecy, journeys, quests, hope
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Nidavellir/Stardown
Symbol: A star or crescent moon in the mouth of a cavern
Domains Chaos, Good, Hope, Knowledge, Oracle, Travel
Favored Weapon: Crescent knifeDR275

One of the youngest of the pantheon, Elen Ulundri is the patron of the crescent moon (Sabit Kindred), voyages, aspirations, and prophecy. Depicted as a young woman with midnight-black hair and skin holding starlight that trickles between her fingers, she is mythologized as both hero and mentor, champion and guide. The truth is somewhere in between - while she will fight with nightmarish ferocity for what she values, Elen Ulundri prefers to stand apart and inspire others. Her realm exists on the back of an immense celestial starfish that sometimes journeys to Ossa, second layer of Arborea, when not spending its time basking in an underground sea on Nidavellir. She has sometimes been conflated with her ally Eilistraee, though a keen observer will note the different eyes and the pure black hair that distinguish her from the drow goddess.

Elen Ulundri manifests as a dream in childhood, for she is guardian of lundria children, a dream of discovery and exploration that creates a sense of wanderlust. She is also patron of gifts and giving, and is occasionally attributed with healing tears (a dangerous error, as her tears are burning moonfire). She has also been linked to sea travel and the ocean, though not substantially enough to change her nature or give her any water-related domains - this is thought to derive from her role as a guide to navigators and travellers combined with the attribution of her starfish home. It is said that she is the greatest seer among the lundria gods, and she is sometimes depicted as innocent and naive for spending so much time contemplating the future that she knows neither past nor present.

Orm Oria
Demipower of Pandemonium
Vagrant Star, the Garnet Warlock, He Who Departs, the Great Prodigal
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Surrender to destiny, living in the moment, strong beginnings, unresolved paths, power, risk
Divine Realm: Pandemonium/Phlegethon/Shadowbright
Symbol: A gibbous moon in a red dragon's talon
Domains Chaos, Destiny, Evil, Pride, Spell, Travel, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Greataxe

Patron of the gibbous moon (Benjol Kindred), Orm Oria is a passionate explorer addicted to new experiences, reckless and windblown, utterly committed to the idea that destiny has already made its decisions - an idea he uses to justify refusing to try to change or make efforts to overcome challenging obstacles. Though portrayed as an ambitious and creative soul whose flashing garnet eyes burn with inspiration and a deep, fierce joy, Orm Oria is infamous in myth for his lack of follow-through. An eternal wanderer, he is motivated not only by a hunger for discovery, but also a desire to escape obligation, responsibility, and finishing what he has started. Although he rules the gibbous moon, which is associated with emotions, he does not have the portfolio of emotion - he was considered an unworthy custodian as he is too subject to the power of his own moods.

While he is strictly speaking a god of evil, Orm Oria is rarely depicted as truly villainous, for he is in fact not actively wicked - neglectful, selfish, callous, vain, and deeply untrustworthy, most definitely. Cruel? Spiteful? Malicious? No. The worst that can be said about Orm Oria is that he lacks morals and principles other than in pure service to himself - he is brash, enthusiastic, impatient, and deeply cowardly, but his brand of "evil" never exceeds the petty, the vindictive, and the self-serving. Notably, the god's planar allies never include fiends (not that his favored slaad are so very much better...) and his allies include several good-aligned deities of Ysgard, Arborea, and the Beastlands.

His main depictions show him either as a mighty knight garbed in red armor or a warlock in red silks (though always as a middle-aged manchild with a sheepish or rakish grin). In any guise, his eyes are always garnet, a reflection not only of his favored color but also of how they are not "open" - unlike the lunar eyes of the lundria, Orm Oria's eyes never change, representing how he surrenders to destiny and throws himself blindly into risk. He is arguably the most powerful magic-user of the pantheon and lundria spellcasters and rogues gravitate toward him for the promise of easy victories and strong beginnings.

Orm Oria's realm towers over a crimson outcropping of rock that resembles a sleeping red dragon coiled up. His dream manifests haphazardly - never before puberty, but anytime after - and leaves a sense of inspiration to try something new, heedless of consequence. Like his sister Elen Ulundri, Orm Oria has a soft spot for children, and his few demonstrated convictions center around protecting lundria young from darker forces than he.

Héa Eleyr
Demipower of Limbo
Guardian of Thresholds, the Unsworn and Unbroken, Siren of the Sea of Souls
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Change, light and darkness, individuality, boundaries, moods
Divine Realm: Limbo/Sea of Souls
Symbol: A half white, half black disc with an inverted longsword silhouette between the two colors
Domains Balance, Emotion, Liberation, Moon, Night, Protection
Favored Weapon: Longsword

One of the most important lundria deities, the patron of the half moon (Separuh Kindred), of change, of moods, and of thresholds, Héa Eleyr governs the phases of the soul. From their perch atop a vast onyx dolphin that glitters with starlight, the deity traverses a chaotic ocean of light and darkness - their realm, a swirling, pulsing, flowing tribute to the endurance of the lundria people. As guardian of thresholds, Héa Eleyr both sets boundaries and helps lundrias transgress them. A protector figure depicted in myriad ways, the deity represents many facets of lundria experience, and one of their highest principles is freedom - freedom from being bound to a particular path or single way of being, and freedom to be more than one thing, to hold more than one identity, to be an individual despite internal fault lines that could for lesser souls spell division and ruin. The deity of change holds strongly that no being should be left to be a mere fraction of themselves (perhaps somewhat ironic given their relationship to Elen Eliré, though they see no contradiction in this and claim their very existence shows that the goddess of the lundrias refused to be reduced to one facet of herself).

Besides their role as a tutelary deity and patron of change and liberty, Héa Eleyr is also the muse of lundria bards and a lover of music in all forms. They are venerated in song, for they are a singer of great skill. They believe in balance as the result of trying many different things and averaging out the experiences, rather than standing unchanging in the center.

Héa Eleyr's dream comes to lundrias at their coming-of-age, on the occasion of their first soul change (which does not usually happen until after puberty/into early adolescence, but can come earlier for some), and is a comforting (albeit hazy) message that the change is not to be feared and does not represent a loss of self, but rather growth and opportunity.

Liadryn
Demipower of Carceri
Moonless Maiden, Midnight Princess of Fate, Star-Siren of Time, Ravenstar
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Deadly fate, consequence, denial, unrealized possibilities, time, love, death
Divine Realm: Carceri/Agathys/Midnight's Manse
Symbol: A raven in flight, seen from below
Domains Death, Dream, Evil, Fate, Illusion, Time
Favored Weapon: Unarmed strike

Youngest of the lundria deities (such as it is, though also depicted as such), Liadryn is the lightless maiden of the new moon (Baru Kindred), a dark counterpart to Orm Oria's embrace of destiny as a journey to new opportunities (she embodies inescapable fates, often negative ones), and a keeper of secrets and the grave. Depicted as an adolescent lundria maiden with golden stars in her midnight hair and profound black eyes, she is often shown holding either a golden hourglass or a raven's feather that sheds light.

Liadryn is something of a study in contradictions; she is the goddess of death, but also presides over birth; she rules dreams and deception; she is the goddess who oversees love, but is also a figure of eternal solitude in her dark manor. She embodies death as a form of innocence, impartial and without malice, the cold and brutal honesty of fate that cuts through self-deception. She stirs emotion, but also prompts ignorance and a refusal to separate fact from fiction, dream from reality, until destiny makes its unyielding presence known. As the psychopomp of the lundrias, she is a somewhat ominous but never intentionally terrifying figure. Her cruelty is reserved exclusively for the living; her portfolio of love allows her to wrack survivors with grief and guilt, to torture the limerent with the darkness of unrequited passions, and to trap those who desire in reveries that tear them away from the work of attaining their goals. Her odd blend of innocence and cruelty is almost childlike.

Liadryn despises her neighbor Nerull, believing that he does not meaningfully value either life or death. She torments Orm Oria and is in turn troubled by Elen Ulundri, who can inspire others to see through the dreams of the secretive Moonless Maiden. Alone among the younger lundria deities, Liadryn has begun to gain a following in Elen Eliré's home sphere. She is curiously on good terms with both Wee Jas and Evening Glory.

Liadryn is not believed to manifest a dream, though some sages believe she sends hers to very young children, filling them with false dreams and imaginings that they will have to grow past if they are to achieve their ambitions. A few believe that such dreams by definition backfire by creating emotions such as wonder, joy, and curiosity. One way or another, the goddess isn't telling.

Other Deities of the Lundrias

The Moongods
Demipowers of the Prime Material Plane
Secret Star-Sages, Bringers of Calamity, Dark Dreamers, Heralds of the Darkest Hour, the Witch-Stars
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Astrology, disasters, hidden knowledge, mooncalves
Divine Realm: Prime Material Plane/unknown
Symbol: A moon shrouded by tentacle shadows
Domains Darkness, Evil, Knowledge, Moon, Travel
Favored Weapon: Spiked chain

A cluster of distant and uncaring beings whose combined powers constitute the strength and abilities of a demigod, the Moongods are alien beings who stand in opposition to mortal beings. Somehow tied to the monstrous and sinister creatures known as mooncalves, the Moongods stir evil prophecy and dark futures, building hidden cults devoted to finding vile patterns in the skies that promise the end of the world.

How they came to be enemies of Elen Eliré is unknown; perhaps they filled the void left by Zohas, perhaps the first lundrias trespassed upon their nightmarish reach of wildspace while spreading out to many spheres, or perhaps they simply came to view the moon-linked people as a threat to their long-term plans to wreak calamity. One way or another, the Moongods have made enemies of the entire lundria pantheon and return their hatred tenfold. The enmity between the two factions has grown over centuries, and at some point the Moongods wormed their way into lundria affairs, inserting an insidious taint into a fraction of a fraction of the race, creating the "hidden kindred," the Jahat, who are profoundly charismatic, sickly individuals tainted with evil essences.

The scope of the Moongods' threat is unknown, as is their level of influence on any given world. Lundrias know of them, though, as the Moongods manifest a dream to them as well - a nightmare, nebulous and vile, projecting a sense of fear that may never be completely shaken. This may in some extreme cases afflict a lundria with a lifelong phobia. The timing of this nightmare seems to vary by kindred.

Zohas
Demipower of Baator
The Immolator, Tyrant-Star, Dark-Dawn, the Oppressor, Burning Lord of All, Conqueror of Gods
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: The sun, tyranny, war, architecture, might, vengeance
Divine Realm: Baator/Phlegethos/Calefax
Symbol: A fireball held in a spiked gauntlet
Domains Evil, Law, Strength, Sun, Tyranny, War, Wrath
Favored Weapon: Spiked gauntlet or glaive

At one time a greater deity worshipped by humans, hobgoblins, and azers (among others), Zohas was one of the mightiest gods of his home crystal sphere. Originally a solar deity who was patron of kings and civilization, and an ally of dead Amaunator, Zohas became twisted over millennia by the corruption of his favored servants, whose lineages grew more and more bent on accruing power through force under the supposed legitimacy of their birthright and the approval of their deity. Eventually those civilizations which did not follow his teachings were bolstered by their own patrons, ultimately coming to a head when Zohas murdered three of them and declared his right to the "spoils" (read: people) of those deities. A coalition formed to oppose him, while other gods of evil ambitions and those cowed by the menacing might of the sun god served him in kind. All seemed lost when the champion of the free peoples, a knightly star-god, fell in single combat with Zohas.

Then Elen Eliré stepped in to take on her lover's mantle, moving from the sidelines of the war to its forefront. Eschewing the direct martial conflict preferred by the wicked sun god, the moon goddess inspired her followers both mortal and divine to bring the battle where Zohas least expected - the hearts and minds of his own followers, or rather their subjects. With the legitimacy of the rulers he promoted being undermined, the often state-mandated faith of Zohas began to crumble, forcing him to take ever-greater risks to secure his power. Sensing weakness, those who had aligned with him in fear broke away, and within a decade the sun god's strength was broken for all time, reducing him nearly to exile from his home sphere.

Zohas has never forgotten, and never forgiven. He struggles to gain a foothold on other worlds, but he has done it before and it will happen again. He is consumed with restoring his divine right to be the ultimate tyrant by exacting vengeance against Elen Eliré, and in the past century he has finally discovered her secret children. His aim is to destroy her through them, taking what is hers and using it to eradicate his hated enemy. How he plans to do this remains unknown, but lundria myth speaks of a prophesized child born in the heart of daylight, the sole member of the nonexistent Arona Kindred, who will be a threat to lundrias everywhere.

Zohas is incapable of sending dreams to the lundrias. No known lundria clerics of Zohas exist, though it is likely that he will try to corrupt a lundria to his service in due time.

[afroakuma]

Drukhmor

Although the cult of Faluzure claims to have created the first drukhmor, in truth they are the product of the lost draconic deity Kalzareinad, Keeper of Dark Wonders. Product of a spell wielded only by the foulest of dragonkind, drukhmor are undead bound to the essence of their creator, instilled with the powerful draconic essence and attendant magics.

A drukhmor looks largely as it did in life, although it slowly takes on characteristics of a mummy over time, becoming decayed and desiccated. Its skin tightens to show the skeletal structure, and tends to take on a shade of the patron dragon's scales, while its eyes become black voids with five blazing points of light in each. Its skull shape adjusts slightly to somewhat resemble the patron's, including nonfunctional horns. Its forelimbs grow prominent claws (if none existed already). Most notably, each drukhmor has a single dragon scale on a central point of its body (normally the breastbone for a humanoid), which glows with otherworldly light.

Creating a Drukhmor
"Drukhmor" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, or magical beast of Small or larger size (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A drukhmor is always created by a true dragon or a spellcaster acting on behalf of and in concert with a true dragon (said dragon referred to hereafter as the patron). The patron's statistics are only considered as of the time the drukhmor is created (e.g. a patron who ages from Adult to Mature Adult does not cause any statistical or physical changes to existing drukhmor created while they were still Adult).

A drukhmor uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, or magical beast). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged. The drukhmor gains the subtypes of the patron, if any.

Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s. A drukhmor gains 2 HD if its patron's age category is Wyrmling to Juvenile; 4 HD if its patron's age category is Young Adult to Old; and 6 HD if its patron's age category is Very Old to Great Wyrm.

Speed
Same as the base creature. Drukhmor cannot swim unless the patron has a swim speed.

Armor Class
The base creature's natural armor bonus improves by +1/3 of the patron's natural armor bonus, rounded down (e.g. if the patron's natural armor bonus is +8, the drukhmor's natural armor bonus increased by +2).

Attack
A drukhmor retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a claw attack. If the base creature can use weapons, the drukhmor retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A drukhmor fighting without weapons uses either its claw attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A drukhmor armed with a weapon uses its claw or a weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack
A drukhmor fighting without weapons uses either its claw attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a claw or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.

Damage
The damage of a drukhmor's natural weapons remains unchanged. The damage of the drukhmor's claw attack follows the table below:




Size
Damage


Small
1d3


Medium
1d4


Large
1d6


Huge
1d8


Gargantuan
2d6


Colossal
3d6




Special Attacks
A drukhmor retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains the following:

Breath Weapon (Su) A drukhmor gains a lesser version of the patron's breath weapon that is half as effective (e.g. if the patron has a 12d6 breath weapon, the drukhmor's breath weapon deals 6d6 damage; if the patron's breath weapon applies an effect for four rounds, the drukhmor's applies it for 2 rounds, etc.) rounded down. The drukhmor's breath weapon has half the length of that of a dragon of equivalent size (e.g. a Medium drukhmor uses half of a Medium dragon's length, so 60 ft. line would become 30 ft. line). Saving throws are as per the patron's breath weapon; save DCs are Charisma-based for the drukhmor and use its character level in place of the patron's hit dice. A drukhmor may use its breath weapon at most once every other round.

If the patron has multiple breath weapons, one of them must be chosen to be conferred to the drukhmor. Any abilities possessed by the patron that modify its breath weapon do not pass on to the drukhmor (e.g. feats, class abilities, templates, and so on).

Invocations (Sp) A drukhmor gains access to invocations from the dragonfire adept list, based on the age category of the patron, as per the table below:




Age Category
Least
Lesser
Greater
Dark


Wyrmling
1





Very Young
2





Young
2





Juvenile
2
1




Young Adult
3
1




Adult
3
2




Mature Adult
3
2
1



Old
4
2
1



Very Old
4
3
1



Ancient
4
3
2



Wyrm
4
3
2
1


Great Wyrm
4
4
2
1




The drukhmor uses these with an effective dragonfire adept level equal to their character level.

Psionics A drukhmor with a psionic patron has some level of psionic ability. The drukhmor gains power points equal to twice the patron's natural armor bonus or twice the patron's HD, whichever is greater, and selects a single psionic mantleCPsi. The drukhmor may use the granted power of that mantle and select powers from it as an ardentCPsi of level equal to the patron's manifester level. If a drukhmor has any such powers available, it loses one invocation per grade.

Special Qualities
A drukhmor retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains the following:

Damage Reduction (Su) A drukhmor has the damage reduction of its patron. Regardless of the patron's DR, a drukhmor's is always DR X/magic and piercing, and never requires additional qualities to bypass (e.g. if the patron has DR 15/good and silver, the drukhmor has DR 15/magic and piercing).

Dragonbound (Su) Effects that specifically affect dragons in a harmful or unwanted fashion affect the drukhmor as though it were a dragon and not an undead creature, unless it would be more harmful to an undead creature or to an undead (augmented dragon), in which case the drukhmor always suffers the most severe effect of these. For instance, a drukhmor takes an additional 2d6 damage from a dragonbane weapon or an undeadbane weapon.

Immunities (Su) A drukhmor has any immunities of its patron not conferred to that patron by an acquired template.

Inheritance (Su) The dark covenant of the drukhmor involves a substantial link of arcane power that is not easily erased from existence. When a drukhmor is destroyed, the last vestiges of its power seek out a new home, latching on to the nearest drukhmor within 1 mile, regardless of patron. The transfer of power lasts for 1 day per age category of the patron. Any given drukhmor can hold at most four inheritances; any above this number are lost. If a drukhmor is destroyed while holding an inheritance, both inheritances pass on to the next drukhmor (this also applies if it was holding more than one).

When a drukhmor receives an inheritance, it immediately gains 2d8+3 temporary hp which last until the inheritance expires (if it receives multiple, it gains temporary hp for each one received). In addition, a drukhmor benefits from a spell effect for the duration of the inheritance, based on how many they hold:




Inheritances
Spell Effect


1
divine favor


2
scintillating scalesSC


3
fire shield*


4
righteous might



*deals damage per the patron's breath weapon, if applicable, otherwise defaults to dealing fire damage. Does not protect against fire- or cold-based effects.

The effective caster level of such effects is equal to the caster level/manifester level of the patron of the destroyed drukhmor.

Besides these benefits, a drukhmor also enjoys +1 natural armor, +1 to damage rolls, a +1 bonus to initiative checks, and +2 turn resistance per inheritance currently held. A drukhmor's appearance shifts slightly with each inheritance, seeming slightly larger (or much larger from righteous might) and acquiring an additional glowing scale adjacent to their own.

Soulscale (Su) A drukhmor's powers and very existence stem from the scale of the patron that is affixed to their body. If this scale is destroyed, the drukhmor immediately disintegrates into ash without passing on its powers via inheritance. The scale has hardness 10, 10 hp, the same DR as the drukhmor, and is only damaged by targeted physical attacks, never by area effects or energy damage. It has the same AC as the drukhmor +8 for size, and its AC applies fully against touch attacks. An attack against the soulscale must be declared before it is rolled. As long as a soulscale exists, the patron can use it as a focus for divination effects (e.g. clairaudience, clairvoyance) as though personally present, allowing the patron to magically sense through its drukhmor.

Turn Resistance (Ex) A drukhmor has +2 turn resistance. This may increase temporarily due to inheritance (see above).

Abilities
Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex -2, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +2. As an undead creature, a drukhmor has no Constitution score.

Skills
Drukhmor have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Listen, Search, Spot, and Use Magic Device checks, and are considered trained in all of these skills. Otherwise same as base creature.

Feats
Same as base creature, plus Ability Focus (breath weapon) as a bonus feat.

Languages
Drukhmor speak Draconic in addition to any languages the base creature could speak, provided they are capable of independent speech.

Environment
Any.

Challenge Rating
Patron's age category Juvenile or younger: same as the base creature +1; Young Adult to Old, same as the base creature +2; Very Old to Great Wyrm, same as the base creature +3.

Alignment
Drukhmor are almost always evil and tend to match the alignment of their patron. Some very rare drukhmor retain their individuality and the alignment they had in life, though the power of the spell that created them may still compel them to perform evil acts.

Sample Drukhmor
Ogre Drukhmor (Patron: Adult Green Dragon)
Large Undead (Air, Augmented Giant)
HD 8d12+3 (57 hp)
Speed 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.
Init: -2
AC 21; touch 7; flat-footed 23 (+11 natural, +3 armor, -1 size, -2 Dex)
BAB +5; Grp +18
Attack Greatclub +12 melee (2d8+10) or javelin +2 ranged (1d8+7) or claw +11 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack Greatclub +12 melee (2d8+10) or javelin +2 ranged (1d8+7) or claw +11 melee (1d6+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Breath weapon, invocations
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic and piercing, dragonbound, immunity to acid, inheritance, low-light vision, soulscale (AC 29), turn resistance +2
Saves Fort +5 Ref +0 Will +5
Abilities Str 25, Dex 6, Con -, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 9
Skills Climb +11*, Listen +8*, Search +3*, Spot +7*, Use Magic Device +3*
Feats Ability Focus(breath weapon)B, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greatclub)
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always lawful evil
Advancement by class

Breath Weapon (Su) 20 ft. cone, 6d6 acid damage, Reflex DC 15 half.

Invocations (Sp)DM At will - Breath of the Night, Charm, Deafening Roar, Frightful Presence, See the Unseen.
Manticore Drukhmor (Patron: Young Adult Red Dragon)
Large Undead (Augmented Magical Beast, Fire)
HD 10d12 (65 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); fly 50 ft. (clumsy)
Init: +1
AC 22; touch 10; flat-footed 21 (+12 natural, +1 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +8; Grp +19
Attack Claw +14 melee (2d4+7) or 6 spikes +9 ranged (1d8+3/19-20)
Full Attack 2 claws +14 melee (2d4+7) and bite +12 melee (1d8+3); or 6 spikes +9 ranged (1d8+3/19-20)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Breath weapon, invocations, spikes
Special Qualities Cold vulnerability, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic and piercing, dragonbound, immunity to fire, inheritance, low-light vision, scent, soulscale (AC 30), turn resistance +2
Saves Fort +6 Ref +7 Will +7
Abilities Str 24, Dex 13, Con -, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 11
Skills Climb +11*, Listen +11*, Search +3*, Spot +15*, Use Magic Device +4*
Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon)B, Flyby Attack, Multiattack, TrackB, Weapon Focus (spikes)
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement 7-16 HD (Large); 17-18 HD (Huge)

Breath Weapon (Su) 20 ft. cone, 5d10 fire damage, Reflex DC 17 half.

Invocations (Sp)DM At will - Deafening Roar, Magic Insight, Scalding Gust, Voracious Dispelling
Medusa Drukhmor (Patron: Ancient Black Dragon)
Medium Undead (Augmented Monstrous Humanoid, Water)
HD 12d12 (78 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +1
AC 24; touch 11; flat-footed 23 (+13 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +9; Grp +11
Attack Claw +11 melee (1d6+2) or shortbow +10 ranged (1d6/×3) or dagger +11 melee (1d4+2/19-20) or snakes +11 melee (1d4+2 plus poison)
Full Attack Shortbow +10/+5 ranged (1d6/×3); or dagger +11/+6 melee (1d4+2/19-20) and snakes +6 melee (1d4+2 plus poison); or claw +11 melee (1d6+2) and snakes +6 melee (1d4+2 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Breath weapon, invocations, petrifying gaze, poison
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 15/magic and piercing, dragonbound, immunity to acid, inheritance, soulscale (AC 32), turn resistance +2
Saves Fort +2 Ref +6 Will +8
Abilities Str 14, Dex 13, Con -, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 17
Skills Bluff +10, Climb +6*, Diplomacy +5, Disguise +10 (+12 acting), Intimidate +5, Listen +7*, Move Silently +7, Search +6*, Spot +14*, Use Magic Device +7*
Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon)B, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 10
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement by class

Breath Weapon (Su) 30 ft. line, 10d4 acid damage, Reflex DC 21 half.

Invocations (Sp)DM At will - Aquatic Adaptation, Beguiling Influence, Deafening Roar, Draconic Toughness, Enthralling Voice, Humanoid Shape, See the Unseen, Walk Unseen, Wingstorm

Petrifying Gaze (Su) Turn to stone permanently, 30 feet, Fortitude DC 19 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Charisma-based.

[Eurus]

I love the suan, but I also love the terror fish. Weird supernatural fauna are my jam, and these innocent little blobby things that reek like blood and emit terrifying shrieks are just great

[afroakuma]

Jison
Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar, Good, Lawful)
HD 6d10+18 (51 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +4
AC 21; touch 13; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +4 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +16
Attack Claw +11 melee (1d4+6, 19-20/x2) or light of Mercuria +9 ranged touch (2d6, 4d6 vs. evil outsider or undead)
Full Attack 2 claws +11 melee (1d4+6, 19-20/x2) and bite +9 melee (1d8+3) and light of Mercuria +7 ranged touch (2d6, 4d6 vs. evil outsider or undead)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Gaze of worth, light of Mercuria, pounce, roar, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities Armor of courage, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/chaotic or evil, fear immunity, low-light vision
Saves Fort +8 Ref +9 Will +5
Abilities Str 23, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills Balance +9, Climb +12*, Disguise +5*, Intimidate +8, Jump +22*, Listen +7*, Move Silently +10*, Sense Motive +13*, Spot +7*
Feats Improved Critical (claw)B, Multiattack, Run, Subduing StrikeBoED
Environment Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia (Mercuria)
Organization Solitary, pair, or pride (4-8 plus 1-12 juveniles)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always lawful good
Advancement 7-12 HD (Large); 13-18 HD (Huge)

The second layer of Mount Celestia, Mercuria is a golden realm of lush hills and valleys. The flat prairies and savannahs that hide amid the rolling landscape play host to the jison, also known as Mercurian lions, pridebreakers, or lions of Arion. Originally created by a minor deity of courage, jison have spread beyond his realm and sometimes even beyond their home layer, patiently searching for travellers to judge and evildoers to devour.

A jison resembles a jet-black lion bathed in a lambent golden glow. Its eyes are molten pools of gold. The tail of a jison is heavily furred and resembles a horse's tail more so than a lion's. A jison's hair and fur do not move when the jison is stationary; even powerful winds have no effect. For this reason, a jison at rest can be difficult to distinguish from a black statue. A few other minor features set jison apart from true lions - their hind legs have no claws and they do not appear to be capable of tracking by scent (jison smell chaos and evil, rather than the normal scents of other creatures).

Jison spend their time stalking prey (generally celestial herbivores) across the wilds of Mercuria, but they will divert from this mission to hunt their true quarry - visitors to the layer. While they will never harass archons, jison demonstrate a mixture of wariness and curiosity where all others are concerned, and may track alongside a traveller for several hours before confronting them with its potent gaze in order to judge their self-worth and take their measure. Jison are adept at dealing subdual damage to those who fail their tests but do not possess the true stink of evil or chaos, and are equally adept at unleashing fast and powerful strikes with their claws and bite should they feel the need to kill. They consider it their duty to test the resolve and character of any who are not native to Mercuria. Although they are predators, jison can go up to a week without consuming meat, and they will never employ their gaze of worth against prey animals. Several villages on Mercuria (and even on some other layers and neighboring planes) use the jison as a symbol, signalling welcome for those of a lawful good bent.

Jison live in small prides, consisting of 4-8 adults plus up to 12 juveniles (Medium jison with 2-4 HD and no roar). Adults like to wander separately when not raising young, and may be found solo or in mated pairs looking to join up with other couples to form a new pride for mutual defense. Jison have few natural predators on Mercuria, but compete for prey with noctrals. They dislike asuras, moon dogs, and bariaurs, though they will not generally look to kill such creatures. Some jison attach themselves to local communities, where they serve as watchdogs of a sort, examining visitors. By and large, however, while jison may defer to certain celestial beings (almost always to archons), they consider themselves independent and prioritize duty to their pride, their young, and their plane over any other entity. Jison are quite intelligent enough to understand when someone is trying to train them, and they do not care for the notion whatsoever - a jison considers itself much more abreast of what it should be doing with its time than anyone else. Jison are willing to use their spell-like abilities to help others who they have gauged to be of good character and confidence; they are loath to use their prayer ability except in defense of their pride, and do not lightly employ their gaseous form ability as it leaves them vulnerable - transforming into a cloud of shimmering golden vapor disables most of their powers, prevents them from attacking physically, and the ability can only be used once per week.

Jison do not speak, but understand Celestial and may (20%) also understand another language (most often Dwarven, Draconic, or Auran). If a jison is contacted telepathically, it will often be pleased to carry on a conversation, though its ability to understand most subjects is limited to that of an average human. Jison are most curious about motivation and character, and have even been known to at least exchange a few thoughts with a chaotic or evil being before issuing a stern warning to leave the plane immediately. Jison are not easily duped, but have a tendency to grow morose for weeks at a time on the rare occasions that they discover they have been had. Jison are available as special paladin mounts to a paladin of at least 10th level (as per DMG p.205). Jison may be summoned using summon monster VI.

A jison's natural weapons are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR.

Armor of Courage (Su) A jison is protected from cowardly acts by its golden aura. Against sneak attacks, sudden strikes, attacks involving poison, attacks made from beyond melee range, attacks made by creatures flanking the jison, attacks made against the jison while prone, attacks made against the jison in a surprise round, or any other circumstance in which an attacker is trying to secure an unfair advantage, the jison gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC. This has been factored into its flat-footed AC above. This bonus applies against any attack made against the jison while it is in gaseous form, ignoring that spell's normal restriction on supernatural abilities.

Gaze of Worth (Su) A jison's most infamous ability is its gaze, a searching and penetrating unblinking stare that seems to probe the deepest reaches of the soul. The gaze of a jison forces the victim to confront their own self-worth; if it is found wanting, the victim is paralyzed by doubt. As a standard action, a jison focuses its gaze on a creature within 60 ft., who must make a special Will save (DC 16), using their base Will saving throw bonus plus their Charisma modifier, plus any morale modifier and/or insight bonus on Will saving throws. On a failed save, the victim is paralyzed for as long as they are exposed to the jison's gaze and for 2d4 rounds thereafter. The gaze is broken if the jison takes a standard or full-round action or loses line of sight to the victim. Whether or not a creature succeeds on this saving throw, it is also shaken for 6 minutes. Good-aligned creatures get a +2 bonus on this special saving throw, while evil-aligned creatures suffer a -2 penalty. Each round on its turn, the victim may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect. (This is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.) No other actions may be taken while under this paralysis, including purely mental actions - the mind is preoccupied by the challenge to self-image. The save DC is Charisma-based.

This is not a mind-affecting effect but does rely on the victim having complex emotions and capability for self-reflection; creatures without emotion or creatures with any mental ability score below 3 cannot be affected by a jison's gaze. A creature exposed to this effect, regardless of whether their initial saving throw succeeds or failed, cannot be affected by the same jison's or another jison's gaze of worth for 24 hours (this does not erase the effects of the initial exposure, but prevents a second exposure from re-applying the effects). Unlike other gaze attacks, there is no passive function to a jison's gaze - while potential targets can still use the same countermeasures as would work for other gaze attacks, the jison must actively select individual targets for its gaze attack; simply looking at the jison poses no inherent risk.

Light of Mercuria (Sp) A jison is constantly under the effects of light of MercuriaSC and is able to discharge a ray from the spell effect as part of a full attack action. If this effect is dispelled, suppressed, or runs out due to the jison expending available rays, it is reapplied automatically at the start of the jison's next turn.

Pounce (Ex) If a jison charges a foe, it can make a full attack.

Roar (Su) As a standard action, a jison can let out a fearsome roar. Creatures within 30 ft. of the jison of any alignment other than lawful good must make a Will save (DC 16) or be shaken for 1 minute. A creature already affected by a jison's gaze of worth is instead frightened for 1 minute. The save DC is Charisma-based. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - detect chaos, detect evil, remove fear; 3/day - convictionSC, cure light wounds, divine favor, expeditious retreat; 1/week - gaseous form, prayer. Caster level 6th, save DCs Charisma-based.

Skills A jison has a +8 racial bonus to Disguise checks to appear to be a statue while immobile. Jison have a +4 racial bonus to Climb, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, a +16 racial bonus to Jump checks, and a +8 racial bonus to Sense Motive checks.

[Tzardok]

I like those quite a lot. They are the right thing for my evil group to outwhit. Thank you. :smallsmile:

[Eurus]

Aslan, is that you? Those are some pretty great lions. Any thoughts on a paladin snagging one as a mount?

[afroakuma]

Aslan, is that you? Those are some pretty great lions. Any thoughts on a paladin snagging one as a mount?

I believe my thoughts on that would be "evil beware."

I'll need to go review paladin mounts... and summon monster, for that matter. Good call sir!

[afroakuma]

Gornest
Medium Magical Beast (Extraplanar, Lawful)
HD 3d10+6 (22 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +1
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 16 (+6 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +5
Attack Head butt +6 melee (1d6+3, males only) or gore +6 melee (1d4+3, 19-20/x2, females only)
Full Attack Head butt +6 melee (1d6+3, males only) or gore +6 melee (1d4+3, 19-20/x2, females only)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Maneuvers, powerful charge
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., electric immunity, low-light vision, mettle, resistance to cold 10, fire 10, and sonic 10, stubborn
Saves Fort +5 Ref +4 Will +4
Abilities Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills Balance +5, Climb +10, Intimidate +6, Listen +8, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8
Feats AlertnessB, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (head butt or gore)
Environment Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia or Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia
Organization Solitary or herd (12-30)
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Always lawful neutral
Advancement 4-6 HD (Medium); 7-12 HD (Large)

A common livestock animal on Mount Celestia and Arcadia both, gornests superficially resemble somewhat heavyset goats or sheep. Their hair is generally a light shade of brown - ecru, dun, occasionally chestnut or bronze, and only very rarely white or black. Where a goat's beard would be, a gornest has a bony chin spike that hooks downward - more pronounced in males than in females. The pupils of their eyes are diamond-shaped, wider horizontally than vertically, and their irises are normally a deep rich blue. Their hooves are jet-black and all one piece, like those of horses, and their fetlocks are large and pronounced. Most noticeable are the mighty curled horns of gornests, which resemble marble in various hues. Any given herd can be recognized by the distinctive color patterns of members' horns. Both sexes bear these horns, with the males' forming impressive rounded curls that can be used for powerful headbutts, while females' horns curve forward sharply and are used for scraping bark and for goring.

Gornests have complex eusocial behaviors both among themselves and with their natural predators. They are often called "dueling rams" for adults' habits of assuming powerful combat stances to challenge predators one-on-one. A gornest herd generally has between one and four "warriors," skewing about 60% male on average, who look out for predators and will intercept them before they reach the herd. These warriors will issue a signal with a toss of their head to indicate to both herd and predator that the herd has other warriors who can protect them, indicating that the warrior will challenge the predator and either come out on top or as prey. Occasionally, when a herd leans younger and new warriors have not yet been raised to full independence, the warrior will instead signal that the herd is not ready to risk carrying on without them, which is done via a sharp double stomp with a hoof. A predator who does not heed this warning may sometimes be offered an older and infirm member of the herd, who will step up to take over the challenge; equally often, it seems, refusal to heed the warning will be met with immediate attack by the warrior.

Gornests chiefly eat grasses and leaves, occasionally supplementing their diets with fruit, bark, and the odd caterpillar or bee (gornests who find a hive will cheerfully snack on it). They adopt fighting styles reminiscent of those practised by some of the most skilled Material Plane warriors, with warriors tending to favor stances and strikes that can either protect the herd (iron guard's glare) or provide for it (mountain hammer to break trees). Gornests are intractable sticklers for behaving in very specific ways - while local predators such as noctrals and jison have come to learn "the rules," other beasts who come calling are likely to get a fierce reception. They are stubborn to a fault and highly resistant to compulsion; they are also considerably more obnoxious to deal with than other magical beasts (+10 to the DC of any Charisma-based check to influence a gornest). Gornests demonstrate substantial loyalty to their herd, and a warrior will never voluntarily back down from a threat to the herd unless another is ready to take its place. Even then, there must be a good reason (kids to rear as warriors, for example).

Gornest blood evaporates rapidly and dries clear. Properly collected and prepared, it can serve as axiomatic water. As it is hard to keep liquid, a flask of gornest blood lasts at most 1d4+1 days even if sealed airtight. Gornest horns are quite attractive and have been known to fetch high prices on Arcadia and other planes, though some parts of Arcadia discourage the slaying of the beasts for their horns alone (most everywhere on Celestia frowns on the practice). Gornest hair is excellent for fabric and is known to be in use across the Upper Planes. Gornest meat is difficult to prepare well and has been compared to jerky in texture - some also describe it as "salty," "earthy," or "refreshing," and it is particularly prized by dao. Gornests do not speak or understand any language, though they can be interacted with using speak with animals as though they were normal Material Plane beasts.

Gornests are extremely proud and will normally challenge foes one-on-one unless they perceive foul play, which may include attempting to get to the herd without challenging a warrior, ignoring a warrior's signal to stand down, or multiple foes teaming up against a single gornest. More than one would-be poaching crew has foolishly believed gornests will only ever fight solo, only to discover the entire herd charging toward them as they attempt to exploit a numerical advantage that has rather suddenly turned against them. Gornests are very good at self-herding, with the warriors generally steering the herd to and from optimal grazing areas and recognizing where "home" is, a fact that has made gornest domestication quite easy for those who understand how to work with the beasts (and how to let them think they're taking charge).

Maneuvers A gornest is capable of initiating martial maneuvers (IL 3rd). To ready or recover maneuvers, a gornest must spend 5 minutes uninterrupted pacing the ground. A gornest knows and readies a number of maneuvers and stances as though it were a warblade of level equal to its racial hit dice (3rd level for the gornest presented here). Gornests may know and ready maneuvers and stances from the Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, or White Raven disciplines. Gornests typically select from the following (selections may vary):

Devoted Spirit
• Crusader's Strike
• Foehammer
• Iron Guard's Glare
• Vanguard Strike

Stone Dragon
• Charging Minotaur
• Mountain Hammer
• Stone Bones
• Stonefoot Stance

White Raven
• Battle Leader's Charge
• Bolstering Voice
• Leading The Attack
• Leading The Charge
• Tactical Strike

Mettle (Ex) If a gornest makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that normally applies a lesser effect on a successful save, the gornest instead negates the effect completely. An unconscious or sleeping gornest does not benefit from this ability.

Powerful Charge (Ex) A gornest deals 2d6+6 points of damage (male) or 2d4+6 points of damage (female) when it makes a charge.

Stubborn (Ex) A gornest has a +4 bonus to Will saving throws against compulsion effects.

Skills Gornests have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks. They have a +2 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks. They have a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.

[Eurus]

Gornest goatherds must be remarkably patient. I love the idea of dueling goats, it's so bizarre but appropriate for a lawful good plane.

[afroakuma]

Tzilgar
Large Magical Beast (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 8d10+24 (68 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), swim 80 ft. (in lava/magma only), burrow 40 ft.
Init: +2
AC 19; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +8; Grp +22
Attack Tentacle +13 melee (1d4+6 and 1d6 fire) or rock +9 ranged (2d6+6 and 1d6 fire)
Full Attack 10 tentacles +13 melee (1d4+6 and 1d6 fire) and bite +11 melee (2d6+3 and 1d6 fire) or 4 rocks +9 ranged (2d6+6 and 1d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks Burn, constrict 1d4+6 and 1d6 fire, fluxeater, improved grab, molten bore, rock throwing
Special Qualities Crusting, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/magic and slashing, fluxsense, immunity to electricity, fire, and poison, SR 18, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +3
Abilities Str 22, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills Balance +11*, Climb +10*, Listen +8*, Spot +8*, Swim +14*
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Multiattack
Environment Para-Elemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 8
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Often chaotic neutral
Advancement 9-12 HD (Large); 13-16 HD (Huge); 17-24 HD (Gargantuan)

Ambitious, curious, and a bit territorial, tzilgars (sometimes known as lava squids, among many other names) are predatory beasts that reside on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma. Resembling squids with magmatic tentacles and a red-hot main body with a black, metallic beak, tzilgars operate in many ways much like their Material Plane counterparts. A large black sphere embedded in the mantle is a sensory organ that combines their fluxsense with vision and auditory senses. Their greatest fondness, and chief weakness, is for searching out planar flux differentials, which they can sense at great distance. Oftentimes, this means prey of some kind - tzilgars quite enjoy "eating" fire elementals and earth elementals who have somehow ended up in the Plane of Magma, and in a pinch they'll also cheerfully chow down on a thoqqua, magma mephit, or magma paraelemental. In many cases, however, the flux originates due to a temporary rift opening to the Prime Material Plane - a volcanic eruption, or a disturbance in the heart of a sun. Tzilgars will hurtle toward these with reckless abandon, ending up stranded on another plane whose environment is less hospitable to them.

A tzilgar radiates intense body heat, which can be channelled into sand, stone, or loose dirt to either tunnel through it or simply to create a pool of molten rock for the tzilgar's own comfort. It draws energy from planar flux differentials, including (somehow) its own, and given enough time and a fresh enough place to burrow into stone, a tzilgar's own molten form can eventually create a brief rupture between the Material Plane and the Plane of Magma - not at all good for the locals of the Prime, but an opportunity for a tzilgar to get back home safely. In an enclosed space of any kind, a tzilgar's own presence is usually quite sufficient to produce a severely hot environment of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit - not its preferred environment by any means, but hot enough to keep it from becoming too uncomfortable. As the process of creating a new magmatic rift generally takes 1-2 months, a tzilgar is also likely to need to feed on some of the local wildlife to ensure its health.

Reports of tzilgars on the Material Plane are fairly rare, no doubt due to the circumstances of their arrival being less than optimal - many will cool down past the point of survivability before reaching a safe patch of stone in which to nest and reside. When they do appear, it is usually from a total or partial volcanic eruption, which sees a tzilgar use its tentacles in a "rolling" sort of motion to rush down the mountain in search of stone that has not been touched by the disruptive energies of the rift that swept it up in the first place. From a distance, especially at night, this can look very faintly like a flaming horse galloping down the mountainside, which has earned them the unlikely moniker "mountain mares."

Erimish (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24265537&postcount=1162) and efreet consider tzilgar "meat" to be a delicacy, while elementals try to avoid them as the battle will always be dreadfully one-sided. Tzilgars have been successfully employed by genies as "pets" of a sort, generally by those of malevolent bent who want something unusual to feed visitors to. For the most part, tzilgars dislike containment or confinement of any stripe, and do not appreciate being made to do anything they don't want to. Most of what a tzilgar wants to do, of course, consists of eating, mating, searching out rifts, or playing with debris and pockets of nonnative matter. Some tzilgars like to "sculpt" stones they find around them, though rarely into anything that a humanoid would recognize, and it's even odds whether a tzilgar's curiosity takes the form of a magmatic tentacle erupting out of the ground to poke about, or whether the whole mantle will pop up so that its large black "eye" can peer at whatever has provoked its interest.

Tzilgars do not live together and are never naturally encountered in multiples. Mating involves a long and detailed "dance" requiring several tentacle flourishes, at the end of which time the female, if she approves of the male's performance, grabs two of his tentacles to ensure a coupling position, collects what she needs, and rips the tentacles away while expelling fertilized eggs that look like oblong black diamonds. The weakened male guards the eggs while the female departs, exploiting the interest of local fauna to prey on them as he regenerates his missing limbs. Once the male's tentacles are back, he throws each egg in a random direction as a diversion for anything he doesn't expect to be able to fight and swims off into the endless magma.

Tzilgars do not speak, but may understand Ignan and/or Terran. It has been rumored that Fierna is breeding fiendish tzilgars to guard parts of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of Baator. If they can be communicated with, tzilgars have a personality somewhere between impatient child and impatient puppy, wanting to both indulge their curiosity and secure food, both of them right now, always. Tzilgars despise cold, for obvious reasons, and will greatly appreciate efforts to ensure they are sufficiently warm. Mind you, tzilgar "gratitude" can still involve being hugged with a thick tentacle made of pure lava, so it's best to socialize from a safe distance. More massive tzilgars have been seen on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma, and it is said that some truly colossal specimens fight with extraplanar dragons over prey.

An opponent can attack a tzilgar's tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A tzilgar's tentacles have 10 hit points each. If a tzilgar is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a tzilgar's tentacles deals 5 points of damage to the creature. A tzilgar usually withdraws from combat if it loses five tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days (1d4+4 days on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma).

Burn (Ex) A tzilgar's natural attacks deal additional fire damage. Those hit by a tzilgar's natural attacks also must succeed on a Reflex save(DC 16) or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a tzilgar with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the tzilgar's attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

Crusting (Ex) Tzilgars cannot comfortably endure temperatures below those of their home plane. At any given time, a tzilgar's body will exhibit patches of cooling outer crust when not at home on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma or in a similarly hot environment, but these are rarely serious enough to cause an issue. However, at temperatures below 110 degrees Fahrenheit, a tzilgar's body will gradually start crusting over in more extreme fashion. For each hour spent below 110F, a tzilgar must make a Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 per previous save) or lose 5 ft. of ground movement speed, gain +2 natural armor, and gain hardness 1. After reaching hardness 8 in this fashion, a tzilgar reduces down one size category, and suffers 1 point of Constitution damage for each hour of exposure thereafter (Fort negates). A tzilgar needs exposure to significant heat (above 1000F) in order to recover naturally from these effects. Exposure to temperatures below 32F causes the tzilgar to make such saves once per minute rather than once per hour, and exposure to at least 10 points of cold damage forces an immediate save.

Fluxeater (Su) Tzilgars feed on a very distinctive kind of energy which consists of either living elemental matter or living matter from certain other planes. When attacking a creature of the elemental type, or a creature native to another Inner Plane, a transitive plane, or the Plane of Faerie, a tzilgar's natural attacks deal an additional 1d8 damage. Certain other planes' denizens may also be subject to this effect. A tzilgar attacking or being attacked by a creature native to the Far Realm suffers 1d8 damage for each successful natural attack and becomes sickened for 1 minute.

Fluxsense (Su) Tzilgars can sense the planar flux differential of rifts or gates between planes, as well as the flux differential surrounding creatures that have travelled from one plane to another. For stationary flux differentials such as portals, gates, or rifts, a tzilgar can sense their rough location up to a mile away per hit die. For individual creatures or moving differentials, a tzilgar can sense these up to 20 ft. away per hit die. Only lead, adamantine, or certain other rare and precious metals can block this sense.

Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, a tzilgar must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. *A tzilgar has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Molten Bore (Ex) In place of any attack, a tzilgar can extend one of its tentacles into the surrounding terrain, provided it is solid (or semi-solid, i.e. sand) and not impervious to heat. The tzilgar chooses one 5 ft. square within reach of its tentacles, which begins to heat up from the magmatic intensity of the tentacle below it. Any creature in this square suffers 2d6 fire damage (Reflex DC 20 half) as the tzilgar's tentacle attempts to break through. At the start of the tzilgar's next turn, if it has not withdrawn the tentacle from that square, creatures in that square suffer 4d6 fire damage from the molten ground beneath them (Reflex DC 20 half), and the tzilgar may immediately make a tentacle attack against any such creatures with a +4 bonus to the attack roll. This effect repeats until the tentacle is withdrawn. Using the tentacle to attack, moving to a position from where that square is no longer in reach, or having the tentacle severed all count as withdrawing the tentacle for this purpose. Once a tentacle is withdrawn from a square, it remains hazardous for 2d4 rounds. Creatures entering or starting their turn in such squares suffer 1d6 fire damage (no save). Save DCs are Strength-based.

Spells and effects which move the earth underneath or around a tzilgar can force the tentacles to withdraw, including but not limited to move earth or earthquake. The tzilgar may be entitled to a saving throw against such effects to resist withdrawing its tentacles.

Rock Throwing (Ex) The range increment is 100 feet for a tzilgar's thrown rocks.

Skills Tzilgars have a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks (in magma or lava only). They have a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, Listen, and Spot checks.

[Eurus]

...Oh dear. For something so completely and utterly dangerous to be around, that description was worryingly cute.

[afroakuma]

Leir
Leir 1st-level Warrior
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -2
AC 13; touch 8; flat-footed 15 (+3 studded leather armor, +2 natural armor, -2 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +3
Attack Whip +2 melee (1d3+2 subdual) or barbed bolasCWar -1 ranged (1d4+2)
Full Attack Whip +2 melee (1d3+2 subdual) or barbed bolasCWar -1 ranged (1d4+2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Restraint
Special Qualities Antivenom, curl, darkvision 60 ft., insectile, odor signals, poison immunities, swarm resistance
Saves Fort +4 Ref -2 Will +1
Abilities Str 10, Dex 7, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +2, Jump +6
Feats Dive for CoverB, Weapon Focus (whip)
Environment Temperate forests
Organization Solitary, clutch (4-8), or conclave (16-60)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard plus studded leather armor
Alignment Often lawful (any)
Advancement by class; Favored Class Factotum
Level Adjustment +0

Uncommon on most worlds, the leir are a displaced people who live in small enclaves and have limited contact with others. Despite their appearances and mannerisms being off-putting to many humanoids, leir weavers are known for producing some of the finest silks that can be found on any world, and while few would ever describe a leir as "friendly," they are almost universally agreed to be cordial.

A leir stands roughly 6 to 7 ft. tall, with a rare few being shorter. Lithe and slender in appearance, they appear somewhat skeletal, with chitinous plates over their limbs that resemble large leaves and bony fingers with needlelike tips. Leir faces are ovoid and feature jet-black eyes that occasionally exhibit internal facets, catching the light as a gemstone would, a total lack of nose (leir smell through their necks), and a lipless humanoid mouth with pointed teeth, surmounted by two slender chelicerae. A leir's tongue, rarely seen, is a foot long, threadlike and feathery. In place of eyebrows, leir have two black "eyespots" over each eye, which are believed to assist in darkvision but have no inherent capacity for sight. Leir skin is coated either in chitinous leafy plates or a fine hair, and is conventionally either golden, red, brown, or black (with hair to match). Chitin is most commonly white but may exhibit "stain" or tinting closer to the leir's skin coloration. A leir's back looks slightly domed due to chitinous shells covering vestigial wings. Around the leir's collar, between throat and scapulae, is an oily, colorful membrane which may take any hue (similar membranes appearing at the back of the leir's head where a humanoid's hair would be). Leir also exhibit 1-4 pairs of tiny vestigial antennae on their foreheads, and may bear cornifications or tiny horn patterns made of chitin. Most unusually, leir have a "second leg" emerging from each thigh above the knee, a curving, stiff, insectile structure that provides additional balance, more force when jumping, and another contact point when climbing. This gives them a slightly centaur-like profile, though not substantially so.

Leir have difficulty conveying their emotional states without overt signalling. For simple emotions communicated between each other, they use odor signals, but most carry white or rose-colored lacquer masks that they can switch onto their face to ensure that their mood is being exhibited outwardly. Many leir forget to remove or switch these masks when not having strong feelings, which can lead to misinterpretation on the part of others. They do not speak with any kind of insectile "buzz" or "hum" and most find it quite rude when others imitate them in such a fashion. About once a year, a leir will roll up into a ball and exude scapular oils to form a cocoon, which lasts about a week and helps them grow and refresh chitin. Some leir will cocoon more often depending on their individual needs, and typically a leir's end of life involves rolling up into a cocoon and simply never emerging.

The leir have had a rough history, beginning with the destruction of their homeworld by the grell, forcing the leir to flee to other worlds. Leir and desmodu hate one another for reasons long lost to time, while their distaste for elves stems from their resemblance to drow, who enslaved and tortured large numbers of leir. While the leir have a basic appreciation for dwarves as a people, they find it hard to be on truly good terms with them as they consider the dwarven mindset rather odd. Leir get on best with xephs and bhukas (the latter of whom rarely encounter leir in their current habitats) and they are considered particularly tasty prey by ettercaps.

Leir are experts in enamel and lacquer, owing to their habit of cultivating insects for resources; most particularly, they are considered masterful handlers of silk, producing several unique varieties that they employ to make a variety of useful tools. The best nonmagical silk is produced by the leir. Leir are egg-layers who lay clutches of 8-32 young at a time, though the fragility of infant leir means a 90% mortality rate in their first year of life is not unexpected. Leir live for around 250 years.

Antivenom (Ex) Leir scapular oils function as an antivenom when administered fresh from the leir's body, providing a +2 alchemical bonus on the leir's Heal checks to treat poison (+6 if the poison is the natural venom or toxin of a vermin). The oils go inert one round after removal from the leir's body if not applied by a Heal check. A leir cannot benefit from this bonus directly; only another non-leir creature being treated can enjoy the benefits.

Curl (Ex) A leir's body reflexively curls when it is prone, conferring an additional +4 natural armor bonus (bringing the leir's total to +6). A leir can elect to resist curling up when falling prone, but as there is no meaningful disadvantage to doing so, rarely bothers.

Insectile (Ex) Leir share many traits with vermin, though they are not insects or arachnids in any real sense. Effects which function on vermin (but not a specific kind, such as only spiders) may work on a leir as well; if they allow a saving throw, the leir gets a +4 bonus to such a save. If the effect deals damage to vermin but would not deal similar damage to a monstrous humanoid, it deals only half damage to the leir (or the amount of damage it would specifically do to a monstrous humanoid, whichever is greater).

Odor Signals (Ex) Leir emit a narrow range of faint odors which convey moods, and can concentrate these to deliberately convey a feeling to other leir (treat as a message of at most three words, each of which must be an emotion). Any leir within 60 ft. of another can pick up on mood and immediately detect a deliberate emission unless there is a strong wind, large flame (at least one 5 ft. square within 10 ft. of the leir), or contaminating gas/vapor present. Leir odor signals are not inherently mutually intelligible with similar signals emitted by other creatures (such as saurials) though with familiarity and practice, a degree of recognition could be achieved. Leir know which other leir is emitting which odor. Creatures with the scent ability have a +4 bonus on checks to track or locate a leir.

Poison Immunities (Ex) Leir are immune to the poison of any natural vermin of Large or smaller size and have a +2 bonus on Fortitude saving throws to resist the effects of any other poison.

Restraint (Ex) Leir are masters of nonlethal methods of subdual. When using a weapon to deal subdual damage (including an unarmed strike), they get a +2 bonus to damage rolls. They are also surprisingly accomplished grapplers despite their relative fragility and gain a +2 racial bonus to grapple checks. A leir using a weapon that normally deals lethal damage to inflict subdual damage takes only a -2 penalty on their attack roll rather than the normal -4 penalty.

Swarm Resistance (Ex) Leir ignore swarm damage from vermin, as well as any effect that would require damage to be dealt (e.g. injury poison). Other swarm abilities such as distraction, and the swarm damage of non-vermin swarms (such as bat swarms or swarms of fiendish vermin), are unaffected.

• -2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Wis, -2 Cha. Leir have brittle chitinous bodies and thin slender limbs, but a durable torso; they are observant and contemplative but withdrawn and uncomfortable interacting with others for very long.
• Medium-size.
• A leir's base speed is 30 ft.
• A leir has +2 natural armor thanks to chitinous plates.
• A leir gains Dive for CoverCArc as a bonus feat.
• Leir are monstrous humanoids.
• Leir have a +2 racial bonus to Appraise and Craft checks pertaining to silk, enamel, or lacquer.
• Leir have a +2 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, and Jump checks due to their unusual leg structure.
• Leir have a +2 racial bonus to Search and Spot checks conducted in anything less than bright illumination.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Leir are proficient with whips, bolas, sai, sasumatasDR331, and nets.
• Antivenom: As above
• Curl: As above
• Insectile: As above
• Odor Signals: As above
• Poison Immunities: As above
• Restraint: As above
• Swarm Resistance: As above
• Automatic Languages: Common, Leir. Bonus Languages: Bhuka, Desmodu, Dwarven, Elven, Formian, Grell, Ignan, Silthilar, Sylvan, Tirbana, Undercommon, Xeph
• Favored Class: Factotum.
• Level Adjustment: +0

[Tzardok]

Ooh. A truely easy to use insectoid race. Interesting!



Leir have difficulty conveying their emotional states without overt signalling. For simple emotions communicated between each other, they use odor signals, but most carry white or rose-colored lacquer masks that they can switch onto their face to ensure that their mood is being exhibited outwardly. Many leir forget to remove or switch these masks when not having strong feelings, which can lead to misinterpretation on the part of others.

Reminds me of Mass Effect's Elcor. Talking to those was always fun, and this version seems to rife for similiar comedy.

Incidentally, does this race have any kind of religion or spirituality?

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Leir

Although the leir pantheon is weak and struggling in the wake of several severe blows to their worshipper base over the millennia, they remain remarkably tight-knit. Many leir choose to worship the pantheon as a whole, though each deity has their own clerics and small shrines - generally little more than a living tree with some ornamentation.

The weakest deity of the leir is actually their creator, a mother goddess whose essence was tied to their homeworld, Yurd. When the grell destroyed the ancient leir homeworld and scattered the survivors, this goddess found herself broken and drained, a wound that has never healed. Her wife and co-mother, a goddess who laid the skeins of possibility, was driven mad and became the archenemy of the remaining leir, a hollow thing of chaos motivated only to cause turbulence, throwing aside all hope for the future after the calamities of the desmodu, the drow, the grell, and other wicked and hostile beings drove her to believe that nothing could await the leir beyond further tribulation and strife. The strongest of their deities is the firstborn child of these two, who became a questing explorer to lead the remnants of the leir to new worlds.

Leir clerics can worship the leir pantheon rather than an invididual deity; the available domains are Community, Law, Protection, Repose, and Silk*.

Almalere
Demipower of Arborea
The Cocooned Goddess, She Who Shall Not Surrender, the Weaver of Wounds, Sister of Seasons
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Change, transformation, cocoons, resilience, healing, winter, death
Divine Realm: Arborea/Olympus/Silk of Spring and Arborea/Pelion/Winter's Weave
Symbol: A shield draped with a net
Domains Chaos, Good, Healing, Protection, Repose, Winter
Favored Weapon: Rapier

Youngest child of Omatra and Calo, Almalere represents many facets of life - she is the healer, protecting leir from poisons and weaving together their wounds to mend flesh; the enduring one, who does not bend against the cruelties and depredations of enemies; the passage of time from spring to winter and back again, with all the myriad changes that it brings; the connection to leir history and their nature as changing beings; and the psychopomp, who calls elderly leir to form their final cocoon and enter the sleep of death, escorting their souls away from their husks to lead them to Zass's spindle. Where Zass is symbolized by moths, Almalere is represented by caterpillars and butterflies. It is noted that while she is a death goddess, she is not the goddess of the dead, and as such her realms are filled with life, change, and depictions of the various parts of the leir life experience. She is a fierce adversary of undeath and forced transformation of any kind, believing change to be a sacred process and a choice. She is symbolized by maple trees.

Calo
Demipower of Pandemonium
The Tangling One, the Unweaver, the Maddened Mother, Queen of Delirium
Alignment: Chaotic neutral (formerly neutral good)
Portfolio: Strife, madness, turbulence, deception, misfortune, fear
Divine Realm: Pandemonium/Cocytus/Madloom, formerly Elysium/Amoria/Cloudloom
Symbol: A fraying thread tangled in a broken spindle
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Fear* (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24203513&postcount=1115), Luck, Madness, Trickery, formerly Air, Community, Good, Luck, Silk*, Sky
Favored Weapon: Whip

Co-creator of the leir and at one time the wife of Omatra, Calo was responsible for weaving joy, lightness, and good fortune into the nature of the leir. It is commonly believed that she was driven mad by the destruction of her temples during the harrowing of Yurd by the grell, but in truth her mind fractured due to the overwhelming despair that consumed Omatra causing her to become alienated from her love, and Calo's increasingly desperate efforts to mend what the slavering aberrations had sundered ran up against additional trials that caused her to succumb to her own despondence. Leiren might have been able to help, were he not preoccupied with salvaging what few leir he could rescue and bringing them to new worlds; Zass and Almalere did attempt to assist her, but the horrific wars against the grell and the desmodu, and the rebellion against the drow, forced them to channel their efforts toward collecting and protecting the souls of the dead. Watching everything she had tried to make wondrous turn to dust while her wife quite literally descended into Niflheim to waste away in despair caused Calo to snap, finding herself wandering the caverns of Cocytus in a giggling mania totally unlike herself, trailing strands of the Tapestry of Time that she had attempted to hold onto so tightly that she had caused them to tear away - threads of hope and joy, of laughter and life, of safety and stability.

Presently, the once-joyous goddess rarely sees her divine children, and never sees her ex-wife. Her realm, Madloom, is filled with twisted skeins and towering spools of shadowy threads that writhe and jerk about of their own accord, sometimes detaching to crawl amok like fragments of spiders. A false Tapestry, tattered and torn, continues to be woven and unravelled at her hands - the Tapestry of Troubles, which she laces with fear, strife, and violence, all born of her own nightmares. Calo has become the chief architect of the current struggles of her own children, but the maddened goddess is not truly to blame - she is blind to hope and does not understand the consequences of her own actions in a meaningful sense. Existence has become a long sick joke to her, and her maddened laughs join with the screams of Cocytus in a terrifying blend. She is not cruel, and can be convinced to leave things alone (for a time) if she is shown the outcomes of her actions - but while she may not be deliberately malevolent or even fully understand the harm she causes, Calo is on the cusp of falling to evil, for as the leir rebuild, she can see only false hope, and becomes more intent on destroying it. Her clerics are thankfully rare, but are usually leir driven to the same madness and despair that seized her. The goddess does not intentionally accept evil clerics or worshippers in her service, but her madness obscures the true nature of them from her more often than not. Calo's sacred tree is the black cypress, which leir communities attempt to remove from their lands as a symbol of despair and strife.

Leiren
Lesser Power of Ysgard
Darksighted, the Seeking Savior, the Restless Hero
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Exploration, community, protection, hope
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Nidavellir/wanders
Symbol: A spool of silk around a spear
Domains Community, Courage, Good, Law, Protection, Travel
Favored Weapon: Spear

Namesake of the leir (who formerly called themselves yurden after their homeworld) and first child of Omatra and Calo, Leiren is an unsleeping deity who keeps a close watch on the surviving conclaves of his people. As his mothers have both sunken into a broken state, Leiren considers it his duty to preserve their children and ensure that they have a future, which keeps him on the move through the planes, always listening for new threats that might require another voyage into the stars. Leiren understands the principles of spelljamming and to save the leir in an ancient era, risked everything to make himself incarnate on the Prime and lead them through the phlogiston to new spheres, knowing that his destruction in that place would end his existence as the Flow is cut off from the planes proper. He is still considered (in effect) the chief deity of the pantheon and wears the responsibility uneasily on his scapulae. Leiren is symbolized by oak trees.

Omatra
Demipower of Hades
Stillheart, Silent Mother, Lighter of Life
Alignment: True neutral (formerly lawful good)
Portfolio: Leir, the earth, life, home
Divine Realm: Hades/Niflheim/the Crumbling Chrysalis, formerly Bytopia/Dothion/the Radiant Chrysalis
Symbol: A dried chrysalis or an apple sitting in a discarded chrysalis
Domains Cavern, Decay, Earth, Life, Repose, formerly Earth, Good, Law, Life, Renewal, Repose
Favored Weapon: Bolas

One of the two mother goddesses of the leir, Omatra was the embodiment of the ancient leir homeworld and a goddess of the cycle of life. In the wake of the shattering of Yurd by the grell, Omatra fell into utter despondence, and the despair and sorrow her children felt for the loss of their home only further reinforced her own pain, resulting in her palatial chrysalis realm plummeting out of its celestial home and finding itself deep within the fog and sorrow of Niflheim. Her divine children continue to visit and attempt to keep her connected to the pantheon and her people, and she remains the goddess to whom they reach out when once more trying to build beneath the surface of the earth, but Omatra continues to fade with each passing year. None can say what would happen to the leir if she died, and few are keen to find out. Omatra rarely interacts with any other deities of her own volition but is known to awaken with great fury at the mention of Vesperian, the desmodu god, or any rumblings of Lolth. Omatra is symbolized by apple trees and fruit.

Oncacatra
Demipower of Bytopia
Weaver of Shelter, Succoring Hand, the Merciful
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Mercy, restraint, aid, shelter
Divine Realm: Bytopia/Shurrock/Succor's Hearth, formerly Bytopia/Dothion/Weavers' Conclave
Symbol: A tent containing a spindle
Domains Community, Good, Healing, Liberation, Protection
Favored Weapon: Net

A great friend of Zanat despite their opposing views, Oncacatra is the patron of merciful combat and submission, the battle goddess who gifted the leir with their prowess with the net, sai, and whip. In the wake of the shattering of Yurd, the merciful goddess moved her realm from pastoral Dothion to wild Shurrock in order to offer aid to those in need, but she has remained relatively untouched by the struggles of the pantheon compared to many of her brethren. Her faithful serve as healers and jailers, wardens and protectors, scouts and guards. In the distant past, she worked alongside Zanat in his role as the god of justice, but now she tempers his teachings with her methods of mercy. The second child of Omatra and Calo, she is the only one who still attempts to visit both mothers (the others check in on Omatra but have grown despondent about Calo's madness). It is at the instruction of Oncacatra that leir conclaves allow outsiders to visit, and she reminds the leir (alongside Leiren) that they too are strangers in strange lands, travellers seeking succor, and interlopers trying to find what they need to make new lives. Her sacred tree is the birch, which is often found at the "entrance" to a conclave's lands.

Seleir
Demipower of Baator
the Sartorial, Sunstealer, the Gold-Faced God
Alignment: Lawful evil (formerly lawful neutral)
Portfolio: Fashion, finery, pride, light, culture
Divine Realm: Baator/Dis/Szartor, formerly Arcadia/Abellio/Sartoria
Symbol: A leir mask with four spikes mimicking the rays of the dawning sun
Domains Evil, Law, Nobility, Silk*, Sun, Wealth, formerly Community, Law, Silk*, Sun, Trade, Wealth
Favored Weapon: Whip

Another deity severely changed by the violent history of the leir, Seleir was at one time the leir god of commerce and culture. In the wake of the scattering of the leir remnants, the sun god has become a prideful, fragile creature whose most popular myth is that he steals the sun away for half of each day (causing night) because he cannot bear to be parted from its golden glory. Seleir appreciates this myth as it keeps him relevant, but in truth beneath his narcissistic veneer, the god of fashion feels his relevance fading, as insular conclaves struggle to trade and the challenges facing the leir continue to grow in number. While his clerics keep up appearances, in truth Seleir is concerned about the future of the leir and goes back and forth between Leiren and Zanat exploring solutions for their current struggles. His sacred tree is the cherry.

Tesk
Lesser Power of Mount Celestia
Pureflame, the Brilliant Brand, the Torchbearing God
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Fire, wisdom, self-understanding
Divine Realm: Celestia/Solania/the Pearly Caldera
Symbol: A flame inside a lantern
Domains Fire, Good, Knowledge, Law, Passion, Purification
Favored Weapon: Scimitar or torch

Technically an interloper deity rather than a child of Omatra and Calo, Tesk was befriended by Leiren during the escape from Yurd, sometime before the dark era of the desmodu. A god of light, warmth, and flame, Tesk sent his burning emissaries to liberate the leir during hostilities with the desmodu and again to aid them in revolting against the drow, cultivating a base of worship among the leir and an eternal reverence for the power and usefulness of fire. Tesk is unorthodox as fire deities go - most are neither lawful nor good, and relatively few live on the Upper Planes, let alone on Mount Celestia. It is the teaching of his church and the leir at large, however, that fire is among the most orderly forces of the cosmos, for although its power may spread unchecked if one is not careful, fire obeys predictable rules and will always act in ways that can be understood. Tesk is depicted as an ascetic, living in a crystalline chamber in a misty caldera, not unlike a flame in a lantern - a monk whose passions flare up when he is fed too liberally or exposed to strong drink (not unlike how fire will spread when given solid fuel or introduced to alcohol).

Tesk is sometimes depicted as a golden leir with flames in place of his scapular and cranial membranes, and other times as a pillar or sphere of living flame. His allegiance with the leir pantheon fascinates the leir, who have taken to learning the Ignan language in some conclaves as a show of respect for the historical role Tesk's flaming servants played in helping preserve the race. Alone among the leir pantheon, Tesk is worshipped by members of other races on a regular basis, as he was not native to Yurd and is not a racial deity. Tesk is symbolized with ash trees.

Usknavar
Demipower of Gehenna
Truthweaver, Keeper of the True Face, Unraveller of Lies
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Truth, emotions, masks, honesty, painful realization
Divine Realm: Gehenna/Krangath/Uttermost Truth
Symbol: A cracked leir mask
Domains Evil, Fate, Inquisition, Knowledge, Law, Passion
Favored Weapon: SasumataDR331

An unusual deity, Usknavar is the goddess of truth, who exposes leir to the painful realities of the cosmos, demanding that they confront their anger, despair, and confusion in order to become stronger and more in touch with their own truth and the universal truths. She is also the patron of maskmakers, and the famous rose lacquer masks of the leir were devised by her as a ritual implement to use in honest communication. It is said that she lurks deep in her icy layer, trying to craft a mask that will reveal the perfect truth to Calo and in doing so heal her madness - some myths instead say she is making a mask to show the truth of leir survival to Omatra, in order to raise her up from despair. The darkest myths claim Usknavar's work is intended to reveal the truth of total despair, to reveal to the mother goddesses in order to destroy them both, but her devotees say this is insulting nonsense. Usknavar is on good terms with the rest of the pantheon besides the mother goddesses, though she rarely speaks with them except to replace their masks. She reviews Zass's Tapestry of Time to find falsehoods and pick out stray threads and tangles that have infiltrated it at Calo's hand, and while she is sometimes portrayed as a diabolical figure in leir religion, she is nonetheless publicly revered and not generally considered an adversarial figure. That said, Usknavar herself would be the first to admit she is often deliberately cruel and unkind, but the goddess is known to never tell a lie or even allow a false impression to stand. It is against her nature - she doesn't use the truth in order to hurt others; she uses hurt when it would force them to confront the truth. Usknavar's symbolic tree is the elm, and many lacquer masks are made using elm wood as the base.

Zanat
Demipower of Acheron
The Horned Warrior, Silkensteel, the Violent One, the Vengeance of Yurd
Alignment: Lawful evil (formerly lawful neutral)
Portfolio: Combat, vengeance, violent defense, harm
Divine Realm: Acheron/Avalas/Dynastes
Symbol: A hercules beetle
Domains Evil, Law, Metal, Protection, Retribution, War, formerly Community, Family, Law, Protection, Renewal, Retribution
Favored Weapon: Halberd

Though leir are as a general rule inclined toward nonviolent solutions, peaceful methods, and subdual over slaughter, the horrors of their racial history gave new character to Zanat, the god of justice, civilization, and progress. Where his mother Omatra broke from the pain of her world's destruction, Zanat hardened, absorbing the feelings of injustice and terror in his followers and creating the artifact known as the Steel Cocoon, wherein he transformed himself, taking in the strength and ferocity he needed without allowing himself to be swept away by madness and pure rage. His emergent form is horned, cold, steely, and wears a permanent metal mask fused to his face. While his ideals still lean toward justice (and indeed, he is considered the preeminent deity of leir courts when they must be convened), Zanat has become a proponent of war and violence to ensure that the leir will never again be victims of those whose cruelties so shattered the race. Although his nature has turned evil, Zanat is still a fairly benign deity as far as his own people are concerned, well-regarded, worshipped in leir conclaves, and on good terms with his siblings in the pantheon. He has disowned Calo as his mother due to her madness and the strife she causes, and visits Omatra to promise vengeance against the grell, the desmodu, the drow, and others. Zanat's symbolic tree is the holly.

Zass
Lesser Power of Mechanus
The Silken God, the Silver Spool, Master of Moths
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Silk, patience, craft, history, the dead
Divine Realm: Mechanus/Silver Spindle
Symbol: A spindle with moth wings
Domains Craft, Knowledge, Law, Repose, Silk*, Time
Favored Weapon: Sai

A quiet, reserved, and patient god, Zass is unlikely friends with Seleir despite their opposing personalities. As one of the two funerary deities of the leir, Zass is responsible for overseeing tradition, legacy, and history, all traits which make him the perfect custodian of the leir art of silk cultivation. From his silvery tower, Zass observes the threads of leir lives as they intermingle and ultimately come to an end, weaving their way into the Tapestry of Time and showing him the patterns of perseverance that mark the leir character. His mothlike servitors escort the souls of dead leir past the Tapestry of Time to let them witness their own individual contributions and how things shall endure going into the future. The process of harvesting silk has always been interwoven with death, and the silvery needles used to unthread the filaments from the dead insects are consecrated to Zass in almost all leir communities. The sacred tree of Zass is the mulberry.

Other Deities of the Leir

Lupercio
Demon Lord of the Abyss
Baron of Sloth
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Sloth, darkness, the strength of darkness
Divine Realm: Abyss/128/Slugbed
Symbol: A fanged maw in a jet-black circle
Domains Chaos, Darkness, Destruction, Evil, Sloth, Strength
Favored Weapon: Unarmed strike

It remains unknown whether the demon lord Lupercio first set his attentions on the leir due to the mad weavings of Calo, or whether it was some vile cultists among the desmodu (or even the drow) conjuring him to consume the race that had escaped their grasp. Regardless of how it happened, it did happen, and while the Baron of Sloth is among the least menacing of Abyssal lords to count as a foe, he remains a child of Pale Night herself, a terrible force of darkness kept in check only by his own all-consuming laziness. Fortunately for the leir, Lupercio has very few cults on the Material Plane and almost no followers who can channel his power into spells; unfortunately for the leir, some few mad members of their own kind have made it their life's work to give the Baron of Sloth power over their souls. On any world in which one of these scattered tendrils of the demon lord's power exists and can produce a viable caster, such an agent will likely move against any leir conclaves that can be found, chiefly for Lupercio's personal amusement, but also to sate his hunger for new souls to devour.

Zuggtmoy
Demon Lord of the Abyss
Demon Queen of Fungi, Lady of Rot and Decay, Lady of Fungi
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Fungi
Divine Realm: Abyss/222/Shedaklah
Symbol: A broken jawless skull with a sickly mushroom growing from a hole in its crown
Domains Chaos, Corruption, Evil, Ooze, Plant
Favored Weapon: Scythe

Unlike Lupercio, it is very well known how Zuggtmoy discovered the leir - as with many other terrible things that have happened, it was through the agency of Lolth, Demon Queen of Spiders. In the wake of the escape of the leir from the control of the drow, Lolth tricked one of her own high priestesses into converting to Zuggtmoy's faith and had her share with the Demon Queen of Fungi the nature of the leir and their defiance of Lolth. Zuggtmoy could not believe the windfall - an insectile race that could be parasitized by her evil fungi, not only extending her reach on the Material Plane, but also proving herself superior to her hated rival, succeeding where Lolth had failed? It was too perfect. Zuggtmoy has been an enemy of the leir ever since, although her champion priestess in the cause ran afoul of Tesk's high priest and had an unfortunate encounter with as much fire as was needed to burn her to death and then a bit more than that. Lolth was most likely responsible for that happening, too - after all, Lolth is the worst.

Regardless of the involvement of the drow goddess, Zuggtmoy now considers the leir hers to infest, torment, control, and ultimately devour. She would contest Lupercio's ambitions if she actually knew about them, but the Baron of Sloth is both a more minor player on the Prime and also deeply lazy. Nevertheless, the presence of two demon lords vying to consume and annihilate the leir race is an ill tiding for the scattered people, and Zuggtmoy's powers of infestation have delivered her far more leir cultists than Lupercio has. In a way, Zuggtmoy's ambitions both play into Calo's mad interventions and are counteracted by them - the insane goddess attempts to disrupt any gathering of leir in numbers and strength purely out of an impulse to sow strife and weakness, which includes the Lady of Rot's gathered infested cults.

New Domains

Fear Domain
Granted Power You get a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear effects. The save DC of your fear effects is increased by 1.
1st - cause fear
2nd - scare
3rd - blade of pain and fearSC
4th - fear
5th - phantasmal killer
6th - aura of terrorSC
7th - opalescent glareSC
8th - final rebukeSC
9th - weird

Silk Domain
Granted Power You get a +2 bonus to Balance, Climb, and Use Rope checks. All of these are treated as class skills for you.
1st - peacebondCity
2nd - web
3rd - spiderskinSC
4th - minor creation (can also make silk fabric, thread, or rope)
5th - fabricate
6th - superior resistanceSC
7th - veil
8th - true creation
9th - cocoonSC

[Metastachydium]

Curl (Ex) A leir's body reflexively curls when it is prone, conferring an additional +4 natural armor bonus (bringing the leir's total to +6). A leir can elect to resist curling up when falling prone, but as there is no meaningful disadvantage to doing so, rarely bothers.

Hm. Note to self: I should really put together some woodlouse creatures (with all the legs!) one of these days.


• Automatic Languages: Common, Leir. Bonus Languages: Bhuka, Desmodu, Dwarven, Elven, Formian, Grell, Ignan, Silthilar, Sylvan, Tirbana, Undercommon, Xeph

Tirbana, eh? Quite appropriate! (It's also nice to see poor Xeph getting some love.)


Ooh. A truely easy to use insectoid race. Interesting!

What's wrong with diopsids?

[sandmote]

The lore is again excellent. I particularly like the relationship Usknavar's has with hurt vs. truth, and how she's evil in a practical manner and not because she want to rule or destroy.

I do question why Zanat's primary symbol is something associated with fertility and lasting life (as many evergreens are). I would have expected Hawthorn (associated with protection) or Hickory (associated with strength) given his description.

[Tzardok]

What's wrong with diopsids?

With what? The only insectoid races I remember are thri-kreen, various high level monstrous humanoids and those dromites, and those barely count.

[Metastachydium]

With what? The only insectoid races I remember are thri-kreen, various high level monstrous humanoids and those dromites, and those barely count.

Big, funny beetles from the Dragon Compendium. No RHD, LA +1, lots of fun special qualities.

[Vhaidara]

Big, funny beetles from the Dragon Compendium. No RHD, LA +1, lots of fun special qualities.

Found the problem. LA+1 is pretty brutal, especially at lower levels

[afroakuma]

The lore is again excellent. I particularly like the relationship Usknavar's has with hurt vs. truth, and how she's evil in a practical manner and not because she want to rule or destroy.

All three of their evil deities are just gods who happen to be evil, rather than gods of evil. None of them would ever intentionally act against the rest of the pantheon or wish meaningful harm to the leir. They're just jerks in one way or another.


I do question why Zanat's primary symbol is something associated with fertility and lasting life (as many evergreens are). I would have expected Hawthorn (associated with protection) or Hickory (associated with strength) given his description.

Tree symbolism is kind of hard to look up usefully, but I found associations of holly with overcoming anger (an ironic symbolism) and in the Ogham, holly represents justice & balance as well as the haft of a spear, and the glyph tinne which is associated with holly is also associated with iron ingots. So... that's why. Hickory would be entirely legitimate, of course. There's also the delightful irony that holly quite simply looks and sounds too friendly for a god of wrath - which besides the fun of juxtaposition is also an allusion to the fact that Zanat isn't actually awful, he's just scared, hurt, and angry at those who would harm his family and his people.

Goodness knows, after having their homeworld harrowed by the grell, engaging in a generations-long war with the desmodu, and being enslaved by the drow, on top of which having two demon lords out for their blood, the last thing the leir need is to have their own gods opposing and oppressing them.

[sandmote]

All three of their evil deities are just gods who happen to be evil, rather than gods of evil. None of them would ever intentionally act against the rest of the pantheon or wish meaningful harm to the leir. They're just jerks in one way or another. That's a much better phrasing of what I meant, yes. I'm a bit tired of pantheons with "all the gods are good or peacefully neutral except the one that's a power-hungry scheming traitor."

More generally, thank you for taking the time to clarify and explain your reasoning to my repeated questions on ridiculously minor details.

[afroakuma]

Skogel
Medium Fey (Fire)
HD 6d6 (21 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (6 squares); fly 10 ft. (perfect)
Init: +8
AC 18; touch 16; flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 deflection, +2 natural)
BAB +3; Grp +3
Attack Flame dagger +3 melee touch (1d4+6 fire) or sling +7 ranged (1d4 and exposure) or flame arrow sling +7 ranged (1d4 + 1d6 fire)
Full Attack Flame dagger +3 melee touch (1d4+6 fire) or sling +7 ranged (1d4 and exposure) or flame arrow sling +7 ranged (1d4 + 1d6 fire)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Calescent gaze, exposure, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities DR 5/cold iron or special, familiar, flamewhisper, immunity to fire, laurence, low-light vision, SR 18, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +2 Ref +9 Will +8
Abilities Str 11, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 17
Skills Balance +13, Hide +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +12, Move Silently +13, Spot +12, Tumble +13
Feats BrachiationB, CAdv, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (sling)
Environment Any forest
Organization Solitary or line (4-8)
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure Standard plus 1d4+1 thunderstones, 20% chance of carrying one of a blight stoneMIC, glitter stoneMIC, or stench stoneMIC
Alignment Usually chaotic neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class Spellthief

Skogels are the unpredictable and troublesome fey of forest fires, whose controlled burns ensure that forests do not grow too vulnerable to future conflagrations. A younger race by the standards of the fey (which still makes them millennia old), skogels are the grandchildren of the treant god Emmantiensien by his daughter Fuinseog and the wildfire god Elfäng, who associates only very loosely with the Seelie Court and prefers to ignore Titania and her kin for the most part, though he sends tribute to his father-in-law once a century. In part this distance is due to the fire god being uneasy around the sylvan settings of the Seelie, but equally it is due to his fact that his children do not belong entirely to that Court. Indeed, skogels are able to walk freely among both Seelie and Unseelie fey without being wholly bound to either, and as such they are a rare case of a group of fey who are not individually committed, or divided as a group between Titania and the Queen of Air and Darkness. The skogels say this is because they represent a truly natural force of chaos, one which is both destruction and renewal, both death and new life, both necessity and terror. Or at least, that's probably what they would say if they stopped to talk to travellers, as opposed to their preferred way of socializing with non-fey: torment and trickery.

A skogel stands about the same height as a dwarf but weighs only half of what a dwarf of similar size would. They are generally fair-skinned to the point of being snowy white, darkening with age, such that the eldest skogels resemble carved jet. Their hair is wavy and seems to shift between two distinctive and unlikely textures - a leafy texture much of the time, and a texture like that of gemstones when they are using their fire-based powers. Skogel hair and eyes are identical in hue and normally take gem tones, with the vast majority being ruby red, a small plurality being various hues of pink, and rare ones being emerald green or sapphire blue. The rarest of all are the white-haired skogels, who are blind but possess considerably more power and hotter flames; these scarce individuals normally attend Fuinseog or Elfäng directly, and they are considered fey nobility. Male skogels usually wear their hair short and spiked, or sometimes in a ponytail or topknot; female skogels like to braid their hair. Skogels have sharp fingernails that look like flakes of obsidian, but these are too small and brittle to use as a weapon. They often nap in the branches of tall trees, sometimes causing little sparks or embers to fall beneath them. Indeed, skogels generally prefer to be in the canopy of a forest rather than standing on the ground. They can float in midair but prefer to keep a surface underfoot, as their flight speed leaves much to be desired. Skogels eat fruit, nuts, seeds, and insects, generally using a pulse of heat from their laurence to roast whatever they are holding.

Skogels, even the most somber and mature of their kind, are notorious pranksters with a mild violent streak, or at least a terrible lack of concern as to the consequences of their fires spreading to harm living things. While they are careful in their curation of forest fires to ensure that the spread is not calamitous, they are also easily distracted and have been known to err. It is also known that skogels can rile with little provocation and are persistent in antagonizing those who have wronged or slighted them, even in ways that seemed totally innocent. A skogel who perceives someone as meddling, trespassing, interfering, or otherwise being rude is likely to demonstrate just how powerful fire can be in the wrong hands. Skogels get along with many other kinds of fey, at least in terms of cordiality; most of the time they would rather move on than hang about and have to accommodate the needs of others. Skogels have little culture; when two skogels mate and produce a child, the mother leaves it with a fey of another race, to be raised until the child's laurence comes in and it departs to explore its role in the world. This "first laurence" is also when a skogel's familiar will manifest, said to be a gift from Elfäng, an ember of his flaming beard. Dryads and skogels have a testy relationship, but the fire fey instinctively know to acknowledge and respect treants, and when they unleash a fire in a treant's woodland, the skogel will stand by to use quench on any flames that threaten the treant. Skogels get on well with firre eladrins on the rare occasions that the two interact; they find dwarves and hobgoblins hilariously easy to prank, and most elves consider them intensely troublesome. Not just the fey of starting forest fires, skogels also control those blazes that get out of control, or those set deliberately by others; fires in a skogel's woodland are a target for the fey's pranks and retaliation, as they consider all fire to belong to themselves. Skogels know that by the decrees of Titania and Elfäng, the punishment for destroying too much nature is to be enslaved for one thousand years to a storagael.

Calescent Gaze (Su) As heat metal cast as a caster of the skogel's character level, 30 feet, Will DC 15 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. This effect does not function on unattended metal and is both an enchantment (mind-affecting) and transmutation effect - if the skogel cannot see into the victim's mind to transmit its own eternal flame, the gaze has no effect on any metal borne by the victim. Protection from chaos and similar effects do not block the gaze as the effect only requires contact with the victim's mind, not ongoing control.

Damage Reduction (Ex) A skogel's damage reduction can be bypassed either by a weapon made of cold iron, or by a weapon bearing a property that causes it to deal cold damage (such as frost, freezing burst, etc).

Exposure (Su) Any creature touched by a skogel or a skogel's weapons (including ammunition) that have not been affected by flame arrow may lose magical protections against flame temporarily. This functions as a targeted dispel magic cast by a 10th level caster, but only impacts items and effects that provide resistance to, protection from, or immunity to fire damage (such as but not limited to resist energy, protection from energy, fire shield, energy adaptation, etc) and cannot interfere with any kind of inherent resistance or immunity to fire, such as that possessed by a balor or red dragon.

Familiar (Sp) Each skogel possesses a Small fire elemental as their personal familiar, as though the skogel were a wizard of class level equal to the skogel's character level. This familiar is not able to deliver the exposure effect via touch.

Flamewhisper (Su) As a standard action, a skogel may speak through a fire as though it were the receiving point of an Enlarged message spell cast at 10th level (400 ft. range). Creatures within 30 ft. of the fire can hear the skogel's voice, which may be as loud as normal speech or as quiet as a whisper, and anything said within 30 ft. of the fire will carry back to the skogel's ears. The skogel must be able to see the fire in order to begin whispering through it but does not need to maintain sight thereafter as long as the flame remains within range of this effect. If the fire is quenched while this effect is active, the skogel gasps for breath and is dazed for 1 round.

Laurence (Su) A skogel's body can naturally shed heat in waves that blur the fey's appearance and cause distortions in air pressure that can deflect harm. While active, this ability protects the skogel as a blur spell and provides a +2 deflection bonus to AC. The heat of this ability can be felt clearly and results in leaves smouldering, wood charring, snow melting, and earth scorching under the skogel's feet, reducing the DC to track or identify a skogel using its trail by 4. A skogel's equipment and clothing are always protected from this heat. The skogel can activate or deactivate this ability as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - faerie fire, fire strideSC, flame daggerSC, produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 15), quench, raging flameSC, slow burnSC; 3/day - animate fireSC, fire trap, flame arrow, flaming sphere, invisibility, major image; 1/day - firestride exhalationDM, firewardSC. Caster level 6th, save DCs Cha-based.

[afroakuma]

Storagael
Gargantuan Fey (Chaotic, Fire)
HD 27d6+162 (256 hp)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: +3
AC 34; touch 11; flat-footed 31 (+18 natural, +5 +2 light fortification studded leather leafweave armor, +3 Dex, +2 deflection, -4 size)
BAB +13; Grp +38
Attack +1 flaming burst greataxe +24 melee (6d6+20 + 1d6 fire, 19-20/x3 + 2d10 fire damage)
Full Attack +1 flaming burst greataxe +24/+19/+14 melee (6d6+20 + 1d6 fire, 19-20/x3 + 2d10 fire damage)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks Embers of the incineration, frightful presence, imperious gaze, land's liege, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities Alternate form, DR 20/cold iron and special, fast healing 5, geas of Rhiannon, immunity to electricity and fire, laurence, low-light vision, shadows and embers, SR 30, unquenchable fire, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +16 Ref +18 Will +22
Abilities Str 37, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 20, Wis 25, Cha 23
Skills Balance +23, Bluff +26, Concentration +27, Disguise +16, Handle Animal +26, Intimidate +36, Knowledge (arcana) +25, Knowledge (geography) +25, Knowledge (nature) +35, Listen +27, Search +25, Sense Motive +27, Spot +27, Survival +27, Tumble +23
Feats Ability Focus (imperious gaze), Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat AcrobatCAdv, Combat Casting, Improved Critical (greataxe), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Environment Any forest or mountain
Organization Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating 20
Treasure Triple standard
Alignment Always chaotic (any) or neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class Fighter

Wildfires that devastate large swaths of forest and grassland are thankfully rare, but these powerful and traumatic events have always caused massive ripples in nature, giving birth to mighty and terrible fey who embody the force and the fear of the raging flame. These few but mighty fey are known as storagaels, violent princes and princesses of the wooded lands, born to rule with an authority built on the terror of the all-consuming fire that they embody. Or, at least, that is their general opinion of themselves. In ancient eras, the storagaels were forced to contend with the dictates of the elder fey goddess Rhiannon, who did not want the arrogant and prideful storagaels destroying the natural world in their battles for supremacy. The geas that she placed on their kind binds them to this day, and while some storagaels have broken free of the Faerie domains to which her command confined them, most others rule phantom realms with boundaries all too easy for mortals to stumble across.

In its natural form, a storagael is immense, towering over even giants and often visible above the tops of trees except in truly vast and tall forests. Garbed in tunics, kilts, mantles, and a repertoire of magical items, they dress in woody and earth tones with only traces of red. A storagael's hair is always long and resembles the fur of one or more types of animal from the region (fluffy snowy white rabbit hair, lush red fox hair, coarse brown bear hair, thick grey wolf hair, etc.) with occasional interwoven feathers from local birds (it is said there is a storagael whose whole head is covered in nothing but crow feathers). Storagael ears resemble those of foxes, and their almond-shaped eyes look like vast abysses of smoke in which embers flicker. Steam and smoke occasionally trickle from a storagael's nose or mouth when angered. Both male and female storagaels grow antlers - two emerging straight from their forehead, two more (larger) emerging from just above the temples. These may appear woody or completely black, with rare examples of pure white antlers. Wreaths of gold and leaves adorn their heads and may mingle with the lower prongs of their antlers. Storagael skin is typically white or jet-black, but red and green have also been witnessed. Storagaels spend much of their time asleep, attuning to the land or their domain, or in contemplation of their geas (typically pondering ways to break it). When sleeping, a storagael often employs tree shape so as to rest unrecognized and undisturbed.

Whether good, neutral, or evil-aligned, all storagaels have at least some sense of the necessity of preserving their forested domains - after all, without fuel, there is no fire, and storagaels are the memory of the most horrific fires. All storagaels have a rather high opinion of themselves and will expect tribute from those entering their realms, or at least enough consideration to pass through quietly without disturbing the land. Most storagaels hold some amount of resentment for the geas that constrains them and act quickly to enforce their self-appointed rule over their lands whenever possible. Lesser fey, treants, and even forest-dwelling humanoids or alpine giants may be pressed into a storagael's service and join its court, acting according to the storagael's cryptic designs so that the powerful fey does not need to take action directly. A storagael roused to anger is terrifying to behold, and even verdant princesMMIV know better than to challenge a storagael in its own domain. Storagaels are almost always encountered alone or with members of their court; a mated pair of storagaels is a force to be reckoned with.

Storagaels speak Common, Elven, Giant, Ignan, and Sylvan. A storagael is considered native to both its own demiplane and the attached plane where it was born.

Alternate Form (Su) As a standard action, a storagael may take one of three alternate forms - a woodland animal of Medium or Large size, a humanoid or giant of Small to Huge size, or an elder fire elemental. The storagael's distinctive antlers and eyes remain present regardless of form (though they are made of flame in elemental form and so may be harder to discern) while its wreath of embers changes shape to blend into the form it assumes (as a pattern on the fur of an animal, a distinctive piece of jewelry on a humanoid or giant, or spots of colored light in the flames of the elemental form). If its new form has the scent ability, the storagael gains it while in this form.

Damage Reduction (Ex) A storagael's damage reduction can be bypassed either by a weapon made of cold iron which either bears a property that causes it to deal cold damage (such as frost, freezing burst, etc.) or is lawful (lawful weapon property, align weapon, etc.), even if the storagael is not personally chaotic.

Embers of the Incineration (Su) The terrifying force of the wildfire that birthed each storagael pours into any melee weapon they wield, turning such a weapon into a +1 flaming burst version of itself and overriding its other properties. A storagael is capable of restraining this ability when taking hold of a weapon in order to employ its existing properties. This effect ends when a weapon leaves the storagael's hand.

Frightful Presence (Ex) Creatures within 100 ft. of a storagael must make a Will save (DC 29) or become panicked (if they have 4 or fewer HD) or shaken (if they have 5 or more HD) for 4d6 rounds. On a successful saving throw, a creature cannot be affected by the same storagael's frightful presence for 24 hours. Storagaels can exempt animals, plants, and vermin from this effect (or remove such an exemption) as a free action.

Geas of Rhiannon (Su) Each storagael is bound by a covenant with the ancient fey goddess Rhiannon to remain within an extraplanar domain, a pocket demiplane within the forest of their birth, and sworn to not come forth from this domain until a certain condition is met. Good-aligned and true neutral storagaels may look on this restriction as a simple fact of their lives and choose not to pursue escape clauses (although this may turn against them when the world needs their aid and they remain bound by this geas), while chaotic neutral and chaotic evil storagaels almost always chafe against the limiting of their power and authority and seek to manipulate events to liberate themselves. If this condition is not met, a storagael cannot be physically or magically or otherwise forced out of this domain.

Imperious Gaze (Su) Dominated for 24 hours, 30 ft., Will DC 31 partial (shaken for 2d10 rounds). A creature that successfully saves against this ability is immune to the same storagael's imperious gaze for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting compulsion fear effect. Creatures immune to fire are immune to this effect, while those with at least 10 points of fire resistance or a similar kind of protection (such as protection from energy) receive a +4 bonus on this saving throw.

Land's Liege (Su) Storagaels are embodiments of one of the most powerful and terrifying forces to ever strike the lands they call home, and their power within the land is nigh-absolute and transcends the normal order. Within 1 mile of a storagael, or anywhere within a storagael's own domain, magic and abilities that control or manipulate the land, animals, or plants require a Will save (DC 29) to use successfully. Regardless of the outcome of this saving throw, even the attempt to use such an ability makes the storagael aware of the nature of the ability used and the location of the user. This ability does not function when the land does not acknowledge the storagael as the greatest force, which may occur when a being of significant power is present (some dragons, elder fey, deities & their agents, powerful outsiders, corrupting influences from the Far Realm, etc.) Spells and abilities used on or with respect to one's own animal companion, familiar, paladin mount or the like do not fall under the scope of this ability, nor do totally mundane methods such as uprooting a plant by hand, shooting an arrow into a stag, or training a dog using food.

Laurence (Su) A storagael's body can naturally shed heat in waves that blur the fey's appearance and cause distortions in air pressure that can deflect harm. While active, this ability protects the storagael as a blur spell and provides a +2 deflection bonus to AC. The heat of this ability can be felt clearly and results in leaves smouldering, wood charring, snow melting, and earth scorching under the storagael's feet, reducing the DC to track or identify a storagael using its trail by 4. A storagael's equipment and clothing are always protected from this heat. The storagael can activate or deactivate this ability as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Shadows and Embers (Sp) By attuning to the land for an uninterrupted period of 30 minutes, a storagael can produce effects within its entire domain or across a 1-mile radius of forest in a manner similar to a guards and wards spell. These effects remain in place for 48 hours or until the storagael leaves the affected area, and can be renewed with another attunement. Individual effects may be dispelled, but to terminate the entire effect requires Mordenkainen's disjunction or similarly powerful spells. A storagael can only attune once per day. The effects produced are as follows:

• Thin smoke fills the area, abating wherever the storagael should desire, affecting those areas it touches as a fog cloud would. Unlike the vapors produced by that spell, fire damage will not clear the smoke, but any area source of cold damage will apply in the same fashion (including a wall of ice causing an area 5 ft. on either side to disperse the smoke). Saving Throw: None. Spell Resistance: No.

• At crossroads, fires brought into or set in the area (take a 15 ft radius from the center of each crossroads) are targeted by a pyrotechnics effect; which one triggers can either be left random or decided by the storagael. Saving Throw: as the spell (DC 23). Spell Resistance: as the spell. The storagael can exclude certain crossroads from this effect.

• Confusion: Where there are choices in direction - such as a dirt path forking or a marking stone giving directions - a minor confusion-type effect functions so as to make it 50% probable that intruders believe they are going in the opposite direction from the one they actually chose. This is an enchantment, mind-affecting effect. Saving Throw: None. Spell Resistance: Yes.

• Phantom trees: Up to 20 paths between trees in the affected area can be concealed and made to look like normal undergrowth with trees obstructing passage via a silent image effect. Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with). Spell Resistance: No.

• Those whom the storagael chooses either at the time of attunement or anytime while it is active benefit from an ongoing pass without trace effect for so long as they are within the area.

In addition, the storagael can place a choice of two of the following five effects:

• Dancing lights along four pathways. The storagael can designate a simple program that causes the lights to repeat as long as the shadows and embers effect lasts. Saving Throw: None. Spell Resistance: No.

• A magic mouth in two places. Saving Throw: None. Spell Resistance: No.

• A hypnotic pattern in two places. This pattern is capable of moving at a rate of 30 ft. per round as long as any creature is fascinated by it. The storagael is mentally aware that the pattern has caught a target and can choose the direction of movement, but does not gain any other information. Saving Throw: Will negates (DC 23). Spell Resistance: Yes.

• A heat metal effect in two places. The storagael selects two areas of up to 15 feet square, and any creature who enters or passes through either area is affected by heat metal, with the duration counting up to and then holding on the fourth round for so long as they remain within the immediate area and only progressing beyond the fourth round once the creature leaves the area. Saving Throw: Will negates (DC 23). Spell Resistance: Yes.

• A suggestion in one place. The storagael selects an area of up to 15 feet square, and any creature who enters or passes through the area receives the suggestion mentally. Saving Throw: Will negates (DC 23). Spell Resistance: Yes.

The effect of this ability is the equivalent of a 7th level spell cast by a 20th level caster, save DCs are Charisma-based.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - animal messenger, barkskin, calm animals (DC 17), charm animal (DC 17), chaos hammer (DC 19), command plants (DC 19), detect animals or plants, detect law, dimension door, dispel law, entangle (DC 18), evergreenFrost, faerie fire, fear (DC 20), fire shield (range touch, warm shield only), fireball (DC 19), glitterdust (DC 18), greater dispel magic, heat metal (DC 18), pass without trace, plant growth, protection from law, resist energy, speak with animals, speak with plants, suggestion (DC 19), summon nature's ally V, tree shape, wall of fire, wall of thorns; 3/day - animate plants, eyebite (DC 22), fire storm (DC 23), fly, geas/quest (DC 22), greater scrying (DC 23), hide the pathSC, liveoak, mass hold person (DC 23), mass suggestion (DC 22), programmed image, summon nature's ally VII, symbol of sleep (DC 21); 1/day - elemental swarm (fire only), summon nature's ally IX, weird (DC 25); 1/week - might of wildfire*, word of recall. Always active - body of the sunSC (DC 17), death ward, see invisibility. Caster level 20th, save DCs Charisma-based.

Unquenchable Fire (Su) A storagael's mind keeps the spirit of an immense and devastating fire in check, and anyone attempting to control or manipulate such a mind is exposed to the fire within. The controller of any compulsion effect or mind-reading effect (such as detect thoughts, mind probe, etc.) that successfully affects a storagael suffers 6d6 fire damage (Will DC 28 negates) each round that the effect is active. Regardless of the result of this saving throw, the controller is also shaken (no save) for as long as the effect is active and for 1d4 minutes thereafter.

Wreath of Embers At the moment of birth, a storagael becomes crowned with a wreath of embers, an ornamental diadem of gold and living leaves on which are borne three gems (often rubies, but other gemstones have been seen). This is the true heart of the storagael, the "gold" actually the trapped embers of the wildfire that birthed the storagael, the leaves the surviving life from that time. Each gemstone represents part of the storagael's life force and power, and the wreath cannot be removed from the storagael's head unless the storagael dies. Whenever a storagael suffers more than 25% of its remaining HP (including temporary hp) in damage from a single attack or effect, or when the storagael has lost 25%, 50%, and 75% of its total hit points, one of the rubies shatters, draining some of the storagael's powers and unleashing a burst of protective force. The storagael cannot choose not to make use of this benefit.

Each shattering immediately reduces the total damage from the attack or effect that triggered it to a maximum of 25% of the storagael's total hit points (for example, if a storagael had a total of 100 hit points and took 30 damage from a single attack, that damage would be reduced to a total of 25 when the gem shatters), releases the storagael from conditions affecting it (as iron heart surgeToB), requires the storagael to surrender some of its power, and grants the storagael an immediate boon.

• Lose access to shadows and embers, land's liege, and the following spell-like abilities: summon nature's ally V, summon nature's ally VII, summon nature's ally IX
• Lose access to laurence, embers of the incineration, and the following spell-like abilities: elemental swarm, fire storm, wall of fire
• Lose access to frightful presence, imperious gaze, and the following spell-like abilities: eyebite, fear, weird

• Immediately gain the benefits of cloak of chaos as though cast by a 20th level caster (self only, DC 24).
• Immediately create an incendiary cloud as though cast by a 20th level caster (DC 24).
• Immediately gain the benefits of fire shield and moment of prescience as though cast by a 20th level caster.

As the powers of the wreath are conferred by the item itself and only to the storagael born alongside that wreath, a creature who takes the shape of a storagael or otherwise imitates it (such as an ice assassin) possesses no true wreath of embers and cannot enjoy its benefits. It takes one full day of rest to recover a shattered gemstone, which will reappear automatically within the wreath and restore the corresponding abilities of the storagael. If a storagael is somehow deprived of its wreath in its entirety, it loses access to all of the powers listed above without gaining any of the benefits that would trigger on the shattering of a gemstone.

Might of Wildfire
Transmutation [Chaos, Fire]
Level: Druid 9, Spirit Shaman 9, Wu Jen 9 (Fire)
Components: V, S, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)

This powerful spell channels the force and chaos of a mighty raging wildfire, using it to bestow power on the caster. You benefit from the effects of balor nimbusSC, freedom of movement, haste, darkvision, and righteous might, except that the DR granted is 15/lawful. While this spell is active, you are outlined in a brilliant white glow as though under the effects of faerie fire, your attacks deal an additional 1d6 fire damage, you gain immunity to fire and vulnerability to cold, and you can see normally through smoke, fog, and other vapor. While this spell is active, you cast spells, manifest powers, initiate maneuvers, and use spell-like abilities with the Fire descriptor at +1 caster level/manifester level/initiator level (if applicable). This spell may be dismissed before its duration elapses to produce a fireball centered on you (your fire immunity lasts until the fireball resolves).

Upon the termination of this spell, whether by dispelling, entering an antimagic field, early dismissal, or the duration elapsing, you become fatigued for 1 hour.

XP Cost: 500 XP.

[Eurus]

Ooh, fire fey. I'd never heard the word "laurence" like that, had to look it up, nice job. I like the justification for the boss-mechanic on the Storagael, that's neat and fun!

[Morphic tide]

A pretty consistent bother to me is having purely "Triple Standard" treasure on a Humanoid body-type with no specified items. It leaves awkward questions for the DM when the players wonder about where all the gear comes from. An example of working around this would be having the Wreath of Embers be an 80,000-160,000 GP value magic item after its death (with associated loss of functions), so a third to two-thirds of the "Triple Standard" treasure is the innate item, thus leaving the GM to work with only part of the value instead of going blind. Sure, items are only useful for some party members, but they can be sold for raw GP value and usually are anyways because there's only so much overlap to work with.

[afroakuma]

That's a much better phrasing of what I meant, yes. I'm a bit tired of pantheons with "all the gods are good or peacefully neutral except the one that's a power-hungry scheming traitor."

This thread is rather intended to broaden the possibilities. I'm glad it's succeeding! I do love the odd villain god, but having every pantheon contain a Lolth or Laduguer gets old fast.


More generally, thank you for taking the time to clarify and explain your reasoning to my repeated questions on ridiculously minor details.

Oh, happy to!


Ooh, fire fey. I'd never heard the word "laurence" like that, had to look it up, nice job. I like the justification for the boss-mechanic on the Storagael, that's neat and fun!

I love boss mechanics, ever since the skull lord in MMV. As for laurence, I owe that one to a round of Slang Teasers that I never ever forgot. Always happy to share new vocabulary!


A pretty consistent bother to me is having purely "Triple Standard" treasure on a Humanoid body-type with no specified items. It leaves awkward questions for the DM when the players wonder about where all the gear comes from.

I mean the reason I didn't specify items is because each storagael has their own arsenal of treasure - the most standard they get is that they all wear similar armor because it's easy for them to get from the fey realms, and even that is more of a handwave to justify indicating a kind of armor when calculating their AC. Storagaels no more need to be wearing +2 light fortification leafweave studded leather than a leir needs to be wearing bog-standard studded leather or have levels in Warrior - it's just an example. Some of a storagael's treasure will be things they lack any interest in using - a ring of fire resistance would be beyond useless to them. Some will be goods or art, some will be surplus weaponry they haven't found the right minion to award; it's not like you kill a storagael and it just explodes into a shower of random drops like a Diablo II act boss.

If you require an example of what a storagael's treasure might include, here's one. Plenty of random generators available to help you with this sort of thing.

The storagael's lair contains 2716 pp and 13574 gp collected in tolls from unwary travellers or looted from the slain. Some of this value may be in smaller coinage.

A gold cup set with emeralds, valued at 15000 gp, the Grail of the Westlands was intended to be presented as a peace offering between two hostile nations. When the messenger carriage traipsed across the boundary into the Faerie realm of the storagael, the fey used its magic to keep the driver lost until he died, then collected the cup to keep in its lair.

A precious jacinth, valued at 6000 gp, it was stolen by an adventurer from another Faerie realm. The fey of that place elected to get revenge by driving the adventurer into the storagael's domain, and the rest is history. It is currently displayed atop the storagael's throne.

A robe of bones worn by a necromancer in a party that thought to raid the storagael's domain. It did not go well for him. The storagael has zero interest in making use of this or in allocating this to a minion, so it sits folded in a closet somewhere in the storagael's stone manor.

Gloves of eldritch admixtureMIC worn by a warlock who defied the storagael. It did not go well for her. They are sealed in a chest until the next warlock comes along asking for the storagael's patronage and proves worthy.

A wand of freedom of movement (10 charges) that formerly belonged to the necromancer above. We all know how that went. The storagael cannot use this and so has just left it with the other things from that party.

A rod of defianceMIC borne by the cleric of another party who thought to drive the storagael's evil from their lands. It did not go well for her. The storagael has no use for this item and so it sits down in the dungeons, where it was left with the cleric (who died of starvation) because it was deemed irrelevant.

A metamagic rod of sculptingMIC that was the property of the sorcerer in the cleric's party. As is often the case, the storagael has no personal use for this, but it was a loan from the mages' guild and they want it back.

A trident of fish command used by a ranger who guided the cleric's party into the woodlands but who was more familiar with the seas and shores. No wonder it went badly for them. There are no fish in the storagael's lands and so the trident is currently a fancy decoration in the storagael's hall.

A rod of rulership that had been used by the bard in the necromancer's party - long since deceased. The storagael rules through fear, not 500 minutes of magic on the clock - it sits in an antechamber as bait for whatsoever fool desires to use it, as the storagael's powerful mind will burn them dead for trying.

A regal scepter set with sapphires, valued at 11000 gp, the symbol of the king who died when the two kingdoms resumed warring after the disappearance of the Grail of the Westerlands. The storagael sent fey servants out of its realm to collect it, purely out of spite, and it rests atop the Grail as a sign of the storagael's intractable will.

A blue diamond, valued at 5000 gp, taken from the cleric who owned it to be able to cast a raise dead spell. Didn't help since she died first. The fey left it on her because it was funny.

An eternal wand of cure serious woundsMIC owned by the same cleric. The storagael cannot use it and so it was left in the dungeons.

A gauntlet of rust which the storagael does wear, it having magically resized to fit the new bearer. It was taken from the fighter in the necromancer's party.

A runestaff of transmutationMIC wielded by the sorcerer in the cleric's party, it is useless to the storagael, who has it crossed with the trident of fish command as a fancy decoration in the hall.

A ring of freedom of movement worn by the bard in the necromancer's party. The storagael is wearing this, too.

A platinum locket ringed with garnets, valued at 8000 gp, it bears the signet of the prince whose late father had his scepter stolen. The prince and his party journeyed into the storagael's domain to retrieve the royal scepter. Obviously that went swimmingly.

A jeweled electrum ring, valued at 5000 gp, it too bears the prince's signet.

A silver dragon's draughtMIC that was part of the possessions of the prince's half-dragon bodyguard, intended to be used to breathe ice to repel the storagael. The bodyguard did drink the first of two successfully, but something awfully weird happened to them after that and the second draught was collected by a fey underling as a curiosity. If the storagael knew what it was, it would likely be spilled out or smashed, but at present it's just another curiosity collecting dust.

A personal oasisMIC used by the prince's party. Not that it helped.

Boots of levitation worn by the rogue in the cleric's party. No points for guessing what happened to her. The storagael has never even considered using these, nor would there be a ton of merit in levitating a Gargantuan creature.

A +2 rapier wielded by the fighter in the necromancer's party. It's part of the fancy decor now as the storagael is disinterested in using such a flimsy weapon and has no minion deserving of it at this time.

Hawkfeather armorMIC formerly worn by the druid who guided the prince's party. The storagael does wear this magically-resized armor.

A +2 breastplate of blinkingMIC worn by the half-dragon bodyguard. The storagael doesn't like wearing heavy armor and already has a better suit available.

As for the rest of the gear from these three parties, to say nothing of other visitors, it has been distributed to the storagael's minions or lost in other parts of the grand fey's domain.


An example of working around this would be having the Wreath of Embers

Yeah... no. The only reason it's an item and not an inherent ability is to prevent anything being able to copy it. It was going to just be a special quality.

[afroakuma]

Elltost
Diminutive Fey (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 1d6-1 (2 hp)
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares); fly 20 ft. (average)
Init: +9
AC 21; touch 21; flat-footed 16 (+5 Dex, +4 size, +2 deflection)
BAB +0; Grp -16
Attack Flame dagger +9 melee touch (4 fire) or singeing ray +9 ranged touch (1d3+1 fire)
Full Attack Flame dagger +9 melee touch (4 fire) or singeing ray +9 ranged touch (1d3+1 fire)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Kindle, singeing ray, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities DR 5/cold iron or special, immunity to fire, laurence, low-light vision, muspelguide, rekindle, SR 12, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort -1 Ref +7 Will +1
Abilities Str 2, Dex 21, Con 8, Int 5, Wis 8, Cha 13
Skills Climb +25, Jump +25, Move Silently +9
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Heroic Domains of Ysgard (Muspelheim)
Organization Solitary, pair, trio, flicker (4-10) or spray (11-60)
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always chaotic (any)
Advancement 2 HD (Diminutive); 3-4 HD (Tiny)

Often called "living sparks," elltosts are extraplanar fey of the fiery second layer of Ysgard, Muspelheim, who enjoy finding visitors and offering to escort them, sometimes leading them to dangerous or embarrassing places. Small enough to stand on a human's hand, elltosts are "sold" by enterprising merchants of Ysgard on metal-shod poles to serve as protection from the flames of the second layer. From time to time, an elltost will bumble its way across a planar boundary or into a rift or some sort and end up among other fey or in even stranger places, where its innate curiosity and childlike enthusiasm will almost certainly lead to minor fires being spread as the fey pokes and probes into nooks and crannies, heedless of the heat of its body, which can ignite flammable materials.

An elltost resembles a slender elfin gnome with glittering topaz eyes, including four very tiny extra eyes positioned above the two large ones. Wings like those of a butterfly emerge from its back, their edges trailing into wisps of flame, and what limited clothing they wear is normally nothing more than what is required to maintain the barest standards of modesty. Elltost hair is wavy and seems to maliciously disobey the laws of gravity, always flowing up from their scalp. Elltosts glow with an inner light that radiates from their translucent skin and hair, typically a bright orange-red, shifting to cyan when they are acting as guides and providing protection from the flames of Muspelheim.

Elltosts are quick, nimble, and easily distracted. They do not need to sleep and indeed find the idea quite silly and boring, have no need of water to drink, and can be fed anything that burns (which does include regular food, but an elltost will make a very cheerful meal out of a scrap of parchment while commenting on the compelling aged character of the flavor). Elltosts are quite friendly but often conflate friendship with pranks and overt acts of petty maliciousness - and their standards for what constitutes "petty maliciousness" may result in their "friends" suddenly finding themselves exposed to the flames of Muspelheim. Elltosts are not very intelligent or attentive, which makes their camaraderie an uncertain thing.

Elltosts speak Ignan and Sylvan, as well as either Celestial or Giant. They have been seen in both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and are known to associate with skogels.

Damage Reduction (Ex) An elltost's damage reduction can be bypassed either by a weapon made of cold iron, or by a weapon bearing a property that causes it to deal cold damage (such as frost, freezing burst, etc).

Kindle (Ex) When an elltost remains in the same place for 1 minute and is in contact with flammable material for the entire duration, the flammable material ignites. This is not an ability the elltost can deactivate; it must keep moving continuously if it wishes to avoid burning things. If the flammable material is an unattended object, this effect does not constitute a hostile action that breaks invisibility.

Laurence (Su) An elltost's body can naturally shed heat in waves that blur the fey's appearance and cause distortions in air pressure that can deflect harm. While active, this ability protects the elltost as a blur spell and provides a +2 deflection bonus to AC. The heat of this ability can be felt clearly and results in leaves smouldering, wood charring, snow melting, and earth scorching under the elltost's feet, reducing the DC to track or identify an elltost using its trail by 4. An elltost's equipment and clothing are always protected from this heat. The elltost can activate or deactivate this ability as a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Muspelguide (Ex) When on a plane or layer with the fire-dominant trait, an elltost can shelter a cylinder 15 ft. tall with a 15 ft. radius from the effects of the fire-dominant trait. This ability makes elltosts useful for conveying guests or travellers on Muspelheim, and they are also sometimes engaged for journeys to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Eltosts using this ability shed a bright cyan light rather than their normal orange-red coloration. This ability may be activated or deactivated as a full-round action.

Rekindle (Su) If an elltost's corpse is exposed to at least 5 points of fire damage within an hour of its death, the elltost comes back to life, suffering no ill effects.

Singeing Ray (Sp) An elltost can attack with a ray that singes what it touches for light fire damage, dealing 1d3 fire damage plus the elltost's Charisma modifier. The elltost must succeed on a ranged touch attack. Unlike normal touch attacks, metal, stone, or crystal armor and shields add their armor or shield bonus to AC against this attack, while those made of other materials that can singe or scorch do not. This ability is the equivalent of a 0th-level spell and is subject to spell resistance. Treat the elltost as a caster with level equal to its character level for the purpose of checking against spell resistance.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - dancing lights, faerie fire, flare (DC 11), raging flameSC, slow burnSC[/I]; 3/day - flame daggerSC, invisibility; 1/day - pyrotechnics (DC 13). Caster level 6th, save DCs Cha-based.

Skills An elltost has a +16 racial bonus to Climb and Jump, and uses its Dex modifier in place of its Str modifier for these skills.

Elfäng
Lesser Power of Ysgard
The Incinerator, Lord of Cinders, King of Shadows and Embers, Emberlord
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Forest fires, wildfires, renewal of forests, ecological succession, skogels, storagaels
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Muspelheim/Ellskåt
Symbol: A burning tree
Domains Animal, Chaos, Destruction, Fire, Plant, Renewal
Favored Weapon: Greataxe

An ancient god of wildfires and infernos, Elfäng has found himself enmeshed in the politics of the fey due to an unlikely set of circumstances - the birth of a storagael on the world that originally gave him worship, coupled with the withdrawal of the ancient fey goddess Rhiannon and the accession of Titania to her role, and finishing with the inadvertent destruction of a key shrine of Emmantiensien by Elfäng's fearful worshippers. This trifecta created the situation that resulted in an unlikely alliance between Elfäng and a scion of the treant god for the sake of managing the very force of nature that the fiery god represents.

Old and insular, Elfäng was venerated by druidic circles, foresters, woodland townsfolk, and adventurers on his home world, including fire giants who had turned from the worship of Surtur and sought a power who would enable the flames that gave them strength but not expect the world to be subsequently ended in smoke and embers. Burnt offerings would be made seasonally to Elfäng to pray for him to take the offering in place of sweeping his fiery arm across the woodland, and his druids would seek to create small controlled burns to ensure the forest would undergo renewal and succession. On this heavily-wooded world, the devastation of a mighty forest fire was always seen as a chaotic divine force of destruction and transformation, but with the ash-enriched soil bringing new life both vegetal and animal, the Emberlord ceased to be feared as a god of evil - destruction, certainly, but not malice.

Due to the events mentioned above, Elfäng has had a curious past few millennia - not only did he enter into a covenant to beget fey offspring by the tree spirit Fuinseog, but he has also become known on more worlds via the followers of Emmantiensien - a curious kind of revenge on the part of the treant god, but one that frustrates the quiet fire deity. In turn, having created the skogels, he is responsible for them and owes the thinnest fealty to Titania as a result. Lastly, she has charged him with taking up Rhiannon's charge over the storagaels - this duty, at least, is one that he can appreciate, as each of them is the living embodiment of a colossal wildfire, ready to break free anew. Myths of Elfäng variously place him as part of the Seelie Court, as a fire elemental, a fire giant, or even the spirit of an ancient treant that burned to death. One myth that is never repeated in his presence or that of his worshippers is that every time the fiery god sneezes, an elltost is born. Visitors to Elfäng's realm will be able to confirm that it's positively teeming with elltosts - it's considered very rude to point that out.

Elfäng is currently in a sort of cold war with Surtur over the faith of fire giants and has found the divine politics of those seeking to recruit him or oppose him all very irritating, a group that at one time or another has included Lathander, Kaelthiere, Imix, Zaaman Rul, and Talos. He has a cordial but curt relationship with a handful of forest deities, and rumor has it that he may still carry a torch for Fuinseog despite them having parted ways thousands of years ago.

[Laughing Dog]

AC 21; touch 21; flat-footed 14 (+5 Dex, +4 size, +2 deflection)


Shouldn't that flat-footed AC be 16?

Also, I find it amusing that the largest grouping of Elltost is called a spray. And that Elfäng may or may not sneeze them into being.

[afroakuma]

Shouldn't that flat-footed AC be 16?

Also, I find it amusing that the largest grouping of Elltost is called a spray. And that Elfäng may or may not sneeze them into being.

Yes it should. And since they're living sparks, I figured "spray" was pretty apropos.

[afroakuma]

Dreadwolf
Large Undead (Augmented Outsider, Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar)
HD 6d12+3 (42 hp)
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares); climb 30 ft.
Init: +8
AC 21; touch 12; flat-footed 18 (+9 natural, +3 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +19
Attack Bite +14 melee (2d8+9 and disease) or slam +14 melee (1d8+9 and disease)
Full Attack Bite +14 melee (2d8+9 and disease) and 1d4 quills +9 melee (1d6+4 and disease) or slam +14 melee (1d8+9 and disease) and 1d4 quills +9 melee (1d6+4 and disease)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Disease, howl, quills
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/slashing, fast healing 3, immunity to cold, immunity to magic missile, scent, see invisibility, turn resistance +4
Saves Fort +5 Ref +9 Will +7
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con -, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills Climb +26, Hide +9, Listen +17, Move Silently +13, Search +5, Spot +17, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks)
Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Power AttackB, ToughnessB, TrackB
Environment Castle of the Shuddering Rift (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24010873&postcount=827)
Organization Solitary or gang (2-5)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement 7-10 HD (Large); 11-18 HD (Huge)

Horrid creations of a renegade wizard, dreadwolves are malign and twisted undead fueled by a warped kind of magic that fuses a disease into their unliving flesh. The dark energies that sustain them drive dreadwolves to spread, hunt, corrupt, and devour, while making them viciously durable - a hallmark of the evil mage's works. Though barely intelligent, every animating desire of the dreadwolf is bent towards malevolence in the service of their creator, and the magic that constructs a dreadwolf provides unholy opportunities for the caster who dares delve into such secrets.

Dreadwolves speak one language of their creator's choosing out of those the creator knows, chosen at the time of creation, and have a grasp of the language and its nuances based on their creator's Intelligence score rather than their own; however, they are illiterate and possess no great aptitude for understanding what they overhear beyond the raw meaning (e.g. if a dreadwolf heard an instruction to "take care of the ogre," it would not understand contextually that the ogre was to be slain as opposed to nursed back to health).

Disease (Ex) A dreadwolf's melee attacks may transmit a particularly virulent form of filth fever (DC 14), as does making an unarmed or natural attack against a dreadwolf (grappling with a dreadwolf imposes a -4 penalty to the saving throw to resist the infection). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Howl (Su) All beings other than undead that are within range of a dreadwolf's howling for an hour or longer are subject to its effect, though it does not help the dreadwolf in combat. Anyone within hearing range of a dreadwolf for a full hour must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or take 1 point of Wisdom damage. The save DC is Charisma-based. The save must be repeated for each hour of exposure. This is a disease effect and not a sonic mind-affecting effect - the sound is merely the distance at which the supernatural disease will carry.

Quills (Ex) A dreadwolf's neck bristles with long bony spines similar to a howler's quills. While biting, the creature thrashes about, striking with 1d4 of them. An opponent hit by a dreadwolf's quill attack must succeed on a DC 17 Reflex save or have the quill break off in their flesh. Lodged quills impose a -1 penalty on attacks, saves, and checks per quill. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

A quill can be removed safely with a DC 20 Heal check; otherwise, removing a quill deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.

See Invisibility (Sp) Once per day as a standard action, a dreadwolf may see invisibility as the spell (caster level 6th).

Dreadwolves are howlers with the juju zombieUE, hunterLM, diseasedLM, and evolved undeadLM templates. The juju zombie's immunity to electricity has been replaced with immunity to cold, and the howler's howl has been adjusted from a mind-affecting sonic effect to a disease effect.

Create Dreadwolf
Necromancy [Chaos, Evil]
Level: Corrupt 6
Components: V, S, M, Corrupt
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

An unholy spell created by the heretical mage Galan Dracos and derived from create undead, this profane rite transforms the corpse of a beast into a dreadwolf, a relentless undead tracker with ferocious strength and terrible durability. Unlike create undead, this spell binds the dreadwolf into the service of the caster, and a created dreadwolf does not count against the HD limit of undead that a single caster can control via effects such as animate dead. Dreadwolves can benefit from any spell that could affect a familiar, and as long as a dreadwolves is on the same plane as its master, divination spells and effects can be cast through the link onto the dreadwolves as though the caster was the dreadwolves (so a caster could use clairvoyance to see from the dreadwolf's location, or cast true seeing to give the dreadwolf the benefits of true seeing instead of the caster. While dreadwolves can only follow simple instructions, they benefit from the relative awareness of their master, so if the master charges the dreadwolf to chase down a particular target, the dreadwolf will use the master's knowledge of that target's appearance, mannerisms, scent, etc. to hunt, adding to its knowledge either through its own experiences or those of the master.

Dreadwolves cannot exist without their master - when the caster of this spell dies, any dreadwolves so created are immediately destroyed.

This spell must be cast at night.

Material Component: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and another filled with brackish water. The spell must be cast on the dead body of a quadrupedal canine. You must place a black onyx gem worth at least 300 gp into one eye socket, an emerald worth at least 100 gp into the other, and a humanoid heart inside the mouth. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless shells. The spell also requires a piece of bone from a demon, demodand, or howler.

Corruption Cost: 1d4 points of Wisdom damage.

[Metastachydium]

Dreadwolf
Large Undead (Augmented Outsider, Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar)

I'm not sure I understand where the augmented outsider subtype comes from.


BAB +6; Grp +19

How did it end up having full BAB?

[Tzardok]

If you follow the link in the environment, you'll see that this creature started out as howler (which are outsiders) with the template juju zombie and a few other templates. That also explains the BAB.

[afroakuma]

Zart
Zart 1st-level Warrior
Medium Humanoid (Zart)
HD 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 11; flat-footed 15 (+3 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +1
Attack Bastard sword +2 melee (1d10+1, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Bastard sword +2 melee (1d10+1, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Stroke of luck
Special Qualities Curious, defy destiny, focus fortune, low-light vision, tail, unforeseeable
Saves Fort +3 Ref +1 Will -2
Abilities Str 11, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 10
Skills Balance +5*, Disguise -4*, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (geography) +2
Feats Lucky StartB, CS (focus fortune allocated to +1 luck bonus to melee attack rolls), Unbelievable LuckCS (focus fortune allocated to +1 luck bonus to weapon damage rolls)
Environment Any
Organization Solitary, trio, band (5-10) or troupe (11-20)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often chaotic good
Advancement by class; Favored Class Bard
Level Adjustment +0

Feckless and adventurous, zarts are a younger race in the multiverse, explorers and wanderers with a song in their heart, a spring in their step, and an apocalyptic goddess waiting for them at the end of their lives.

Zarts may bring to mind foxes, squirrels, or raccoons - though humanoid, they possess two distinguishing features that instantly mark them out. The first is a "domino mask" pattern of dark and velvety skin around their eyes, which gives them a roguish appearance and brings to mind the facial pattern of a raccoon. The second is a large, bushy tail, rather resembling that of a giant squirrel, and several shades darker than the zart's overall skin tone. Zart skin has a hue described as "orange-brown," though they can be so pale as to appear virtually indistinguishable from a pale-skinned human, or have middling color that might be mistaken for a tan, or be dark enough so as to be nearly identical to a dark-skinned human. They run the gamut from champagne to sand to buff to tawny to saffron to rich auburn. Zart hair tends to mirror the color of their tails - several shades darker than their skin but still in an orange-red-brown color space, with a rare few having jet-black hair and tail. Grey and white streaks are common with age. The average zart stands about 5'4" tall, though the tallest are up to 6 ft. in height and the shortest may barely clear 4 ft. tall.

Zarts have been described as "a people who think they're incredibly agile and athletic," and indeed they have been known to get along quite well with halflings, who outpace them in acrobatic skill and are more dextrous by far. The two races share an uncanny luck - though where the luck of halflings is constant and to their mild advantage, the luck of a zart is a fluid thing that seems to evolve in keeping with the zart's passions and aptitudes. On their homeworld of Majas, zarts have had to shoulder an unduly malign reputation as "the People of the Evil Sign," which has become tempered over the past millennium but still exists in anti-zart slurs and attitudes. The heart of zartkind is Valstiba, where the Grand Karaliene's palace contains the Seven Gates, portals which each awaken once per year for a three-day period, allowing zarts to wander off to new worlds and realities. It is said that the Grand Karaliene has seven windows atop the tallest tower from which she can witness the journeys of her people. Each Gate is a one-way portal, and while not all of the destinations are known, one goes to Sigil, another links to Faerûn, and a third is known to connect to a far-off Prime world filled with cyclopean ruins, living metal golems, and wild adventures.

Zart society is clannish and traditionally matriarchal, with the great clans each led by a karaliene, or queen. While there have been some shifts in these traditions among certain clans and breakaway septs, even male leaders adopt the title of karaliene and are expected to wear the appropriate regalia. The original four clans were founded in keeping with the Grand Song of Majas, with the musicians who first joined together in song becoming the first karalienes. Splintering, intermarriage, disaporas, and the like have significantly altered the clan structure over time, but the current list has remained relatively constant for the past few centuries.




Clan
Heraldry
Clan Spell
Clan Color
Instrument
Notes




Rozasird
Heart
animate weaponCM
Pink
Voice
The clan of the Grand Karaliene and the only remaining original clan, resides on Majas


Zvaigzne
Star or fireball
fly
Orange
Trumpet
Considered a "reborn" original clan, lives on many worlds


Pakav
Horse
haste
Purple
Drums
The second "splinter" clan to form and the oldest such clan remaining, none live on Majas, most common zarts on the Planes


Abolin
Cloverleaf
alter fortunePHBII
Green
Uilleann pipe
Claiming to be the heirs to one of the original clans, consider themselves "the most fortunate," majority are on Eberron


Zilmene
Crescent
invisibility sphere
Blue
Fiddle
A sept of the original Dzeltenmene clan that has replaced their progenitors after the main clan suddenly vanished


Varaviksne
Bow
dimension stepPHBII
Yellow (and blue and pink)
Harp
An older sept turned full clan, predominant on Toril, with a karaliene who wants to rival the Grand Karaliene for ostentation


Sarkanbalon
Inverted egg
gaseous form
Red
Flute
The fourth "splinter" clan and second oldest remaining, often found spelljamming. Their karaliene is by tradition a cleric of Zinkare


Vienrad
Unicorn
prismatic mistPHBII
White
Bells
The youngest major clan, occasionally found in fey realms, closer to the fey than other clans




Zarts live life to the fullest whenever possible, always conscious of the dread spectre of their patron goddess awaiting at the end of their lives. This makes them natural adventurers, storytellers, and artisans. While most zarts tend toward good as they embrace not just their own personal fulfillment but the enrichment of the lives of others, some descend into nihilistic hedonism, which can make them dangerous adversaries as their luck does not count any less for having a malefic disposition. Zarts find it difficult to get along with some long-lived races, particularly elves and dwarves, though they get on famously with gnomes and halflings. Zarts often venerate but rarely revere their patron goddess - theirs is more of a careful dread, and while she is shown deference and worship enough to keep her in power, zart clerics are more likely to worship local gods of the worlds they have emigrated to. Zarts greatly enjoy music and are wildly curious. Because of their incredible diaspora and the vast array of worlds and peoples that they have mingled among, zarts off of Majas have long since lost their ancestral language, Valoda, and defaulted to Common, picking up an unbelievable variety of different tongues in their journeys. Nearly any tongue that is spoken by non-hostile beings may be known to zarts, and even then some few will have managed to learn a tongue like Stonesinger or Aboleth or Yuan-ti, though these are the exception and not the rule.

Curious (Ex) A zart who is within 5 ft. of a figment effect is immediately permitted a Will save to disbelieve, as their inquisitive minds begin to latch onto details that don't quite line up. This ability functions only once per figment effect - once a zart has decided the illusion passes muster, there must be some new evidence presented to challenge what the zart believes to be true. This curiosity also has negative consequences - zarts take a -2 penalty on saving throws to avoid being dazzled or fascinated as they struggle to turn their attention away.

Defy Destiny (Ex) As an immediate action, a zart can choose to delay the non-hit point effects of a single attack, spell, or ability used against them. The effects do not take hold until the end of their next turn. For example, if a zart was affected by a spell that dealt 12 damage and 3 Constitution damage, the zart would suffer the 12 damage immediately and put off the Constitution damage until the end of their next turn. Using this ability consumes a luck reroll.

Focus Fortune (Ex) Zarts rely on a curious combination of skill and luck to make their way in the world, driven by their ability to "focus" their luck in particular ways. Each time a zart selects a luck featCS, the zart benefits from a permanent luck bonus to a particular roll or attribute. This bonus also stands in for another feat for the purpose of prerequisites - what others accomplish through training, the zart is just preternaturally capable of doing. A zart who loses access to a luck feat loses the corresponding luck bonus and effective prerequisite feat. Each luck feat allows the zart to choose from the below table:




Luck Bonus
Equivalent Feat




+1 luck bonus to Jump and Tumble checks
Acrobatics


+1 luck bonus to Balance and Escape Artist checks
Agile


+1 luck bonus to Listen and Spot checks
Alertness


+1 luck bonus to Climb and Swim checks
Athletic


+2 luck bonus to attack rolls against a foe with concealment
Blind-Fight


+1 luck bonus to checks or rolls made to disarm, feint, or trip an opponent
Combat Expertise


+1 luck bonus to Disguise and Forgery checks
Deceitful


+1 luck bonus to initiative checks
Dodge


+2 luck bonus to Constitution checks
Endurance


+1 luck bonus to Fortitude saves
Great Fortitude


+1 luck bonus to Gather Information and Search checks
Investigator


+1 luck bonus to Will saves
Iron Will


+1 luck bonus to Reflex saves
Lightning Reflexes


+1 luck bonus to Spellcraft and Use Magic Device checks
Magical Aptitude


+1 luck bonus to AC
Mobility


+1 luck bonus to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks
Negotiator


+1 luck bonus to Disable Device and Open Lock checks
Nimble Fingers


+1 luck bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks
Persuasive


+1 luck bonus to ranged attack rolls
Point Blank Shot


+1 luck bonus to melee attack rolls
Power Attack


+1 luck bonus to Heal and Survival checks
Self-Sufficient


+2 luck bonus to a single skill
Skill Focus


+1 luck bonus to the DC to dispel your spells of your chosen school
Spell Focus


+1 luck bonus to caster level checks
Spell Penetration


+1 luck bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks
Stealthy


+1 luck bonus to weapon damage rolls (including natural weapons)
Weapon Focus




Stroke of Luck (Ex) Once per day as a swift action, a zart may turn a successful attack into a stroke of luck. The attack must have successfully hit its target and dealt at least 1 point of damage after taking into account damage reduction, hardness, and any other such deduction from the total damage. The damage of the attack is increased by the zart's current number of available luck rerolls. This additional damage is considered precision damage and does not apply against creatures immune to critical hits.

Tail (Ex) Zarts possess a long, bushy tail that aids in balance. A zart with their tail has a +4 racial bonus to Balance checks, but suffers a -4 penalty to Disguise checks to appear as a member of a different race. The tail also provides a +2 bonus to the zart's opposed Strength check to avoid being tripped, but opponents attempting to grapple a zart with their tail get a +2 bonus to their melee touch attack to initiate a grapple. Some zarts choose to dock their tails, which removes this ability and can be safely performed with a DC 25 Heal check and 5 points of slashing damage. A docked tail can be restored via regenerate and similar effects.

Unforeseeable (Ex) Zarts are immune to the direct effects of any kind of divination spell, clairsentience power, or any other ability or effect of less than godly strength that would foresee or predict their future. A spell or ability which produces a sensor (e.g. scrying) or provides information on the present (e.g. detect magic, see invisibility) or past (e.g. legend lore, sensitivity to psychic impressions) functions as normal. Zarts are incapable of choosing to admit some effects and decline others, which means they cannot benefit from moment of prescience, true strike, foresight, precognition, augury and so forth, nor can such effects benefit another when involving the zart (e.g. an attacker gains no benefit from true strike, precognition etc. when attacking a zart). Their actions cannot be predicted via contact other plane, divination, and similar effects.

Zart Characters

• -2 Wis, +2 Cha. Zarts are impulsive and easily distracted but always confident, a trait that makes them seem charming.
• Medium-size.
• A zart's base speed is 30 ft.
• A zart gains one of Healer's LuckCS, Lucky BreakCS, Lucky CatchCS, Lucky FingersCS, Lucky StartCS, Sly FortuneCS, or Victor's LuckCS as a bonus feat.
• A zart gains one additional luck reroll per day.
• Zarts are humanoids.
• Low-light vision
• Zarts are proficient with one light, one-handed, or ranged exotic weapon of their choice.
• Zarts have a +2 racial bonus to Sleight of Hand checks. They are considered trained in Sleight of Hand and it is always a class skill for them.
• A zart gets two extra skill points at 1st level which must be allocated to Craft, Knowledge, Perform, and/or Profession. The zart treats their selection(s) as being on their class skill list.
• Zarts get a +1 racial bonus to initiative checks. They are always ready to jump into action.
• Zarts are immune to the enslave ability possessed by certain creatures such as neogi and aboleths. Other kinds of mental compulsion affect them normally.
• A zart that becomes host to a tween does not benefit from the tween's abilities, nor does the tween parasitize the luck of those around the zart as normal. Instead, the zart loses access to one luck reroll per day and does not regain luck rerolls daily while so bonded. When the zart runs out of luck rerolls entirely, they must choose one of their focus fortune benefits - the luck bonus provided by that benefit becomes a luck penalty instead. A zart with neither luck rerolls nor focus fortune benefits remaining to "feed" to the parasitic tween suffers 1 point of Charisma drain each day (Will DC 20 negates, +1 to the DC for each prior successful save) and dies when their Charisma reaches zero, rising as a neveiksmig 24 hours later.
• Curious: as above
• Defy Destiny: as above
• Focus Fortune: as above
• Stroke of Luck: as above
• Tail: as above
• Unforeseeable: as above
• Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Armandish, Asherati, Auran, Bhuka, Buommi, Celestial, Darfellan, Desmodu, Diabolan, Draconic, Feline, Giant, Gith, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Gol-Kaa, Hadozee, Halfling, Ibixian, Ignan, Illumian, Infernal, Kenku, Loxo, Lupin, Maenad, Mongrel, Neraph, Orc, Slaad, Sphinx, Sylvan, Terran, Thri-Kreen, Treant, Tuilvalanuue, Undercommon, Urskan, Valoda, Xeph.
• Favored Class: Bard
• Level Adjustment: +0

[Tzardok]

Y'know, the first thing I did when I saw this post was laugh, because "zart" is the German word for tender or gentle. :smallbiggrin:

Anyway, a race of pseudo-squirrels based on luck that travel worlds. Sounds like fun to play. Luck feats are rarely seen, and holy crap! That must be the longest list of bonus languages I've ever seen that wasn't simply "all".

[afroakuma]

Neveiksmig

Though many have made an intensive study of undeath, there exist corners of the macabre world of necromancy that continue to defy full explanation. Where undeath intersects with the mysteries of luck and fate, few concrete answers can be found - and this bizarre conjunction of circumstances is that which gives rise to the neveiksmig.

Skeletal and emaciated, neveiksmigs are physically withered corpses of the creatures they were in life. Wisps of darkness flutter around them like rags flapping in a strong wind. Tiny objects seem to animate or levitate around a neveiksmig, sometimes being caught in an eddy around the monstrosity as it moves, other times bouncing away or clattering down harmlessly as it passes. The easiest way - and the most dangerous - to distinguish a neveiksmig is by looking into its eyes, for a neveiksmig has only deep black pits where eyes should be, each one appearing to suck in a cyan light from the environment, creating a luminous corona that plummets into the abyssal darkness. If this is not enough to set them apart, the shadows will - flickering images of alternate actions the neveiksmig could have taken but did not may sometimes appear around it, an unsettling distortion of reality that shows how severely fractured the world is when such a creature is allowed to exist.

Neveiksmigs possess the skills and aptitudes they had in life, but very few of the mannerisms or personality of their living self - any vestiges of the being they once were are almost always coincidental, when not deliberately affected to cause emotional pain. A neveiksmig is filled with certitude in the doom of all things except itself, and finds excitement and pleasure in the idea of helping to expedite destruction, misfortune, and woe. They possess a deep hunger to devour the luck of others and replace it with suffering and curses - while they cannot define the nature of the curse their touch bestows, it will always attack the victim's insecurities and magnify their despair. This hunger is a craving that fuels them to spread their malice as far and wide as they can, and few things can abate their cruelty for long (though they will always stop at a line of caraway, or for a taste of honey, which they prize even more than the taste of luck). From time to time, a neveiksmig simply stands still and lets its gaze slowly erode those captivated by it, entranced by the flashes and flickers of its victims' twisting futures, which it can witness at the same time as they do. Neveiksmigs are said to see the world but fail to appreciate it or truly understand it - even though they possess clear common sense, the notion of "meaning" escapes them. For this reason even evil beings who become neveiksmigs are virtual strangers to their former associates - the goals and motivations of the being they were while alive are alien curiosities to a neveiksmig. A conqueror may become an aesthetic hedonist, a crime lord an itinerant wanderer, an assassin a macabre interrogator and chronicler.

Creating a Neveiksmig
"Neveiksmig" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal living creature with at least 3 Intelligence. (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A neveiksmig uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented base creature's type). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice
Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.

Speed
Increase the base creature's ground movement speed by the lesser of 10 ft. or its current speed (e.g. a creature with a speed of 5 ft. would increase to 10 ft. total). A neveiksmig retains the other movement speeds of the base creature and gains a fly speed equal to half of its adjusted ground speed (rounded up) with perfect maneuverability if it did not possess one previously.

Armor Class
Deduct 2 from the base creature's natural armor bonus, if applicable. A neveiksmig uses the equipment it had in life which may include armor and shields. A neveiksmig gains a +2 dodge bonus to armor class from the eddies of fortune and misfortune swirling around it and distorting its true position.

Attack
A neveiksmig retains all the attacks of the base creature. If the base creature can use weapons, the neveiksmig retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A neveiksmig fighting without weapons uses its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A neveiksmig armed with a weapon uses that weapon.

Full Attack
A neveiksmig fighting without weapons uses its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack. A neveiksmig gains a ranged attack using the objects caught in its eddies - these are treated as improvised weapons with a 30 ft. range, and the type of damage dealt is usually randomly assigned between piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning. In certain environments (e.g. a quarry full of smooth rocks, a thorny wood) the nature of the objects surrounding the neveiksmig may be such that the damage type is not random (for instance, small rocks will deal bludgeoning damage). The neveiksmig may make a number of attacks with these as a full attack action as allowed by its base attack bonus, plus an additional such attack at its highest attack bonus.

Damage
The damage of a neveiksmig's natural weapons remains unchanged. The neveiksmig's ranged attack deals 1d4+1 damage and applies a critical for double damage only on a natural roll of 20.

Special Attacks
A neveiksmig retains the base creature's special attacks and gains the following:

Curse Amplification (Su) Creatures under the effect of a curse suffer a -2 penalty to their armor class and saving throws while within 60 ft. of a neveiksmig. The following effects are considered to be curses for this purpose (note that this list is not exhaustive):

aboleth curseSW, anathemaCoR, backlashMoF, bedevilCoR, bestow curse, bestow greater curseSC, black karma cursePHBII, cryptwarden's graspCM, curse of arrow attractionPHBII, curse of ill fortuneSC, curse of impending bladesSC, curse of lycanthropySC, curse of petty failingMini, curse of the elemental lordsDM, curse of the putrid huskBoVD, cursed dragonmarkDmark, cursed items, cursed wounds, evil eyeBoVD, eyebite, familial geasHoH, geas, ghoul gauntletSC, hexblade's curseCWar, insanity, jungle's raptureSC, Laeral's crowning touchCoS:W, legion's curse of impending bladesSC, legion's curse of petty failingMini, lesser geas, mark of justice, mark of sinCC, mark of the outcastSC, mass curse of ill fortuneSC, mass curse of impending bladesSC, necrotic curseCM, reality blindBoVD, rotting curse of UrfestraBoVD, scourgeSC, spider curseSC, suppress legacySC, symphonic nightmareSC, touch of JuiblexBoVD, touch of VecnaCM, touch of yearsCM, Tyche's touchLEoF (curse function only), unluckSC

Fatewarping Gaze (Su) Fascination, 30 ft., Will negates. A creature who starts its turn fascinated by this gaze must make another Will save or suffer 1 point of Charisma drain. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 the neveiksmig's HD + the neveiksmig's Charisma modifier. Creatures affected by this gaze who survive gain an unusual ability - from 1 hour after they are so affected up until 1 week later, the victim of the gaze is haunted by the flickering and nebulous images of a bad event happening in their future. As an immediate action during this time period, the victim may add the neveiksmig's Charisma bonus (if any) as an insight bonus to any one attack roll, skill check, or saving throw, as the glimpse of their fate resolves into an immediate realization about how to change it. This benefit cannot be "collected" from multiple neveiksmigs - only the most recent gaze to which the victim has been exposed and been fascinated by applies. A creature drained to 0 Charisma in this way dies and rises 24 hours later as a neveiksmig. This ability does not function if the base creature did not have eyes. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.

Miasma (Ex) Creatures with the fey type perceive a thick black miasma similar to a stinking cloud centered on the neveiksmig at all times. A fey entering the area of this miasma suffers the effects of being within a stinking cloud, and the miasma provides concealment to the neveiksmig against fey in the same manner that a stinking cloud would. Unlike the vapors produced by that spell, the miasma is not a true cloud but instead a manifestation of the reality-warping toxicity of the neveiksmig, and cannot be thinned or dispersed by wind, etc.

On the Plane of Faerie, or any fey-created demiplane, the radius of this effect doubles and affects any kind of living creature, not just fey.

Touch of Adversity (Su) A neveiksmig can make a melee touch attack to deliver a distorting pulse of misfortune that roars with thunder and afflicts the victim with ill luck. This touch attack deals 1d8 sonic damage + the neveiksmig's Charisma modifier. A creature so touched must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the neveiksmig's HD + the neveiksmig's Charisma modifier). Failure means that the victim is affected by bestow curse using the neveiksmig's character level as the caster level. The victim may expend one daily luck reroll (or use of the granted power of the Luck domain, or action point) to avert this curse. A victim already under the effect of a curse (as described under curse amplification) takes 2d8 sonic damage + the neveiksmig's Charisma modifier instead and suffers 1d4 Charisma damage. Each time Charisma damage is dealt in this way, the neveiksmig gains 5 temporary hit points. A victim that reaches 0 Charisma dies and rises 24 hours later as a neveiksmig.

Special Qualities
The neveiksmig retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains the following:

Darkvision (Ex) A neveiksmig has darkvision out to 60 ft.

Luckdrinker (Ex) Whenever a luck reroll (or the granted power of the Luck domain, or action point) is expended within 60 ft. of a neveiksmig, or whenever a curse effect (as described under curse amplification) affects a creature within 60 ft. of a neveiksmig, it gains an additional luck reroll which expires if not used in 24 hours. If two or more neveiksmigs are within range, they must make opposed Charisma checks, with the highest result being the one to acquire the additional reroll (on a tie, no neveiksmig gets it).

Resistances (Ex) A neveiksmig gains resistance to electricity 10 and sonic 10.

Splintered Fate (Sp) A neveiksmig is constantly shadowed by mirror images that appear to be taking slightly different actions from one another. Each represents a possible path for the neveiksmig's fortune to take. The neveiksmig has 1d4+4 images at any given time and can replenish them once per hour as a full-round action. Whenever the neveiksmig expends a luck reroll, one of its images automatically disappears - a casualty of the path that fortune never took.

Turn Resistance (Ex) A neveiksmig has +2 turn resistance.

Warp Fate (Su) As long as the neveiksmig has mirror images remaining from its splintered fate ability, it may expend a luck reroll as a swift action to take an additional standard action.

Weaknesses
Neveiksmigs are afraid of frogs and toads for reasons unknown; a neveiksmig that sees a frog or toad is shaken for as long as it can see such an animal, whether alive or dead. Only an actual frog or toad will do (though planar versions of such creatures have been known to work) - giant versions, and creatures that merely bear a strong resemblance to frogs or toads, do not trigger this effect.

A neveiksmig will not cross a line of caraway seeds. If forced across such a line, it will be stunned for 1d4 rounds.

Neveiksmigs have a strong hunger for honey, and destroyed beehives may signal the presence of a neveiksmig. An offering of honey provides a +8 bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks made to influence a neveiksmig. A neveiksmig who consumes at least 1 cup of honey suffers 2 points of Dexterity damage and 2 points of Wisdom damage (bypassing the normal undead immunity to ability damage), recovering 1 point per day as a living creature would. Honey affects a neveiksmig like strong alcohol would affect a human and leads to unpredictable moods.

Abilities
Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str -2, Dex +4, Wis +6, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a neveiksmig has no Constitution score.

Skills
Neveiksmigs have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate, Search, and Sense Motive checks. Otherwise same as base creature.

Feats
Same as base creature, plus one of Lucky BreakCS, Lucky CatchCS, Lucky FingersCS, Lucky StartCS, Sly FortuneCS, or Victor's LuckCS as a bonus feat; Fortuitous StrikeCS as a bonus feat; and Unbelievable LuckCS as a bonus feat.

Languages
As base creature.

Environment
Any

Challenge Rating
Same as the base creature +2.

Alignment
Changes to chaotic evil.

When applying the evolved undeadLM template to a neveiksmig, a few adjustments may take place:

Special Attacks
Roll on the following table instead of the standard evolved undead table to see what spell-like ability the neveiksmig gains:




d12
Spell-Like Ability




1
circle of death


2
confusion


3
cursed bladeSC


4
eyebite


5
greater dispel magic


6
greater invisibility


7
mass curse of ill fortuneSC


8
necrotic curseCM


9
scourgeSC


10
touch of VecnaCM


11
unholy blight


12
unluckSC




Abilities
A neveiksmig gains +2 Strength or +2 Dexterity, and also gains +2 Charisma as normal.

[afroakuma]

Tween
Small Outsider (Extraplanar)
HD 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +5
AC 12; touch 12; flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -4
Attack Short sword +1 melee (1d4-1, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Short sword +1 melee (1d4-1, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Bond, darkvision 60 ft., detect thoughts, empathic link, pass boundary
Saves Fort +3 Ref +3 Will +3
Abilities Str 9, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills Bluff +6, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +5, Hide +5, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spot +5
Feats Improved Initiative
Environment Ethereal Plane
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 2-3 HD (Small)

The tween was originally printed in the 1E Fiend Folio and reprinted in the 2E Fiend Folio. This is an adaptation of an existing monster.

Bizarre and parasitic entities of the Border Ethereal, tweens are a boon to the lone adventurer and a plague to parties. Bereft of experiences on their home plane, tweens search across the Ethereal boundary for intelligent creatures with whom to bond in order to vicariously enjoy existence by figuratively and literally shadowing someone with a life more exciting than their own. The strange metabolism of the tween is the source of scholarly interest in these odd creatures, for while an unbonded tween is an omnivore subsisting on such plant life and fauna as it can find around the Ethereal Plane, a bonded tween appears to eat or otherwise absorb luck from those in close proximity to its host, exuding a curious and desirable byproduct - the host's own luck seems to improve through empathic visions of the future and minor distortions of reality that alter fortune in the host's favor.

In its rarely-seen natural form, a tween is a stumpy, stocky, squat, ugly humanoid with no neck and stubby limbs - unlovable perhaps, but also thoroughly unremarkable. When bonded to a host, the tween's body becomes incorporeal and takes on the host's shape, visible in bright illumination as a smoky or shadowy "outline" or silhouette of the host that appears at all times within 5 ft. of them. While in this state, the tween lacks any capacity to engage in combat on the host's plane - only on the Ethereal can it participate. If pressed into combat, a tween wields a straightforward melee weapon such as a short sword, mace, axe, or spear.

Hosts bonded to a tween may be fortunate, but they quickly draw the wrong kind of attention from those around them, who experience their luck turning on them. Their emotions may also intensify drastically as the tween's inexperience and hedonism cause empathic feedback. Tweens have been sought out by scholars, sages, and mighty mages in search of answers to the questions their existence raises, as well as those who believe the luck bestowed by a tween will benefit them more than it will prove a hindrance. Tweens have no society - rarely (10% of the time) will more than one be encountered in close proximity, as two tweens cannot bond the same host. On the Ethereal Plane they are considered by most other locals to be among the lowest forms of life to be found there. Ethergaunts in particular hunt them to vivisect, as the blood of a tween is a useful alchemical reagent for some ethergaunt experiments, while their eyes and dust made from their ground bones are used as intoxicants, hallucinogenics, and nootropics by the alien race.

Though their origin is a mystery, sages postulate that tweens may be descended from the ancient kyleen, a race scattered and transformed by a terrible chaos plague. If so, it would make them relatives of the devetes, the mysterious emotional mimics of the Astral Plane. Tweens are not known to speak but possess the capacity to learn and articulate language.

Bond (Ex) Tweens seek out intelligent creatures to bond with, peering across the Ethereal boundary and using their detect thoughts ability to seek out those with enough intellect to make for stimulating hosts. They avoid other outsiders, aberrations, fey, and undead when selecting a host. Once the tween finds a suitable candidate, it will follow that creature through the Ethereal medium, gradually acclimating itself to its prospective host. After 1d8+4 hours, the bonding is complete, and only a wish, miracle, or the death of one of the two beings in the bond will cause it to break.

While bonded to a host, a tween becomes incorporeal and ceases to require material sustenance. In bright illumination it can be seen as a smoky or shadowy outline or silhouette of its host, always standing within 6 feet (the tween's own movement speed becomes immaterial thanks to the bond). The host benefits from the tween's strange perception of reality and manipulation of luck - any time the host would need to make an attack roll, saving throw, skill check, or ability check, they roll twice and take the better result. Creatures within 50 ft. of the host suffer an inversion of this effect - any time any other creature (friend or foe) would need to make such a roll, they roll twice and take the worse result.

Tweens warp the fabric of reality to influence luck, which has strange interactions with luck rerolls, such as those granted by luck featsCS, the Luck domain, the spell choose destiny, and others. The following notes apply when a tween is influencing a being (either positively or negatively):

• In the general case, if a being could reroll due to luck and is bonded to a tween, any use of the reroll effect instead adds a +4 luck modifier to the roll (e.g. if using the reroll from the Luck domain, the bonded creature rolls twice and adds a +4 luck bonus to the winning result).
• In the general case, if a being could reroll due to luck and is within 50 ft. of a tween-bonded creature, any use of the reroll effect instead "counteracts" the requirement to roll twice and use the worse result (e.g. if using the reroll from the Luck domain, the affected creature rolls only once as normal, rather than either rolling twice and taking the worse result or rolling a second time and taking the second result).
• Choose destinyRoD totally overrides the effects of a tween for both good and ill - luck has already applied in both possible futures, and the spell's guidance is showing the ultimate outcomes, which the tween lacks the power to further tamper with. This applies only to the creature affected by choose destiny, other creatures remain affected as normal.
• A ring of anticipationDotU overrides the effects of a tween on initiative checks for the wearer - the ring functions on the basis of divination, not luck, and is revealing futures to the wearer.
• Insight of good fortunePHBII follows the general case; despite being a divination effect, it functions on the basis of luck, and the tween destroys that as per normal.
• The Luck of Battle ability of the Sanctified One of KordCC follows the general case.
• The Trivial KnowledgeRoS feat allows rolling twice and taking the better result regardless of whether the tween would allow or disallow it, and does not impart the +4 luck bonus for a bonded creature. This knowledge is predicated on being a big giant nerd, not on luck, and the tween has nothing to do with helping a gnome get a life already.

A tween's impact on action pointsECS is less extreme (action points represent heroic effort and willpower just as much as, if not moreso than, that extra helping of luck) but still present. A creature bonded to a tween that expends an action point to get a bonus on a roll gets an extra +1 bonus to the outcome, while a creature within 50 ft. of a bonded creature suffers a -1 penalty to the outcome. As an example, if Jorgeth the 5th level fighter expends an action point to improve a roll while bonded to a tween, he rolls 1d6+1 to see how much he adds to the roll; if his friend Maralie the 9th level rogue expends an action point while Jorgeth is nearby, she will roll 2d6, take the best of the two, and subtract 1 from it to improve her roll.

While the tween's strange luck confers a lot of benefit to the host, it also comes with a strange liability - the bond between host and tween causes emotional entanglement, allowing any effects predicated on emotion (including but not limited to crushing despair, rage effects, charm effects, fear effects, and so on) greater purchase. When the host is exposed to any such effect, regardless of immunity, the tween also makes a saving throw against the same effect. If the tween fails, both it and the host are affected as though the host had failed its saving throw.

If the host dies, the tween's shock and grief cause it to split in two, creating a new tween who will go off in search of a host of its own. Should the tween die, the host is afflicted by a strange sense of sorrow for 1d4 weeks, affecting them as per crushing despair. Immunity to mind-affecting effects does not protect against this sorrow. The bond between host and tween can be muted via any effect that conceals the host's mind, including but not limited to mind blank, mind switch or schism (both of which cause the host and tween to become confused for the duration, no saving throw allowed), and so on. While the bond is muted, the host does not benefit from the luck rerolls the tween provides, but creatures near the host continue to suffer from the normal effects of the bond being present.

For reasons unknown, tweens gravitate toward zarts (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25345097&postcount=75) when they are not bonded, and the effects of a bond between a zart and a tween are drastically different and invariably fatal to the zart - the tween seems to devour the luck of the zart, followed by their sense of self, until eventually only a dead husk remains. This is not malicious on the part of the tween - it is a compulsion to them, but one that has earned them the aversion and enmity of that normally friendly race.

Detect Thoughts (Sp) Tweens can detect thoughts at will when on the Ethereal Plane, with their detection reaching across the boundary to the adjoining plane, allowing them to perceive the intelligence of prospective hosts. They lose access to this ability while bonded.

Empathic Link (Su) The host and tween have an empathic link out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The host cannot see through the tween's eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated. Due to the nature of tweens, a host is often unaware of the source of these emotions unless they know they have been bonded by a tween. Because of this empathic link, the host and tween have the same connection to an item or place as the other.

Pass Boundary (Su) With few exceptions, a tween bonded to a host goes where the host goes, even when the host travels to places without an Ethereal connection. A tween cannot follow into an area where supernatural abilities are blocked (such as an antimagic field) or through effects that hedge out incorporeal creatures (such as a wall of force). Otherwise, the tween is treated as being the host in all respects for the purpose of abjurations and similar wards that would admit certain beings and repel others. If the host safely bypasses a symbol or other passworded effect, the tween is considered to have provided the password as well; the same goes for effects requiring some kind of item, possession, alignment, or other trait.

Tweens can go nearly anywhere while bonded to a host, but some rare few places have properties that hedge them out:

• The Plane of Shadow is inimical to tweens; a tween whose host enters the Plane of Shadow becomes sickened, as does the host. The tween does follow into the Plane of Shadow, but is at high risk of being devoured and replaced by a toboku, a native creature that has a similar parasitic relationship with hosts. This happens without the awareness of the host, who will only notice that the feeling of sickness they were experiencing has abated.

• The Plane of Faerie is warded against tweens; a tween absolutely cannot enter the Plane of Faerie nor any fey demiplane. If the host enters such a place, the tween is sickened and begins wasting away, experiencing 1 point of Charisma drain per day. The host notices no ill effects for 1 hour per point of Charisma, after which time the same effects afflict the host as well. When the host and tween are reunited, this Charisma drain is converts to Charisma damage and recovers naturally. If they are not reunited before one or the other dies, the Charisma drain is permanent.

• The Region of Dreams does not admit tweens; while the host is within the Region of Dreams, the tween and the bond are effectively not present. When the host emerges, the tween reappears within 6 ft. of the host as if nothing had happened.

• Tweens cannot enter the Plane of Mirrors, and for the host to do so is very hazardous - the bond begins to shift and warp in ways neither the host nor the tween desire, and for each hour the host remains on the Plane of Mirrors, they must make a Will saving throw without the benefits of the bond (DC 20, +1 per successful saving throw). On a failure, the nature of the host begins to transfer back through the warped bond and imprint on the tween. The first failed saving throw causes both the host and the tween to become sickened and suffer 1d4 Charisma drain. The second failed saving throw causes host and tween to become frightened and suffer a further 1d6 Charisma drain, and the tween becomes corporeal on the plane the host departed, identical in appearance to the host. Each failed saving throw after that deals a further 1d6 Charisma drain to both the host and the tween. When the tween's Charisma reaches 0, it becomes a "mirror" of the host, effectively becoming a copy of the host (items do not copy over) with two negative levels. The tween forgets its original nature and believes itself to be the host, becoming violent if presented with any evidence to the contrary (the host themselves being the worst sort of evidence and subject to getting attacked immediately). If the host's Charisma reaches 0, the above happens to the tween, while the host becomes trapped in the Plane of Mirrors, becoming native to that plane. Their body dies as their consciousness separates from it, having surrendered its identity, and the host rises as an evolvedLM spectralSS version of themselves (known as a faceless spectre or spoguli) with the following traits:

Mirror Jump (Su) A faceless spectre can move through mirrored and reflective surfaces at will. This effect is similar to shadow walk but the faceless spectre travels along the Plane of Mirrors. As a standard action, the faceless spectre must touch a mirror or other highly reflective surface (incorporeal touch is sufficient for this purpose); the faceless spectre then exists from another mirror that is no farther than 1 mile away. If the facelesss spectre attempts to use a highly reflective surface that is not a mirror (such as a polished shield or armor, a clear glass, or a still pool of water), there is a 30% chance that the surface is sufficiently reflective to use this ability. However, a faceless spectre can only enter a nonmirrored surface; it must still exit through a mirror. If a sufficient mirror is not in range, the faceless spectre must traverse the Plane of Mirrors to locate a mirror portal on its own.

No Name (Ex) The faceless spectre lacks identity. It has no memories of itself, cannot answer questions its living self would have known the answer to, and the DC to pronounce its personal truename increases by 8.

Partially Corporeal (Ex) A faceless spectre takes full damage from sonic effects despite its incorporeal nature. It has only a 25% chance of ignoring damage and effects from a corporeal source.

Reflective Spell Resistance (Sp) A faceless spectre has spell resistance equal to its character level + 8. Whenever it successfully resists a targeted spell, that spell bounces off and reflects back at the caster, who becomes either the spell's target or the point of origin for the spell's effect, as appropriate. In addition, faceless spectres are immune to gaze attacks, and such an effect is reflected back to its origin.

Resistances (Ex) A faceless spectre has resistance to cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - mirror image; Constant - reflective disguiseSC. Caster level 3rd, save DCs Charisma-based.

Sonic Vulnerability (Ex) A faceless spectre is vulnerable to sonic damage, taking 50% more damage from sonic effects. A shatter spell targeted against a faceless spectre causes it to be stunned for 1d4 rounds.

• The wizard Zurct'ed the Cruel theorized on the stability of bonds between beings when forced into the Far Realm. While the outcome of his experiments is not known, the fact that the frozen ruins of his tower partially exist in the Ethereal Plane and are thoroughly infested with advanced dharculiPH suggest that he did something profoundly stupid. His recovered notes suggest that the nature of the tween bond somehow transcends traditional planar interference and might cause some sort of "feedback" from host to tween if one were forced across such a gap. The magical calamity that resulted from his cruelties saw his hot desert home transformed into an icy hellscape, and Zurct'ed has not been seen there since.

I took a few liberties with these little jerks when adapting them over, some out of necessity (luck feats didn't exist in prior editions, so knowing how they interact was a must), others out of practicality (why doesn't every isolated wizard just keep a tween bonded to them? The emotional leakage is a pain in the butt), and some out of inter-edition vagueness (1E said tweens communicate telepathically with their hosts, 2E suggested they convey subliminal messages only. Empathic link seemed to be the most straightforward way to compromise). The ecological ties to ethergaunts and zarts are also new (obviously :smalltongue:). I hope you enjoy this adaptation.

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Zarts

By and large, the zarts do not spend a lot of time venerating their own deities - while they show friendly deference to rites and symbols surrounding the lesser gods, they are considerably more likely to follow faiths of other cultures around them. The zart "pantheon" is really more of a tradition than a true group of deities, and unusually for a divinely-created race, their patron goddess is not actually a racial deity. She is also the one and only deity the zarts cannot ever forget, for she is the custodian of their souls in death - and her desire to understand the value of mortal lives drives them to grow and experience, lest they disappoint the ominous creator whose curiosity is the only thing holding back the death of worlds.

The creator of the zarts is a patron goddess of an elder "forerunner" race, from which she draws her infamy as a bringer of apocalypse. Many worlds fell before these forerunners, and the survivors of those invasions memorialized the roseate star that heralded the oncoming of their destruction on obelisks and other monuments. It has been millennia since the last such world is known to have fallen, after the goddess exhausted her inquisitiveness with mere destruction and turned her curiosity toward why mortals cling to life.

Zinkare
Intermediate Power of Carceri
The Scarlet Silence, Rose of the End, Destroyer of Destiny, She Who Awaits, Roseate Light of the Last Star, Witch of Wonder
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Curiosity, zarts, luck, free will, discovery, the destruction of worlds, living life to the fullest
Divine Realm: Carceri/Agathys/City of Flickering Destruction
Symbol: A rose with a star in the center
Domains Chaos, Curiosity*, Destruction, Good, Liberation, Luck, Protection
Favored Weapon: Bastard sword or shield bash

Zinkare has the unusual distinction of being a good-aligned goddess of apocalyptic destruction - the strange consequence of commanding the cataclysmic forces that her worshippers wielded to prepare worlds for their habitation, resulting in her being celebrated as a goddess of discovery and good fortune as well as destruction. Possessing characteristics that have been variously compared to a dangerously inquisitive child, a meticulously analytical scholar, a wide-eyed ingenue, or a playful kitten, Zinkare is most fundamentally the goddess of curiosity itself in all its myriad facets, both exploratory and potentially catastrophic.

Inspired to explore outside of the role given to her as a destroyer goddess, Zinkare stepped down from her rosy star of destruction to walk among mortals and realized the profound depths of her ignorance - for all her divine awareness of the ways of the cosmos, she understood nothing of mortal life as they experienced it - not why they loved, or hoped, or feared, or raged. In search of insights, she created the zarts - a people to be scattered across the universe, whose lives she could peruse as their souls came to her at the end of their time. In doing so, she hoped to learn why mortal life holds such value to them - and whether it is in truth so unique a thing that it should not be subject to total destruction.

Zinkare has never been malevolent; she has only ever fulfilled a role, one that sees her cast as savior to some and nemesis to others. She tires of having to exist only as a force of destruction without a holistic understanding of what she destroys and why. For this reason, she has flooded the essence of the zarts with luck, and severed them from the ties of destiny - for to be forced down a particular path is anathema to her. She wants each of her creations to live, to savor, to suffer, to grow, to thrill - to indulge their thirst for life and natural curiosity, and in doing so feed her own. From her scarlet palace in the icy bowels of Carceri, she serves as psychopomp to the souls of zarts whose lives have been lived out, questioning them about what they lived for, what they found worthwhile, and then sending them on to their final rest. The myths surrounding her curiosity paint her a bit less generously, suggesting that her curiosity is the only thing preventing her from annihilating all life. Zinkare may yet come forth to unleash another apocalypse, but while her creations live, explore, and wonder, she is content to enjoy discovering what value they each find in their short lives.

She is a hands-off deity who does not wish to interfere with the lives of her people; for this reason, and to ensure that they remain protected from any reprisal from her former charges, Zinkare elevated a trio of like-minded forerunners to demigod status and charged them to serve as guardians over the zarts. Some sages quietly fear that she spread her people across many worlds so that she might have a foothold from which to bring about the apocalypse in several spheres; the capricious and curious goddess keeps her own counsel, and her long-term plans (if any) remain thoroughly cryptic.

Zinkare is, oddly, never depicted as a zart in religious artwork - her appearance is vaguely human or elven, though frequently of towering size. This may speak to the continued unease the zarts feel about their patron, or be related to historical treatises linking her to the forerunners. Depictions of Zinkare are done in red or pink materials where possible, such as rose or red quartz, rose marble, realgar, cinnabar, and so on. She is rarely depicted in substantial detail or in three dimensions, as folktales suggest that too close a likeness of her will bring calamity to all around it.

Zinkare's origins and the nature of the people from whom she originally derived worship are deliberately left ambiguous; I have some ideas, but whether they will play out or not is beyond the scope of this pantheon briefing. The names of her sisters are Vara, Karava, and Sagra; their glyphs appear on forerunner relics and obelisks, but none of the three are known to be worshipped or even venerated by any zart.

Krega
Demipower of the Prime Material Plane
Starchild, the Singing Wanderer, the Short-Sighted, Light of the Lost, the Luckless Rogue
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Music, aimless travel, freedom, zarts
Divine Realm: Prime Material/wanders
Symbol: An unstrung harp with a star within the frame
Domains Chaos, Good, Liberation, Music*, Travel, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Greataxe

An itinerant deity who wandered the spheres, Krega was visiting the world of Majas during the invasion of the forerunners, encountering Zinkare as she walked among mortals and witnessed their joys and fears. Her fascination with his ability to connect with the emotional needs of mortals inspired her to ask Krega to join with her to create a people through whom she could try to better comprehend the thirst for life and the fear of destruction. With the scattering of the zarts across countless spheres, the wandering demigod's song now reaches far, and though he is worshipped by few, his faithful are spread far and wide - perfect for an explorer like himself.

Whereas Zinkare does not resemble a zart in the least, Krega's appearance informs theirs - shaggy and unkempt hair and a long luxurious tail, a black domino mask worn over his eyes, It is said in zart myths that he gifted the apocalyptic goddess with a rose stolen from the gardens of Hell as a token of his love and a symbol of liberation. This myth has its roots in a bit of truth - Krega did infiltrate Fierna's gardens and steal away with a precious artifact - a magical rose that conceals secrets. In doing so, Krega secured the future of the zarts by helping to conceal Zinkare's actions from her kindred - but also won himself a terrible adversary in the hot-tempered princess of the Fourth Hell. Fierna has vowed that she will catch him, seduce him to prove that his affection for Zinkare was not worth the theft of her priceless rose, and then devour him. How much of this is a boast remains unknown, but the demigod keeps wandering just in case.

If zarts represent the unbridled potential for luck, then the apple has fallen well far of the tree - as demigods go, Krega is particularly hapless, having managed to stir himself into some manner of trouble on every Outer Plane he has visited (and most Inner Planes besides). It is often said (and not without merit) that he roams the Prime because he's out of other safe places to go. For his part, Krega is relatively relaxed about his current situation; he resides on an asteroid converted into a kind of roaming spelljamming wharf, which voyages between spheres and stays well clear of planets and well-travelled ports like the Rock of Bral. A small caravan of vessels is often accompanying this wandering "realm," though Krega himself is absent as often as he is present, sometimes working as a diversion to protect his home... and sometimes letting his home serve as a diversion to protect his own tail. Well-intentioned but aimless, the demipower is just pleased to have once earned the love of a goddess.

The Three Guardians

Before the zarts ever came into her imagination, Zinkare was one of the four goddesses of a powerful forerunner race that conquered many spheres. During the attempted invasion of Majas by this elder people, Zinkare intervened and instigated a conflict within the forerunners' ranks, forcing the question of whether the lives of other mortal races had sufficient value that they did not deserve to be conquered. A small number of these forerunners aligned themselves with this idea, and of their number were born the three guardians - demipowers raised up to divinity by Zinkare for the purpose of stewarding and protecting the zarts in ways she would not and Krega could not. Each was raised to her role through conflict, and as such each guardian is considered a power of war, though they dislike characterizing themselves as such. They favor nonintervention unless outside forces threaten the zarts.

Janva
Demipower of Elysium
The Mediator, Three-Eyed Seer, the First Guardian
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Protection of zarts, foresight, wisdom, strength, self-determination
Divine Realm: Elysium/Amoria/Harmony and Vision
Symbol: A gauntlet holding a star
Domains Good, Oracle, Protection, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Gauntlet

Though she is titled the First Guardian by the zarts and holds pride of place in the trinity of tutelary goddesses that watch over the race, Janva was actually the second of the trio to join Zinkare's grand experiment. Formerly serving under one of the creator goddess's sister deities, she despaired of the future she prophesized in which nothing would change, nothing would grow, and all would continue to play their role for eternity. With a great act of self-sacrifice, she gave up her existence as she knew it to try to change the future, and her example galvanized others to question the invasion of Majas, ultimately leading to the birth of the zarts and the forerunners being repelled from the world. For her heroism she was venerated, and became a demigoddess in death.

From her home in Elysium, Janva watches for the return of the forerunners, or for the other goddesses of that people to discover what Zinkare has done. Not many zarts worship her, but she is recognized as both a warrior goddess and a sage, a protector who uses her insight to guide and serve. Zart monks who do not follow Juni may find themselves drawn to the balance of insight and martial prowess that Janva represents. As an oracular being, she chafes at the knowledge that the future of zarts cannot be predicted, and struggles to balance the challenges of Juni and Bruari's conflicting natures.

Juni
Demipower of Mount Celestia
The Fateless Knight, Hierophant of the Roseate Star, the Second Guardian
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Martial excellence, learning, commitment, loyalty, purpose
Divine Realm: Celestia/Venya/The Still Waters
Symbol: A spear bearing lily petals
Domains Glory, Good, Knowledge, Law, War
Favored Weapon: Spear

The high priestess of Zinkare during the invasion of Majas, Juni has always believed herself to be the holder of her patron's most sacred charge, despite being subordinate to Janva and the second guardian. Her sense of self-importance provides a valuable commitment to giving zarts the same belief in purpose and ambition to learn and grow, but it does lead to her being alienated from their nature as chaotic people blown on the winds of luck - Juni has always believed in personal performance outshining random chance, and still struggles to acknowledge that her zeal to be the greatest servant of her goddess in all things actually distanced her from Zinkare. She regards her role as both gift and curse, conscious of the fact that Fierna's rose conceals her beloved patron from her for all time as a demigoddess but resolved to uphold her sworn duty to see the zarts survive and thrive. Her disconnection from the world of mortals makes her a somewhat alien deity and results in clashes with the more down-to-earth Bruari, and while she would never admit it, she continues to resent that Janva was named First Guardian over her.

Bruari
Demipower of the Beastlands
She of Many Shapes, the Wild Warrior, the Third Guardian
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Hedonism, change, animals, individuality
Divine Realm: Beastlands/Brux/The Violet Wood
Symbol: A violet
Domains Animal, Chaos, Competition, Good, War
Favored Weapon: Stingray whipStorm

Youngest of the guardian trinity, Bruari is the only one of them commonly depicted as a zart - among many other guises, for she is the patron of zart druids, totemists, and rangers, and is known to love taking animal form. Boisterous and wild, Bruari's less reserved nature comes from her detachment from her origins, being a forerunner warrior born on Majas during the invasion but at the time of retreat. As her self-reliance was born of a need to defend herself against a world recovering from hostilities by her kind, she came to symbolize rough-and-tumble combat and unconventional strategy, and has difficulty with surrendering any of her individuality to serve in a common cause. Her charge as a guardian is to remind zarts that individuality does not mean total alienation from others, and that self-definition can be found by working with others and discovering one's differences. Of the trio, she is the least involved with watching for the forerunners, and the most involved with helping the zarts explore their own relationship to the world around them.

Other Deities of the Zarts

Bathym
Duke of Baator
The Black Duke, Knight of Fierna, Questant of the Heretical Rose
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Punishing trespass, magical secrets, fear, dark desires
Divine Realm: Baator/Phlegethos/Bathym's Black Bastion
Symbol: A black mace
Domains Darkness, Evil, Fear*, Inquisition, Law
Favored Weapon: Heavy mace

One could almost pity Bathym for the mission with which he has been charged, for he has been forced to start from nothing, with little to no assistance, chasing a people who multiply to new worlds faster than he can hunt, for a mistress who manipulates him and has already forgotten about the goal she set him. One could, if one did not remember that Bathym is a Duke of Hell, a great and terrible fiend who has served the cause of evil for countless millennia. The Black Duke, as he is called, is an armored figure bearing a heavy black mace, riding a nightmare. At one time a vassal of Belial, he despised his lord's cowardice during the Reckoning of Hell and swore his allegiance to Fierna. This was not done wholly out of loyalty or conviction - Bathym has lusted after the new Lord of the Fourth for time beyond imagining, and also covets the power service to her cause might provide. He was a natural choice for Fierna to charge with exacting revenge on the zarts for Krega's theft of the Heretic's Bloom, the magical rose she had cultivated in her cruel gardens for the sake of helping her corrupt mortals to begin establishing her cult on the Prime Material Plane.

Bathym is not privy to his mistress's plans, of course, and so does not know that she has already moved on to new plans. While he has many dire schemes of his own, he still prosecutes the hunt to find zarts wherever they may be and make them suffer for the slight against his mistress. He does this despite having never had worshippers on the Prime or even followers there to act as his agents - and the process of establishing even a minor foothold has been torturously slow, forcing him to deal with petty arcanists, grasping princelings, would-be warlocks, and prideful conjurers who believe themselves capable of summoning and commanding a Duke of Hell. His painstaking work has taken a positive turn with the assignment of a few of his hamatula minions to serve as cult leaders, fiends of blasphemy who are beginning to find cruel and ambitious minions desirous of the power on offer. Bathym cannot accept clerics except via these fiends of blasphemy.

As evil turns against evil, so too does Bathym find his plans complicated by his onetime friend Balan, a Duke of Hell whose loyalties remain with Belial. Crude, hedonistic, and violent, Balan gleefully toils to undermine Bathym at every turn. While he doesn't yet know the full extent of Bathym's operations on the Prime nor the reasons behind them, Balan would deeply enjoy having a trump card to throw at his former ally. Fortunately for the Black Duke, Balan has no Material Plane cult or following of note, though the dark scrolls which carry his name and the invocations to call forth his power exist and have passed through the hands of those who might yet use them.

Curiosity Domain
Granted Power If you merely pass within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door, you are entitled to a Search check to notice it as if you were actively looking for it. You gain Investigator as a bonus feat. Gather Information and Search are considered class skills for you.
1st - instant searchSC
2nd - knock
3rd - enduring scrutinyCM
4th - scrying
5th - find the path
6th - legend lore
7th - greater scrying
8th - visions of the futurePHBII
9th - hindsightSC

Fear Domain
Granted Power You get a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear effects. The save DC of your fear effects is increased by 1.
1st - cause fear
2nd - scare
3rd - blade of pain and fearSC
4th - fear
5th - phantasmal killer
6th - aura of terrorSC
7th - opalescent glareSC
8th - final rebukeSC
9th - weird

Music Domain
Granted Power You gain the countersong ability of the bard class. Add Perform to your list of class skills.
1st - joyful noiseSC
2nd - harmonic chorusSC
3rd - dissonant chordSC
4th - haunting tuneSC
5th - drums of warHoB
6th - fugueSC
7th - body harmonicSC
8th - song of discord
9th - irresistible dance

[Eurus]

Tweens are neat! I'd never heard of them before, but I'm sure I'm going to find an excuse to use them in a game at some point. For a luck manipulating creature, they sure are unfortunate. :smallamused:

[afroakuma]

Gathan
Gathan 1st-level Warrior
Small Giant (Air)
HD 1d8+3 (7 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: -1
AC 12; touch 10; flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 size, -1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp -2
Attack Large bronze longsword -1 melee (2d6, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Large bronze longsword -1 melee (2d6, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Rolling strike
Special Qualities Burst of speed, curse of Gath, fulcrum grip, low-light vision, nimble stand, pigheaded, windproof
Saves Fort +5 Ref -1 Will -2 (+2 vs. fear)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 9
Skills Climb +3*, Intimidate +3, Jump +5*, Tumble +5*
Feats AcrobaticB, Weapon Focus (longsword)
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement by class; Favored Class Fighter
Level Adjustment +0

Descendants of prideful giants transformed by a curse, gathans are misproportioned figures driven by stubbornness, mania, and an unyielding ambition to take back the power they believe they have been denied. Standing roughly three and a half feet tall, gathans are much broader than humanoids of similar height such as gnomes, with thick gangly arms, wide shoulders, flattened-looking heads, and short stumpy legs. Their rambling gait somewhat resembles the movement of gorillas, as gathans make use of their arms to clamber and tumble over the land, usually dragging vastly oversized weapons made of bronze. Gathans tend to have coarse gray or black hair and pale teal skin, sometimes with a silvery glint. Their eyes look like clouded black marbles with blue, teal, or grey rheumy patinas that appear to occlude their vision but cause no sight issues. Their noses may look squashed or "mashed" and their jaws often look overbroad for their faces. While his curse is abated, a gathan resembles a wind giant - properly proportioned, with clear eyes like sky-blue marbles, thick curly or wavy hair, and very pale, silvery skin with a hint of teal.

Trapped in bodies they know are not their own by a malicious and vengeful curse, gathans have by and large eschewed any attempt to learn anything from the experience - they have little empathy for others and are often just as cruel as the god who cursed them. Possessed of a self-importance well beyond their stature either literal or figurative, gathans attempt to involve themselves in matters solely to feel important, and will try to push for their own goals or subtly leverage their way into taking charge where possible. Deceptively sturdy and strong, their attempts to muscle into situations succeed more often than is warranted, and a gathan can sometimes be found pushing around goblins, kobolds, or even orcs, gnolls, and ogres. Some gathans seek to find ways to lift their curse, while others are just out to vent their spite at their situation against anyone opportune, and still more just want to feel powerful or important in some way.

Gathan society is relatively loose, with few traditions to pass down besides their skills at bronzework and the oral history of the racial curse that shaped them. Gathans prefer to make their homes in caverns or forests or rocky ravines - anywhere that rewards their natural acrobatic skill while offering a defense against those less capable of jumping, tumbling, and clambering. While they are poor combatants due chiefly to their obsession with overlarge weapons, those very same armaments make gathans horribly lethal on the few occasions where they strike true. Their rolling strikes are able to catch foes off guard and deliver punishing blows that belie their small stature. Gathans generally favor combat classes such as fighter, barbarian, and warblade - they may believe themselves to be subtle and cunning, but deep down the resentment, spite, and self-importance that fuel them curdle into a venomous mixture that just wants to be let out as physical force. Those gathans capable of mastering these impulses make for dangerous adversaries indeed.

Burst of Speed (Ex) Once per encounter as a swift action, a gathan can increase his base land speed by 20 ft. for 1 round. This increase stacks with enhancement bonuses to speed. A gathan may use this ability a maximum number of times per day equal to his Constitution modifier (minimum 1).

Curse of Gath Gathans are all afflicted by Memnor's curse, which stripped them of their stature and powers. This powerful curse cannot be removed by conventional means, but it can be abated temporarily. While under the effects of this curse, a gathan suffers a -2 penalty on saving throws against spells and effects which would change his form in some way (including but not limited to polymorphing and petrification) and cannot grow beyond Small size via enlarge effects, righteous might, or other methods.

Abated Curse (Su) A gathan's curse can be temporarily abated using remove curse, break enchantment, a targeted dispel evil, or similar effects. The caster must declare that this casting is for the sole purpose of abating the gathan's curse (meaning it cannot remove any other effects) and succeed on a caster level check against DC 20. If successful, the caster immediately suffers 1d4 points of Wisdom damage as a backlash from Memnor, while the gathan undergoes a radical transformation that lasts for 1 round per level of the caster of the curse-abating effect. While the curse is abated, the gathan gains the following benefits:

• +8 Strength, +2 Dexterity.
• +2 natural armor.
• Size increases to Large. All equipment changes to accommodate the gathan's temporary size increase. Note that an oversized weapon will also transform to accommodate the gathan's current size, and thus will no longer be oversized for the duration of this effect.
• The gathan's space and reach become 10 ft./10 ft.
• The gathan temporarily loses the following racial abilities: burst of speed, fulcrum grip, nimble stand, pigheaded, rolling strike.
• The gathan temporarily gains the rock throwing and rock catching extraordinary abilities, as a frost giant (120 ft. range increment, 2d6 base damage).
• The gathan temporarily gains the following spell-like abilities: 3/day - gust of wind; 1/day - wind wall. Caster level is equal to the gathan's character level, save DCs are Charisma-based. A gathan's uses of these abilities are per-day and they do not reset if the gathan's curse is abated more than once in the same day, they draw from the total pool of daily uses.

To date, no "ongoing" method of abating the curse has been found; even items that would normally suppress a curse while worn do not interact with the curse of Gath. Only a casting of a curse-abating spell or similar effect can abate the curse, and only for a number of rounds equal to the caster level of that effect. This duration cannot be modified by effects which adjust the duration of the curse-abating spell or effect such as Extend Spell (such spells are, after all, instantaneous). If the gathan is in an area where supernatural abilities do not function (such as an antimagic field, the curse cannot abate - any benefits of the curse already having been abated vanish immediately and the curse reasserts itself.

Fulcrum Grip (Ex) When wielding an oversized weapon, a gathan can ignore one designation step. For example, if wielding a Medium one-handed weapon, the gathan can use it as a one-handed weapon even though it is intended for a larger creature. If that same gathan were to attempt to wield a Large one-handed weapon, it would be treated as a two-handed weapon (an increase of designation by one step rather than two).

Nimble Stand (Ex) A gathan can stand from prone without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Pigheaded (Ex) When making a Will save against a fear effect, a gathan uses his Wisdom modifier or +2, whichever is greater.

Rolling Strike (Ex) Using his low center of gravity and natural acrobatic skill, a gathan can execute a rolling strike, a tumbling attack that brings a larger weapon to bear with centripetal force. To execute a rolling strike, the gathan charges at half speed while tumbling. The gathan makes a Tumble check opposed by the target's Sense Motive check. If successful, the opponent is flat-footed against the gathan's charge attack. If the gathan is wielding a weapon of a greater size category, he adds his Strength modifier to the damage dealt by this attack (on top of any normal damage it would deal). If the gathan fails in this attempt, he can still make his attack at the end of the charge but loses any benefits and bonuses granted by charging. When making such an attempt against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2), the gathan gets a +4 circumstance bonus to the Tumble check. Against a nonintelligent creature, the Tumble check automatically succeeds.

A gathan can also use this ability to trick an enemy into attempting to avoid a strike that never comes. The gathan makes a Tumble check opposed by the target's Sense Motive check as part of a move action after moving at least 10 ft. toward the enemy. If successful, the target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC until the start of its next turn. When attempting this deception against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2), the gathan takes a -8 penalty. Against a nonintelligent creature, the Tumble check automatically fails.

A gathan suffers a -2 penalty to rolling strike attempts (whether attack or deception) against a target for each failed opposed check against that target in the encounter.

Windproof (Ex) For any wind-related effects dependent on size, such as gust of wind, the gathan is treated as being one size category larger.

Gathan Characters

• +2 Str, -2 Dex, +6 Con, -4 Wis, -2 Cha. Gathans retain some of the strength and endurance of their giant heritage but have misshapen stumpy bodies and suffer from madness and rage.
• Small size.
• A gathan's base speed is 20 ft.
• A gathan gains Acrobatic as a bonus feat.
• Gathans are giants with the Air subtype.
• Low-light vision
• Gathans are proficient with simple and martial weapons and with leather and hide armor.
• Gathans have a +2 racial bonus to Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks.
• Gathans have a +4 racial bonus to Appraise and Craft checks involving bronze.
• Gathans grow violently ill on eating fish or marine crustaceans or shellfish (treat as though having ingested arsenic, DC 15 if crustacean or shellfish). Regardless of whether the gathan succeeds on this save, a gathan suffers a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity for 24 hours on ingesting fish or marine crustaceans or shellfish.
• Burst of Speed: as above
• Curse of Gath: as above
• Fulcrum Grip: as above
• Nimble Stand: as above
• Pigheaded: as above
• Rolling Strike: as above
• Windproof: as above
• Automatic Languages: Common, Giant. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Auran, Desmodu, Gnoll, Goblin, Gol-Kaa, Mongrel, Orc, Undercommon.
• Favored Class: Fighter
• Level Adjustment: +0

Deities of the Gathans

As giants, gathans recognize members of the Ordning, the giant pantheon, and associated deities. Their patron, Gath, is a demipower both celebrated and reviled - celebrated for his aspirations, but reviled for bringing the curse down upon himself and all of his followers. Gathans shun most other giant deities, keenly aware that none came to the rescue when Memnor cursed the race. This perspective ignores that the curse of Gath was brought down by Gath himself, to say nothing of the continued malign and hubristic character of most gathans.

Gath
Demipower of Carceri
The Bronze Blade, Prince of Clouds, the Great and Guileful, the Accursed
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Planned violence, plotting, gathans, ambition, windstorms
Divine Realm: Carceri/Colothys/Maze of Guile
Symbol: A bronze sword embedded into a stone
Domains Air, Evil, Planning, Trickery, War, Windstorm
Favored Weapon: Longsword

The product of a union between an ancient Olympian power and the giant god Memnor, the wind giants were an offshoot of the cloud giants, more crafty and subtle than the comparatively easygoing cloud giants, but smaller and yet somehow more prideful. Unlike their forebears, whose superiority complex often caused them to be disinterested in the affairs of "lesser" beings, wind giants were busybodies who felt that they should exercise a subtle but ever-present hand in guiding affairs to their liking. Among their number, none were more predisposed to this cocksure meddling nature than Gath, a favored follower of Memnor who felt that his god's stature next to the storm giant god Stronmaus was lacking, and that with well-placed pressure Stronmaus could be toppled and made to kneel before the giant god of pride. Gath petitioned Memnor for a fragment of his divinity, so that he and his followers might assist in the constant jockeying of brother against brother, providing pressure from an unexpected direction. Amused by the prospect and scheming to exploit such a willing distraction for his own plots, Memnor acceded, raising Gath to demipower status.

Of course, when given a taste of true power, Gath hungered for more. Attempting to barter with Stronmaus to betray Memnor for still more power, Gath was rebuffed - but in a moment of cold and cruel ambition, Gath decided that to present a fait accompli would press his point better than asking for permission. Gath dispatched his followers to infiltrate Memnor's priesthood and attempt to steal precious relics from places of pride, hoping to collect the power of Memnor and steal it, ingratiating himself to Stronmaus while devouring strength from his own patron in the offing. Unfortunately for Gath, the senior giant god had anticipated this treachery, and the relics his faithful had targeted were components of a powerful curse. When united, they tainted Gath's power and corrupted his followers, exposing them to Memnor's retribution.

Of the wind giants who escaped the curse, none now follow Gath the Accursed - they have turned their backs on the grasping and venal demipower, whose rage has only intensified as a result. Stung by being outplayed by the elder giant deity, Gath encourages his followers to work against any who would look down on them, to find ways to steal and control power, and to undermine the ambitions of Memnor, Stronmaus, and any other deity of giantkind who, in his view, has failed to give the gathans their due.

Memnor
Intermediate Power of Gehenna
The Masked, the Wise Counselor, the Golden God, the Deceiver
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Pride, honor, mental prowess, control
Divine Realm: Gehenna/Chamada/Thraotor
Symbol: A thin black obelisk
Domains Charm, Death, Domination, Evil, Mind, Pride, Sky, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Morningstar

Everything Gath aspires to be, Memnor is - the proud, subtle, charming, and cruelly conniving patron of evil cloud giants, the Golden God presents himself as an intelligent, cultured, benevolent deity. His priesthood, in turn, attempt to promote this vision within the giant populace at large, for Memnor's true ambition is to supplant his elder brother Stronmaus as de facto leader of giantkind, claiming their father Annam's long-abandoned throne. Unlike his onetime underling, Memnor is deeply patient and on good terms, broadly speaking, with his siblings. His clerics, following his example, present themselves as wise counselors, advocates for the underprivileged and the downtrodden. Their goal, like that of their patron, is to climb the ranks of giant society, and in doing so exert more power and influence over the direction of giantkind across the many worlds where the Ordning are recognized.

Some gathans have turned against Gath and follow Memnor as a form of contrition, or as an obsequious recognition of the "true" power shaping their lives. Memnor accepts some few gathans as priests for the sake of having another tool for his manipulations and ambitions, but by and large he has proven unforgiving and considers the wounded pigheadedness of those he has cursed to be deeply amusing. Their venomous rage toward the Ordning as a whole and willingness to swallow their pride to make use of goblins and other "lesser" beings makes them a useful catspaw in his eyes.

Karontor
Lesser Power of Carceri
The Deformed One, Winterheart, Wolfsouled, the Twisted God, the Hungering Hate
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Deformity, hatred, envy, beasts, fomorians, verbeeg
Divine Realm: Carceri/Minethys/The Rack of Injustice
Symbol: A winter wolf's head
Domains Animal, Destruction, Envy, Evil, Hatred, War, Wrath
Favored Weapon: Club

One of the "runts" of the Ordning, Karontor is a warped, twisted, and deformed deity who bears hatred for nearly all of giantkind, as well as most things of beauty and goodness. Exiled by Annam All-Father for his envious deeds against his older brother Stronmaus and others, Karontor's dark nature bubbled to the fore, becoming imprinted on him for all to see. Filled with self-loathing, Karontor is motivated by hatred for all things and a desire to hurt, to destroy, to consume, and to defile. Unlike his brother Grolantor, Karontor possessed mighty magical talents before his exile, and he still remembers the nuances of magic to teach his followers, dark secrets to undermine and corrupt all. Karontor's faith appeals to gathans who resent their physical distortion under the curse of Gath, who despise "true" giants for their stature and might when they are so reduced, and many see the appeal of the toxic wrath and savage contempt for all things that Karontor represents, particularly gathan barbarians and lycanthropes. Through dark communion with the Twisted God, these lost souls aspire to transform themselves into something powerful and impossible to ignore - deadly foes to the peoples who shun and scorn the gathans.

Vaprak
Lesser Power of the Abyss
The Destroyer, Eater of Kings
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Ogres, trolls, violence, destruction, greed
Divine Realm: Abyss/524/Shatterstone
Symbol: Taloned claw
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Greed, Hunger, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: Greatclub

Though he possesses lesser epithets, Vaprak has only ever truly needed one - the Destroyer. Reckless, debauched, hedonistic, and irrepressibly violent, Vaprak's nature aligns with all of the worst qualities of ogres and trolls, and his attitude toward basically anything is universally one of basic selfish utilitarianism. Can it be eaten, can it be skinned, can it be used to kill things to eat or skin, and so forth. Vaprak has always existed on the fringes of giant religion, appealing to the rare few hill giants or frost giants who come looking for the strength and resilience offered to Vaprak's best servants. Gathans have found in Vaprak a kindred spirit, particularly those who have thrown off an obsession with having their pride validated by other races. For those who just want to hurt, maim, kill, and slake their hungers, Vaprak's faith is a blood-soaked ideal. The Destroyer has few expectations of his followers and gives them a wide latitude to do as they like so long as they prove themselves strong enough and fight aggressively to counter other faiths' encroachment on "his" territory.

[Eurus]

I kinda love the Gathan. Small giants? Small creatures specialized in melee combat? Too dumb to be afraid? It's all great stuff. I'm not so sure about balance, but they're great. Tickles the part of me that likes playing goblin barbarians.

[afroakuma]

I kinda love the Gathan. Small giants? Small creatures specialized in melee combat? Too dumb to be afraid? It's all great stuff. I'm not so sure about balance, but they're great. Tickles the part of me that likes playing goblin barbarians.

Glad you've been enjoying! I'm open to requests if there's anything you'd like to see - trying to flesh out the ranks of low-level creatures of interest, of course, but happy to try my hand at anything.

[enderlord99]

Since you're taking requests... hmm...

Stackable zombie variants (presumably as templates that can only be applied to zombies) that each correspond with a different non-zombie variety of undead and give powers reminiscent of that other undead. Ideally, I'd like many such variants, as in, "a couple dozen, at least" but any at all is still good.

Ideally, the one connected to liches should be the strongest (unless, perhaps, you make an atropal-based one, in which case the lich one should be the second-strongest) as well as being one of a very small portion that grant an intelligence score.

[Eurus]

I'd enjoy some lower-level intelligent plant creatures... it seems like the poor plants are all either really big/high-level, or mindless.

[afroakuma]

Geloid
Small Ooze (Psionic)
HD 2d10+4 (15 hp)
Speed 5 ft. (1 square); climb 5 ft.; swim 5 ft.
Init: +6
AC 6; touch 6; flat-footed 11 (+1 size, -5 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp -5
Attack Slam -1 melee (1d4-2 + 1d4 acid)
Full Attack Slam -1 melee (1d4-2 + 1d4 acid)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Acid, moan, mucilage
Special Qualities Blindsight 30 ft., DR 5/bludgeoning, sessile state, vulnerabilities
Saves Fort +2 Ref -5 Will -5
Abilities Str 6, Dex 1, Con 14, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills Hide +15*
Feats Improved InitiativeB
Environment Any
Organization Solitary, clump (3-6), or cluster (10-20)
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always true neutral
Advancement 3-4 HD (Small); 5-8 HD (Medium)

The properties of oozes, slimes, and jellies are of great interest to mages, alchemists, and scholars; certainly the first two of these groups, at least, have more often than not borne responsibility for the very existence of predatory oozes, to say nothing of the myriad mutations and permutations that gave rise to such horrors as the mustard jelly and stunjelly. The phenomena that give these creatures life and the modicum of awareness that they possess are not completely understood, but one thing that is certain is that far too many sapient creatures have become the unfortunate prey of a translucent fluidlike thing, their final moments an agony of drowning and melting away in the acidic goo.

When a creature possessed of strong sense of self dies in this way, the psychic imprint of their final moments may remain "stuck" in the ooze that devoured them (roughly 3% of the time on average), like a piece of bone caught in the throat after a meal. While some such irritants may break down naturally, others cannot be tolerated - the primitive animus directing the ooze has only one solution, and that is to split away the slime so contaminated, leaving behind a chunk of itself as it goes off in search of a more palatable dinner. When this happens, the sessile lump of jelly remaining behind transforms into a geloid - an ooze animated by a tiny psionic flicker of the creature that died within the progenitor's clutches, stabilized within its environment. Though they possess no inherent psionic capabilities (most of the time), geloids are still capable of eliciting horror in onlookers - small wonder, as a geloid resembles the creature that died from the waist up, everything below dissolved into a puddle of ooze. This resemblance is corroded and skeletal, more akin to a partially fleshless zombie, and no true skin or bone or flesh remains. The geloid thus appears like a grasping, moaning, translucent corpselike version of the original victim, gurgling the sound of its agonizing death as its pseudopod "arms" attempt to reach out for a salvation that never came in time.

Geloids are largely sessile, remaining in a puddlelike state and only rising up with head, torso, and arms when prey approaches. The geloid is not driven by hunger; instead, the only "thought" in its mind is a need to touch another living thing. When no living creature is within range of the geloid's blindsight, it sinks back down into its puddle state, lacking any interest in or even awareness of the concept of giving chase. Geloids possess no lower limbs and cannot be tripped or knocked prone.

Speak with dead can sometimes reach the victim via the geloid, which functionally contains the "corpse" of the deceased, but to do so requires a caster level check vs. DC 20 unless the caster has access to the Slime domain. Even then, the duration of the spell is halved, and there is a 25% chance that the geloid is incapable of responding to a question posed.

Acid (Ex) A geloid's acid does not normally damage metal or stone. A geloid split from an ooze whose acid does damage such materials will produce acid of the same kind.

Moan (Ex) A geloid's limited psionic awareness contains the death gasp of the creature it mimicks, and it can emit a sucking, bubbling, gurgling version of this horrid sound as a swift action when it attacks. Creatures within 10 ft. of the geloid when it moans become shaken for 1d4 rounds (Will DC 13 negates). A creature that successfully saves against a geloid's moan is immune to the moan of any geloid of the same or lower HD for 24 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

Mucilage (Ex) A geloid's mucilaginous slime forms a transparent but sticky coating on each adjacent square that renders those squares difficult terrain. Movement through a square containing mucilage imposes a -4 circumstance penalty to Tumble checks. The mucilage dries up in 1 round, but is automatically renewed at the start of the geloid's turn. Large numbers of geloids can spread a thick layer of mucilage across a wide area.

Sessile State (Ex) When not attacking, a geloid takes the form of a simple puddle, appearing to be a shallow pool of viscous fluid the same color as the ooze that spawned it. In this state, the geloid gets a +16 racial bonus to Hide checks. A geloid uses its Constitution modifier in place of its Dexterity modifier for initiative checks. Geloids can detect prey up to 30 ft. away with their blindsight but rarely choose to emerge from their sessile state until prey is within striking distance.

Vulnerabilities (Ex) While many variant geloids exist that possess the immunities and vulnerabilities of the ooze that spawned them, all geloids possess a few common vulnerabilities. Sunlight (or the equivalent, such as a daylight spell) causes a geloid to become inert and helpless. A flask or vial of alcohol deals 1d6+1 damage to a geloid. The psionic power dissipating touch deals double damage to a geloid. A dissipater weapon works on a geloid as though it were made of ectoplasm, and can deal critical hits to a geloid. A targeted dispel psionics (but not dispel magic) instantly destroys a geloid if it succeeds on a caster level check against DC 10 + the geloid's HD.

Many varieties of geloid exist, often determined by the nature of the ooze that spawned them. A few ideas are presented below:

Blood Geloid
These disturbing ruby-red geloids deal 1 point of Constitution damage to creatures with blood instead of dealing acid damage. They can be turned as an undead of their HD with +4 turn resistance, but are not actual undead. Blood geloids have +2 Strength and +2 Constitution. A blood geloid gains Ability Focus (moan) as a bonus feat. Blood geloids have CR +1 above their normal CR.

Cubewake Geloid
Spawned from gelatinous cubes, cubewake geloids are immune to electricity. Their slam attack can cause paralysis for 1d6 rounds (Fort DC 13 negates). The save DC is Constitution-based. Cubewake geloids gain Toughness as a bonus feat and have CR +1 above their normal CR.

Fire Geloid
These translucent reddish geloids can be ignited by at least 5 points of fire damage, dealing 1d6 fire damage per round to anything standing in their mucilage or attacking them with a melee weapon. Such a fire does not harm the geloid, and burns for 1 minute before being extinguished. Fire geloids have the Fire subtype and are immune to fire damage and vulnerable to cold damage; their attacks do fire damage instead of acid damage, and cannot be used to ignite themselves or one another.

Gray Geloid
Born from gray oozes, gray geloids are a terrible threat to metal. When a gray geloid makes a successful attack against a creature, armor or clothing that creature is wearing dissolves and becomes useless immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 13 Reflex save. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a gray geloid also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 13 Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based. Gray geloids have CR +1 above their normal CR.

Ice Geloid
Rather than sticky terrain, an ice geloid's mucilage freezes around it, creating a slippery film that constitutes difficult terrain. Creatures entering an ice geloid's mucilage must make a DC 15 Balance check to remain standing; should they fail, they fall prone (this replaces the normal Tumble penalty of a geloid's mucilage). An ice geloid deals cold damage in place of acid damage, has the Cold subtype, and is immune to cold damage and vulnerable to fire damage.

Quick Geloid
These dangerous aquamarine geloids are super-fast, with their base speed for all movement modes increased to 20 ft. and a +16 racial bonus to Move Silently checks. They deal electric damage in place of acid damage and can make two attacks on a full attack action instead of one (with the same attack modifier). Quick geloids have CR +1 above their normal CR.

Tiny Geloid
Ordinary geloids are Small creatures created from half of a Medium humanoid. Should a Small humanoid's death produce a geloid, the result is a Tiny geloid with 1 fewer HD than normal. Tiny geloids have -2 Strength compared to ordinary geloids and their slam attack deals 1d3-2 damage and 1d3 acid damage. They need to occupy the space of the creature they are attacking to be able to successfully attack.

[afroakuma]

Valravn (Raven Form)
Tiny Fey (Extraplanar)
HD 4d6+4 (18 hp)
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares); fly 40 ft. (good)
Init: +4
AC 19; touch 16; flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
BAB +2; Grp -9
Attack Claws +7 melee (1d2-3 and heart rip)
Full Attack Claws +7 melee (1d2-3 and heart rip)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Heart rip, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities Changeling, DR 5/magic, low-light vision, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, SR 16
Saves Fort +2 Ref +8 Will +6
Abilities Str 5, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills Disguise +7 (+15 when pretending to be a raven), Hide +18, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8
Feats Flyby Attack, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (claws)
Environment Any Outer Plane
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure None
Alignment Usually true neutral
Advancement 4-6 HD (Small); 7-12 HD (Medium)

Emissaries of distant gods sent to influence events and guide champions to great deeds, valravns are dark fey of the Outer Planes whose tasks begin with a violent deed to allow them to become part of the societies they must operate within to advance their patron's goals.

A valravn looks identical to a common raven at first glance, almost always bearing rich black plumage. A careful observer will note (Spot DC 20) that the air seems to cloud, ripple, or distort ever so slightly around the bird, the product of its entropic shield protecting it so that it might fulfill its destiny. Unlike a true raven, a valravn's eyes are always starkly white and pearlescent. A valravn's head will often be bowed as though in mourning. They are generally found around the realms of the gods they serve when on their native plane, while when dispatched to the Prime Material they are typically found circling over lonely roads, battlefields, or the outskirts of small villages.

Valravns employ their spell-like abilities to seek out vulnerable or dying children, hoping to steal their hearts and take over their places in their communities. Via their deathwatch ability, valravns can sight out likely prey, though they have no qualms about using critical strike and their ability to rip out a heart to pick off a proper target who was otherwise perfectly healthy. Using hypnotism and silent image, valravns can isolate a target and go in for the kill.

Valravns are mostly (90%) female, though a valravn may target a host of a different gender. Valravns understand Common, Sylvan, and one planar language (generally Celestial, Infernal, or Abyssal) but cannot speak. Unlike true ravens, valravns are silent. The diet of a valravn is blood, though it can subsist for a time on the sap of trees.

Changeling A valravn that rips out the heart of a human or demihuman child can eat it to undergo a transformation, taking on an appearance similar to that of the child whose heart was eaten. While so transformed, a valravn loses a great deal of its personality and memories from its time in its true form and is considered native to that child's home plane. See the valravn (humanoid form) entry below for details.

Love For The Lost (Su) The blood relations of the valravn's victim are bewitched by a powerful supernatural charm to treat the valravn as the child that was slain. A Will save (DC 18) allows them to see through the enchantment and perceive that the valravn is a fey changeling and not their lost child, though grieving families are likely to suffer a -2 morale penalty on this saving throw as their wish to have their dead child returned to them overrides their common sense. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +4 racial bonus. The save is made once at the time the valravn presents herself to "her" family, and may be remade after any particularly traumatic or out-of-character incident involving the valravn. This is an enchantment (charm), mind-affecting effect.

Heart Rip (Ex) A valravn that scores a hit against a humanoid foe and deals damage can attempt to rip out that creature's heart, killing it instantly (provided said foe has a heart and requires it to live). A Fortitude save (DC 8) negates this effect. The victim adds their armor bonus and natural armor bonus to their Fortitude saving throw. A creature with an armor bonus greater than +1 does not automatically fail on this save on a roll of 1. The save DC is Strength-based and increases by 1 for each successful attack made by the valravn against the victim within the past 24 hours.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - hypnotism (DC 13), silent image (DC 13); 3/day - critical strikeSC, daze monster (DC 14); 1/day - blink, hold person (DC 14); Constant - deathwatch, entropic shield. Caster level 5th, save DCs Charisma-based.

Valravn (Humanoid Form)
Valravn 1st-level Warrior
Medium Fey
HD 1d8+2 (5 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) (30 ft. unarmored)
Init: +3
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +3
Attack Longsword +3 melee (1d8+3, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Longsword +3 melee (1d8+3, 19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Flash of insight, guidance, low-light vision, raven's armor, ravensight, stand ready, without dreams, without hope
Saves Fort +1 Ref +1 Will -1
Abilities Str 15, Dex 12, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 8
Skills Intimidate +3, Knowledge (local) +4*, Knowledge (religion) +4*
Feats Insightful ReflexesB, CAdv, Soul of the NorthB, CAdv, Toughness
Environment Any plains, forest, or mountain
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often true neutral
Advancement by class Favored Class Warblade
Level Adjustment +0

Valravns take on humanoid form in order to serve as guides, protectors, and aides-de-camp for those their patron deities have chosen to be champions of a particular cause or quest. Given shape by an act of violence and raised in a stolen life, valravns have an intimate acquaintance with sorrow, pain, and tragedy that shapes their dedication to their charge. A valravn taking on humanoid form appears superficially similar to the child whose heart it devoured, but with a few telltale differences. Valravn hair matches the color of their plumage in their natural form (normally jet-black) and is always worn long - valravns are highly averse to having their hair trimmed or cut. They appear noticeably more pale than the original child and may appear sickly or ill. They are more slight of build, which tends to become increasingly noticeable as they age. Their irises are ashen gray or black and their eyes bear what is often described as a flat affect or a "dead" look.

The process of becoming a changeling child is severely disruptive to a valravn's memory and sense of self. A valravn who has taken humanoid form remembers a few scant facts - she knows she is not a true member of her host race, she knows she has replaced the actual child of her host family, she usually knows which deity she serves, and she knows that her purpose is to assist one or more others in accomplishing a particular quest or great cause. The details beyond that become hazy - at best, a valravn is steered by flashes of insight, a limited ability to see into the future of another, and the capacity to give supernatural guidance. Over time, she may discover more facts surrounding her duty. She assimilates few memories from the child whose life she took - she instinctively knows her way "home" and can recognize "her" family, speak their language, but beyond these surface-level facts, details are scant.

Meanwhile, becoming a changeling brings other challenges for the valravn herself. Most valravns were female in their true form, but when a valravn becomes a changeling, it takes on the physical appearance and some vestigial memories from the child whose heart was devoured, which can lead to dissociative feelings when a valravn takes on sex and gender characteristics which conflict with its own true identity. Conversely, some valravns may come to identify with the sex and gender they have taken on. A valravn objectively knows that "her" family is not truly related to her in any sense, but emotionally she still feels connected to them as though they were, which can be challenging if one or more members are able to see past the changeling enchantment and know that she's an imposter. Similarly, most families that take in a valravn are likely to call her by the deceased child's name, which can be a significant source of discomfort and distress for the valravn, who knows that it is not truly her name and can suffer alienation, feeling like she is being forced to play a role or fill in for a dead person who is little like the person she is - effectively becoming a "living ghost." Wrestling with identity and feeling truly connected to the world around them are major challenges for a valravn, to the point that they have great difficulty even looking at themselves in a mirror - some because they fear to see the humanoid looking back at them instead of the true form they only vaguely remember, others because they fear they will only see a face that is not truly their own, and still others who fear they will see a fey creature looking back at them instead of the body they have become familiar with. Complicating the experience further is that valravns do not possess the full capabilities of a member of the host race, which can become particularly evident when others are using natural climbing skills, or seeing in the dark via darkvision, or develop interests in crafts or professions to which the valravn feels no attachment. Some scholars believe this alienation is an intentional part of the gods' design for a valravn - that to become too connected to those around her would risk her abandoning her duty.

Outside of their issues with identity, valravns are generally quiet but often deeply passionate individuals whose fascination and curiosity with elements of the world around them can distract them from sights and sounds that should catch their notice. They are fond of exploring aesthetics, art, music, and architecture, and can often be found simply placidly enjoying a quiet meadow, babbling brook, or lone minstrel's tune. Valravns show a severe bias toward obsessing over details to the point of missing the bigger picture and they can often struggle to take in new information and properly factor it in to the situation as they currently understand it. They rarely smile, and while valravns experience emotions which are cognate to joy and contentment, they cannot feel true hope - they are constantly pressured by a sense that there remains something unresolved which must be addressed. These factors can lead valravns to be curt, uncommunicative, and sometimes frustrating to be around, but while they are often slow to show emotion until their facades crack, valravns feel just as deeply as (if not moreso than) their host race counterparts, and they are fiercely protective of their friendships, their host family, and other interpersonal bonds, even if they often struggle to figure out how to meaningfully maintain them. Valravns rarely enter into relationships, but the child of a valravn and a humanoid will be a half-fey with raven wings. Valravns have no inherent affinity to actual ravens (who they quite correctly feel are a different species) nor to most other fey.

Valravns are very rare and almost never encounter one another. Their effectiveness as agents of divine influence is specifically tied to their subtlety in comparison to dispatching a powerful outsider or a high-level cleric to accomplish a task, being less predictable and offering more long-term support for those the gods want to champion. Even if a valravn fails, they represent a negligible investment of resources from the standpoint of the gods. Those few valravns who go rogue are often hunted down by the churches of the gods they spurned, fearful that their insights into the designs of the divine might give them leverage to more thoroughly undermine their former patrons.

Valravns grow to maturity twice as fast as a member of their host race from the age at which she became a changeling (e.g. a valravn who eats the heart of a 9-year old human child will reach adulthood (15) (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/description.htm#age) in 3 years rather than 6). A valravn ceases to age once she reaches twice the age of adulthood for her host race, and will not die of old age; however, most valravns are called home to their patron after around 100 years or so, possibly earlier if their charge is completed. This requires the valravn to voluntarily surrender her humanoid form, so rogue valravns can easily refuse the call. Valravns eat, drink, and sleep (if applicable) in the manner of their host race, though they need to ingest meat or blood at least weekly and cannot survive on a purely vegetarian diet. In general, a valravn requires only half of the food and water of a member of the host race. Changeling valravns know and speak the language(s) of the child whose heart they devoured, and by adulthood a valravn's languages are those of any other member of the host race.

The sample valravn above has humans as her host race.

Flash of Insight (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, a valravn can gain a flash of insight, adding a +2 insight bonus to a single attack roll, damage roll, skill check, saving throw, character level check (such as caster level check, manifester level check, initiator level check, etc.) or ability check.

Guidance (Sp) A valravn can use guidance once per day per target, as a caster of her character level. This ability cannot be used on herself or another valravn, and if used while another creature is still under its effects, the prior casting ends immediately - only one creature can benefit from a valravn's guidance at a time.

Raven's Armor (Su) The most spectacular manifestation of a valravn's power is her armor - a valravn can unfurl giant phantasmal raven wings from her back and wrap them around herself as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, causing the plumes of her wings to transform into a black suit of masterwork banded mail. This armor cannot be removed from the valravn. If this armor ever becomes damaged, the valravn must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt after subtracting hardness) or become sickened for 1 hour. If this armor is destroyed, the valravn is immediately sickened for 24 hours (no save) and must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or become nauseated for 1 hour. A damaged or destroyed suit of armor recovers fully in 24 hours. The valravn can dismiss her armor as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Raven's armor is masterwork and can be magically enhanced and hold an augment crystalMIC, which appears and vanishes along with her armor unless removed. Other physical modifications such as armor spikes cannot be added to the valravn's armor, though the basic details of her armor's appearance are at the valravn's discretion (up to and including color scheme, though most valravns stick with a black suit of armor with a raven and feather motif). When determining the gold piece cost in raw materials to enhance raven's armor, a valravn reduces the base price by 25%. When a valravn reaches 6 Hit Dice, her raven's armor takes on the qualities of mithral armor (-10% arcane spell failure chance, +2 max Dex bonus, reduce armor check penalties by 3, and so on).

If a valravn is already wearing armor when activating this ability, that armor is supplanted by this armor while active. Any special properties of that armor are ignored.

Ravensight (Su) As a full-round action, a valravn may touch another creature to receive a vague premonition about their immediate future. This functions as an omen of perilSC, except that it provides the valravn with insights into the touched creature's future within the next two hours - a clear sky for safety, a perched raven for peril, and a circle of ravens in a clouded sky for great danger. For each time in the same day that the valravn uses this ability beyond the first, she suffers 1 point of Wisdom damage which cannot be prevented. Uses of this ability reset at midnight.

Stand Ready (Ex) A valravn's faint insight into the immediate future provides her with a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks.

Without Dreams (Ex) Valravns sleep but do not dream, and can thus not be targeted by dream, nightmare, and similar effects that rely on mental contact with a sleeper. Valravns are immune to magical and supernatural sleep effects, though extraordinary methods (such as poisons) can still knock them unconscious. Valravns cannot enter the Region of Dreams through slumber and can never take ranks in Lucid Dreaming. If a valravn physically enters the Region of Dreams (such as via the dream travel spell), she automatically provokes hostile reactions from all denizens of that plane, and suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks while within the Region of Dreams.

Without Hope (Ex) Valravns are not inherently despairing or sorrowful, but their liminal awareness of their existence for a cause and their duty to secure it makes it difficult for them to experience optimism in a meaningful way. Valravns cannot benefit from morale bonuses (morale penalties can still apply to a valravn).

Valravn Characters

The below characteristics describe a valravn that has taken humanoid form via its changeling ability, not its natural form. A valravn's form imitates a human or demihuman. Some of the racial characteristics of the valravn draw from the humanoid being imitated, which is referred to below as the host race.

Discuss with your DM to have the final say, but in general valravns are associated with sylvan or mountain areas. Successful valravns are integrated into a society (at least, as well as they can be) and not at particular risk of neglect leading to harm or death prior to maturity. In general, creatures with the Aquatic, Goblinoid, or Reptilian subtypes are unsuitable host races for a valravn. In general, a race with a gliding ability (such as hadozee, phanatons, or raptorans), a natural swim speed (such as darfellans), a natural climb speed (such as grippli), or a natural burrow speed would be unsuitable as a host race as the valravn does not possess the capacity to move in like fashion and would struggle to integrate successfully or thrive. The following are examples of successful host races: human, dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, halfling, half-orc, kalashtar, and shifter.

• +2 Str, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis. Valravns are surprisingly strong despite their frail frames, but their natural insights come at the cost of paying attention to the world around them.
• A valravn's size is the same as that of the host race.
• A valravn's base land speed is the same as the host race's, to a maximum of 30 feet. The valravn does not gain any other base movement speeds from the host race. The valravn inherits any special characteristics of the host race's base land movement speed (such as a dwarf's ability to move at 20 ft. in medium or heavy armor).
• Valravns are fey.
• Low-light vision.
• A valravn gains Insightful ReflexesCAdv as a bonus feat. A valravn who acquires the battle clarityToB or intellectual agilityCAdv class feature may elect to exchange this feat with any feat for which she meets the prerequisites.
• A valravn gains one of Blade Bound*, CommunicatorCArc, Haunted Shadow*, Ineffable Sight*, InsightfulCArc, Lighter of Darkness*, Necropolis BornCArc, Night HauntCArc, One With The Land*, Soul of the NorthCArc, Spell HandCArc, Stormchild*, Sunlit Spirit*, Touch of CaptivationPGE, Touch of DeceptionPGE, Tutelary*, or Vexatious* as a bonus feat. A good-aligned valravn may instead choose Binding BrandPGE, while an evil-aligned valravn may instead choose Touch of SummoningPGE. A chaotic-aligned valravn may instead choose Bewitching Voice*, while a lawful-aligned valravn may instead choose Structured Soul*.
• Valravns are proficient with a single martial weapon of their choosing and with the banded mail produced by their raven's armor ability. They have no native proficiency with any other kind of armor, including any other suit of banded mail.
• Valravns have a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (religion) and one other Knowledge skill germane to the host race. These skills are always considered class skills for the valravn and the valravn is considered trained in these skills. The table below provides suggestions.




Race
Knowledge skill




Human
Local or Nobility


Dwarf
Architecture or Dungeoneering


Elf
Arcana or Nature


Gnome
Arcana or Geography


Half-Elf
History or Local


Halfling
Geography or Local


Half-Orc
Dungeoneering or Local


Kalashtar
Psionics or the Planes


Shifter
Geography or Nature




• Valravns grow uncomfortable around mirrors. A valravn who can see herself in a mirror or other reflective surface must make a Will save (DC 15) or become shaken for as long as she can see her reflection and for 1 minute thereafter. A valravn who successfully saves is immune to making further saves against this effect for 1 hour. Effects and abilities which provide immunity to fear do not apply to this effect.
• Valravns have a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against death effects. A valravn is "born" of violence and death.
• Valravns suffer a -4 penalty to Swim checks.
• True seeing or similar effects can perceive the valravn's true nature - she appears as an emaciated version of her humanoid form with pure white eyes and large raven wings emerging from her back (if raven's armor is inactive) or wearing a cloak of raven feathers (if raven's armor is active). Her hands and feet appear to be bird talons.
• When a valravn dies, her body (and raven's armor, if active) collapses into a pile of raven feathers that scatter in the wind, and a phantasmal raven flies off into the sky, vanishing 1 minute later. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don't work on a valravn. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore her to life.
• Flash of Insight: as above
• Guidance: as above
• Raven's Armor: as above
• Ravensight: as above
• Stand Ready: as above
• Without Dreams: as above
• Without Hope: as above
• Automatic Languages: A valravn has the automatic languages of the host race. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Auran, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Sylvan.
• Favored Class: WarbladeToB
• Level Adjustment: +0

Bewitching Voice
Your voice has magical properties that can manipulate the weak-minded.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - daze, lesser confusion, lullaby. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Special This feat is the equivalent of Gift of the XoriatDR332 and provides the same benefits. A character who selects one cannot select the other.

Blade Bound
You possess a magical gift that attunes you to the strength of the blade, making you adept at causing harm.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - critical strikeSC, glittering razorsDR302, inflict minor wounds. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Haunted Shadow
You possess a disquieting aura that makes you seem haunted or cursed.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - bane, launch itemSC, unnerving gazeBoVD. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Ineffable Sight
You possess a magical awareness that even lets you find worth in others.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - detect magic, true strike, virtue. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Lighter of Darkness
You possess a magical affinity to bring forth light and life.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - cure light wounds, disrupt undead, flare. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

One With The Land
You possess a magical affinity for the land around you and its native flora and fauna.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - detect animals or plants, know direction, naturewatchSC. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Stormchild
You possess a magical affinity for thunder and lightning.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - electric joltSC, sonic snapSC, thunderheadSC. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Structured Soul
You possess a magical affinity for making things be as they should be.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - mending, protection from chaos, stickSC. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Sunlit Spirit
You possess a magical affinity with the sun.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - dawnSC, guiding lightSC, light. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Tutelary
You possess a magical affinity for precaution and protection.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - detect poison, purify food and drink, shield. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

Vexatious
You possess a magical affinity for fey mischief, trickery, and torment.
Benefit An innate talent for magic grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day - buzzing beeSC, caltropsSC, minor disguiseSC. Save DCs are Charisma-based.

[Metastachydium]

I'd enjoy some lower-level intelligent plant creatures... it seems like the poor plants are all either really big/high-level, or mindless.

Well, technically, there's the volodni and the adu'ja (I think; I never know where the apostrophe goes) and I like those. But planties sure deserve more love, so that would certainly be lovely!


Geloid

(…)

Init: +8

(…)

Feats Improved InitiativeB

(…)

Sessile State (Ex) When not attacking, a geloid takes the form of a simple puddle, appearing to be a shallow pool of viscous fluid the same color as the ooze that spawned it. In this state, the geloid gets a +16 racial bonus to Hide checks. A geloid uses its Constitution modifier in place of its Dexterity modifier for initiative checks. Geloids can detect prey up to 30 ft. away with their blindsight but rarely choose to emerge from their sessile state until prey is within striking distance.


Am I missing something (again) or Improved Initiative + CON should indeed give a 6 rather than an 8?

[afroakuma]

Am I missing something (again) or Improved Initiative + CON should indeed give a 6 rather than an 8?

Ooh, good catch. That's what happens when I run around tweaking numbers. +6 is correct.

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Valravns

Wild valravns on the Outer Planes do not often seek out the opportunity to become changelings, especially given that they cannot reach the Prime Material Plane of their own accord. Those sent to the Material Plane are dispatched by deities, and thus each valravn changeling has (or at least, originally had) a patron deity. While any deity could theoretically enlist and dispatch a valravn, in practice many prefer not to do so, while others particularly favor valravns as a way of subtly influencing the affairs of mortals. The below are a number of the more prominent deities who employ valravns in their service and send them to the Material Plane to nudge champions to greatness.

Amaterasu
Greater Power of Celestia
Light of Heaven, Empress of Light, the Wise and Brilliant
Alignment: Lawful good
Portfolio: Light, sun
Divine Realm: Celestia/Mercuria/Radiant Light
Symbol: Sun
Domains Good, Kami*, Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Sun
Favored Weapon: Longsword

Though she does not claim to be their creator, the solar goddess Amaterasu is known to dispatch valravns (called kara-onna, though whether this is intended to translate to "crow woman" or "empty woman" is continually debated by sages) to serve as her hand on the Prime, working to restore order where it has been demolished and bring hope to those who have had it stolen from them. Her valravns seek out those who commit dark deeds and take their changeling forms from the dying victims of cruel warlords, vile sorcerers, and other such oppressors, living to avenge the memory of those who have died. Valravns of Amaterasu often have Sunlit Soul as their bonus feat, bringing the light of their goddess to the aid of the oppressed.

Anshar
Lesser Power of Pandemonium
the Night, the Supernal Vast, Father of the Heavens
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Darkness, night, the working of magic
Divine Realm: Pandemonium/Pandesmos/City of Eternal Darkness
Symbol: Black sphere
Domains Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Shadow, Sky, Spell
Favored Weapon: Shortbow

Anshar is an interesting evolution - formerly a sky god of orderly and benevolent aspect, he transferred much of his portfolio to his son Anu, becoming associated more with the hours of night while Anu was venerated as the blue sky. In time, mortal fear of the things of the night combined with increased veneration of Anu as the chief deity of the pantheon, resulting in Anshar becoming associated with not only darkness but also secrecy, danger, and ill will. Belief is a powerful thing where gods are concerned, and Anshar has spent untold ages residing in his lightless city, fuming over the fact that his marginalization has not helped the broader pantheon stand the test of time. Impulsive, angry, and possessed by a primordial understanding of the cosmos that predates Anu's vision of order, Anshar is confident that he still has a role to play as a meddler, and he dispatches valravns to serve his shadowy plots to steer events toward what is intended to be a stronger future for his son's followers - whether or not Anu would approve. Anshar is not so much malevolent as he is narrow and unconcerned with the well-being of individuals if it gets in the way of what he thinks is right, and his valravns are often as not neutral or even good-aligned. Valravns of Anshar often have Night Haunt as their bonus feat, a reminder of their ties to the dark.

Apollo
Intermediate Power of Arborea
Musician of the Gods, the Archer God, the Healer, the Light-Bringer, etc.
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Light, prophecy, music, healing
Divine Realm: Arborea/Pelion/Amun-Thys
Symbol: A lunar disc surrounded by horns, or a moon and ankh
Domains Chaos, Good, Healing, Music*, Oracle, Sun
Favored Weapon: Composite longbow

Ravens have long been a symbol of Apollo, who sometimes shares his valravns or koraxides with his twin sister Artemis. A prophetic deity, Apollo looks ahead to possible futures and dispatches valravns to nudge events toward his preferred outcome, a method he has often needed to employ due to the more overt meddling of his father Zeus and the often retributive counter-moves of Hera. For some reason, Apollo's faith is insistent that valravns are his creation, which is provably false - Apollo has only started to employ them in the past 500 years, while other pantheons have made use of valravns for millennia. Valravns of Apollo often have Bewitching Voice as their bonus feat, allowing them to employ a touch of the solar god's charm and music in their efforts.

Arawn
Intermediate Power of Hades
The Dark One, Lord of the Otherworld
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Life, death
Divine Realm: Hades/Niflheim/Annwn
Symbol: Black star on gray background
Domains Death, Destruction, Evil, Life, Retribution
Favored Weapon: Club

The dark god of the Celtic underworld, Arawn is harsh but of just and honorable character, a firm believer that good must exist and thrive in the world and that life must be given its chance. Arawn views his role in the cosmos as quite literally a necessary evil - the darkness that makes the light glow all the brighter. His valravns are of many alignments, not bound to evil, and their quests may be of the kind that a mortal would never associate with the Lord of the Otherworld. Ulterior motives are not in Arawn's nature - his role is motivation enough, and Arawn is very good at it. Valravns of Arawn often have Haunted Shadow as their bonus feat, the spectral traces of Annwn shrouding them in otherworldly and sometimes frightening mysteries of magic.

Dhumavati
Lesser Power of the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum
Queen of Smoke, Goddess of the Unfulfilled, Voidwidow, the Power of Time, She Whose Form Is The Void
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Inauspicious fate, unfulfilled desires, supernatural gifts, endings, ugliness, bad luck, true wisdom
Divine Realm: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Vacuum/Pralaya
Symbol: Blue lotus with eight petals
Domains Brahman, Darkness, Fate, Knowledge, Mysticism, Time, Trickery, Truth
Favored Weapon: Trident

The dark horse in the debate about the original creator of the valravns, Dhumavati is a reclusive Vedic power whose contrasting natures and famous ugliness keep her lesser-known, a situation that suits her just fine. Goddess of the void and widow of the living Shiva (it was complicated), Dhumavati encompasses many facets, but fundamentally she is the goddess of time, of hard truths and easy lies, of gifts and needs, and she who keeps and fills empty things. Symbolized by crows (a bird scorned among the pantheon's worshippers), Dhumavati is depicted as a hideous woman, a hag of advanced age and surpassing hideousness, but also as a seductive young woman decked in jewelry. With one hand she doles out misfortune and woe, with the other generous gifts and secrets of magic. She is deception and revelation. Robed in myriad attributes, where Dhumavati represents so much but is known to so few, the goddess maintains cordial but distant relations with the other Vedic goddesses and has an uncomfortable detente with her ex-husband Shiva. Her meddling is particularly hard to predict or perceive, for the goddess rarely acts and keeps her own counsel. True to her nature, while she is often depicted as a great evil, a mighty benefactor, a preserver of order, or a cloud of smoke sowing chaos and confusion, Dhumavati in truth takes steps to preserve and promote balance and neutrality. As a goddess of the end of the world, she feels she knows better than any what forces are unworthy of bringing it about.

Dhumavati has made one and only one statement that she was the original creator of valravns, or vayasa to the Vedic pantheon. Certainly other Vedic deities make use of them as they like, but the faithful of more prominent deities such as Odin and the Morrigan have been much more persistent about their own claims, and the goddess of the void doesn't care to argue with them - their statements are as the wind to her, just noise that will pass in due course. Valravns of Dhumavati often have Spell Hand as their bonus feat, the minor magic allowing them to manipulate the minor motions of the cosmos without unduly forcing them.

Hecate
Intermediate Power of Hades
Lady of the Night, Dread Goddess of Night, Goddess of the Crossroads, Goddess of the Dark of the Moon
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Moon, magic, abundance, undead
Divine Realm: Hades/Pluton/Aeaea and Baator/Minauros/Aeaea
Symbol: Setting moon
Domains Creation, Darkness, Evil, Magic, Moon, Undeath
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Unusually for an evil-aligned power, Hecate employs valravns but does so rarely and with great reluctance, only dispatching them to places where death, disease, and calamity are already rampant. This likely has to do with the fact that while the witch goddess deeply enjoys meddling with the grand order of the cosmos and leaving her mark on the world, she considers herself a protector of children and is loath to see them come to undue harm. Valravns of Hecate often have Insightful as their bonus feat, giving them senses around magic that let them follow the example of their patron.

Hel
Intermediate Power of Hades
Goddess of Death and the Underworld, Keeper of the Dishonored Dead
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Death, the underworld
Divine Realm: Hades/Niflheim/Niflheim
Symbol: The face of Hel
Domains Age*, Death, Deathbound, Destruction, Evil, Winter
Favored Weapon: Longsword

The dour goddess of the Asgardian underworld, Hel rarely has cause to meddle with affairs on the Material Plane - after all, her grasp already extends to all via the threat of old age and disease, and she is terribly patient. Nevertheless, when her interests need serving, Hel has no qualms whatsoever about dispatching a valravn to marshal forces to the cause of darkness and despair. Hel's valravns are likely as not to chafe at their directive, not least because they have little love for their dreary home. Valravns of Hel often have Necropolis Born as their bonus feat, demonstrating their allegiance to the power of the grave.

The Morrigan
Intermediate Power of the Outlands
Queen of Ghosts, Phantom Queen
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: War, battle, violence, fate
Divine Realm: Outlands/Tir na Og (the Bloody Field)
Symbol: A sword hilt
Domains Bloodshed*, Chaos, Death, Evil, Fate, War
Favored Weapon: Shortspear

Like Arawn, the Morrigan has changed over the aeons as mortals have come to fear war and fate; her protective aspect has long since faded, her neutrality has been transformed through their fearful beliefs into chaos and evil, and even her symbol has drifted over time - formerly two crossed spears, now the hilt of a sword. Still a goddess of war, fate, and death, the Morrigan is one of the most likely candidates for being the original creator of valravns (Odin being the other), who are called bean branán by followers of the Celtic pantheon, and she is among the most prolific senders of valravns, typically to stir up chaos or bring the Morrigan's justice against those who have defied fate. Valravns of the Morrigan often have Blade Bound as their bonus feat, letting them keep their weapons sharp and ready to strike.

Nephthys
Intermediate Power of Arborea
Protector of the Dead, Lady of Sands
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Wealth, death, grief
Divine Realm: Arborea/Pelion/Amun-Thys
Symbol: A lunar disc surrounded by horns, or a moon and ankh
Domains Chaos, Good, Protection, Repose, Wealth
Favored Weapon: Mace

The funerary goddess's realm plays host to a number of valravns or kemsatib, who are dispatched sparingly by Nephthys. While the goddess rarely has much need for intervention on the Prime, she engages in a shadow campaign to undermine her former husband Set and his wicked designs. Valravns of Nephthys often have Tutelary as their bonus feat, echoing their patron's role as a protector of the dead by working to protect the living.

Oberon
Lesser Power of Faerie
King of Shadows, Lord of Beasts, Hartsfriend
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Animals, wild places, nature, the hunt, martial protection of fey
Divine Realm: The Seelie Court
Symbol: White stag
Domains Animal, Fey†, Good, Hunt, Plant, Protection, Sun
Favored Weapon: Longbow

Consort of the Faerie Queen Titania, Oberon takes a more hands-on approach to the practical advancement of fey interests and needs, and while he doesn't trust the valravns, as a fey deity he doesn't completely trust any of his followers - what fun would there be in that? Valravns allow Oberon to be relatively hands-off in his dealings with the mortal realm and bypass the intrigues of the Seelie Court entirely, though it does chafe that they are a less direct method than he would often prefer to employ. Still, it keeps him out of the limelight, which suits the King of Shadows just fine. Valravns of Oberon often have One With The Land as their bonus feat, giving them a link to nature that suits their patron.

Odin
Greater Power of Ysgard
All-Father, Father of the Slain, God of the Hanged, the High One, etc.
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Knowledge, magic, war
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Ysgard/Asgard
Symbol: A blue eye
Domains Chaos, Good, Knowledge, Magic, Repose, Rune, War
Favored Weapon: Shortspear

Leader of the Asgardian pantheon, Odin is often cited as one of the likely creators of the first valravns, and certainly his valkyries bear strong similarities at first blush. The inscrutable god of magic and wisdom is one of the most frequent patrons of valravns sent down to guide champions and steward heroes, though the tragedy that has been linked time and time again to those whom Odin would try to exalt as among the greatest of warriors and adventurers bodes ill for their track record. Valravns of Odin often have Ineffable Sight as their bonus feat, giving them acumen both magical and martial.

Queen of Air and Darkness
Intermediate Power of Pandemonium
Ladinion's Bane, Queen of the Unseelie Court, Titania's Shadow, the Wraith-Queen, Wraith of Cwm Glas
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Magic, deception, darkness, murder, evil fey
Divine Realm: Pandemonium/Phlegethon/Unseelie Court
Symbol: Black diamond
Domains Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Fey†, Illusion, Magic, Vile Darkness
Favored Weapon: Dagger

The corrupted sister of the Faerie Queen Titania, the leader of the Unseelie Court is a formless and terrible wraith of nightmarish aspect, eroded and hollowed to the point that even her true name has long since been lost. Evil fey of every kind serve at her hand, and she dispatches them to wreak havoc and spread her ill intent across all worlds, determined to unravel hope and dreams. The Queen of Air and Darkness takes pleasure in almost nothing, save the hollowing and despoiling of all fey and everything they love and hold dear. Her valravns are agents of profound wickedness and traitors to feykind. Valravns of the Queen of Air and Darkness often have Touch of Summoning as their bonus feat, anchoring them to the Lower Planes and giving them the power to call on foul beasts to join their cause.

Other Deities of the Valravns

Besides those listed above, many deities in those same pantheons make occasional use of valravns to enact their goals. Below are some additional deities who are particularly known to employ valravns.

Arvoreen and Urogalan of Yondalla's Children (halfling pantheon).
Baravar Cloakshadow of the Lords of the Golden Hills (gnomish pantheon).
Beshaba, Kelemvor, and Shar of the Faerûnian pantheon.
Belinik, Cuiraécan, Eloéle, Erik, and Ruornil of the Cerilian pantheon.
Dol Arrah, the Fury, the Keeper, the Shadow, and the Traveler of the pantheons of Eberron.
Dumathoin, of the Morndinsamman (dwarven pantheon).
Erythnul, Incabulos, Istus, and Wee Jas of the pantheons of Oerth.
Habbakuk, Morgion, and Zivilyn of the Krynnish pantheon.
Labelas Enoreth, of the Seldarine (elven pantheon).
Loviatar and Mielikki of the Finnish and Faerûnian pantheons.
Tyr of the Faerûnian and Norse pantheons.

†spells in this domain lose their alignment subtypes when used by characters with access to this domain.

Age Domain
Granted Power You cease to age. You do not attain any further bonuses or penalties for aging, or otherwise experience any adjustments that would come with advancing age, and you cannot be magically or otherwise forcibly aged save by a deity. You still die of old age when your time is up.
1st - power word fatigueRotD
2nd - ray of weaknessSC
3rd - aging touchDR350
4th - touch of yearsCM
5th - graymantleSC
6th - memory rotSC
7th - disintegrate
8th - horrid wilting
9th - Ensul's soultheftCoS:W

Bloodshed Domain
Granted Power You gain access to the blood in the waterToB stance, which you may use as a martial initiator of your character level.
1st - blade of bloodPHBII
2nd - whirling bladeSC
3rd - keen edge
4th - bloodstarSC
5th - bleedCC
6th - incite riotPHBII
7th - avasculateSC
8th - avascular massSC
9th - mass harmHoH

Brahman Domain
Granted Power Once per day as an immediate action, you may grant another creature within 60 ft. your Charisma modifier as an insight modifier to a single attack roll, saving throw, skill check, ability check, or to their AC against a single declared attack. For every three cleric levels you possess above 1st (4th, 7th, 10th, etc.) you gain an additional daily use of this ability.
1st - comprehend languages
2nd - divine insightSC
3rd - attune formSC
4th - restoration
5th - telepathic bond
6th - mass owl's wisdom
7th - mental pinnacleXPH
8th - true creationSC
9th - miracle

Kami Domain
Granted Power A number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum once, even with a Charisma penalty), you can summon a local spirit and channel some of the spirit's karmic power into yourself. This guidance grants you a +4 insight bonus on any skill check.
1st - tranceOA
2nd - invisibility to spiritsOA
3rd - commune with lesser spiritCArc
4th - spiritual advisorCC
5th - spirit selfCArc
6th - spirit bindingCArc
7th - commune with greater spiritCArc
8th - greater spirit bindingCArc
9th - foresight

[afroakuma]

Mhyr
Medium Animal
HD 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares); climb 10 ft.
Init: +3
AC 14; touch 13; flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 natural)
BAB +1; Grp +1
Attack Bite +2 melee (1d4 and disease)
Full Attack Bite +2 melee (1d4 and disease)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Disease, scrimmage
Special Qualities Low-light vision, poison immunities, resistance to cold 10, scent
Saves Fort +5 Ref +6 Will -1
Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 4
Skills Climb +11, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +11
Feats Alertness, Combat ReflexesB, Spring AttackB, Weapon Focus (bite)B
Environment Any plains, forest, marsh, or underground
Organization Solitary, crowd (6-10), or pack (11-20)
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)

A mhyr (pronounced veer or weer, depending on dialect), more commonly known as a rat-hound, is an ugly mixture of the characteristics of the animals that gave rise to that epithet, with the lean canine body of a wolf but a ratlike tail and head, with features similar to those of an opossum. Lean, with rough, patchy fur that tends toward grey or black with a slight bluish or greenish tinge due to fungal infestation, mhyrs stand as tall as a large dog and scurry along on thin legs with a surprising speed. They are known for being agile and tenacious combatants unafraid of taking on multiple foes at the same time.

Mhyrs are widely despised - fairly, no less - for their vicious and selfish dispositions. Prolific breeders when provided with a sufficient food source, they will cheerfully turn on one another for food when sufficiently hungry, though if any other option presents itself a group of mhyrs will always go for the more palatable choice first. Mhyr kits give off an infamously putrid reek (treat as stinking cloud but nonmagical and centered on the kit, DC 12, Constitution-based) that signals adults to leave them alone and not consider them prey. Other plants and animals are not so lucky - mhyrs will try to gorge themselves on anything they think might be edible, and an ooze will find them to be tremendously cooperative snacks. Mhyrs are difficult to tame and virtually impossible to domesticate (+10 to Handle Animal DCs) and if subjected to charm animal or similar effects are treated as threatened or attacked for the purpose of determining their saving throw bonus.

Very few animals enjoy the taste of mhyr flesh. Vermin, particularly spiders, go out of their way to avoid mhyr and can smell them from long distances. Birds of prey will sometimes snatch up a mhyr for a meal but magical beasts with an Intelligence score of 3 or more will rarely ever choose to dine on mhyr flesh, though they will happily murder the rodent-faced creatures. Leucrottas, troglodytes, grimlocks, ettercaps, and trolls all quite enjoy the taste of mhyr, while ogres will eat them and may even cohabit caverns with a few, though this is more an arrangement of mutual convenience than one of any kind of affection. Goblinoids, orcs, and gnolls all hate them just as much as humans, elves, etc. do, for mhyrs combine the appetite of voracious wolves with the omnivorous persistence of rats and the viciousness of a particularly territorial honey badger, a species which may be a distant relative.

Despite the best efforts of persistent sages to prove otherwise, mhyrs are by all accounts natural creatures and not the product of mad wizardry. Mhyrs make for poor companions and few druids or rangers consider them worth the bother (a mhyr chosen as an animal companion does not gain the link or devotion abilities and knows 2 fewer bonus tricks than a comparable animal companion, to a minimum of 0).

Disease (Ex) Filth fever - bite, Fortitude DC 13, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison Immunities (Ex) Mhyrs are immune to poisons from any spider of the vermin type (as opposed to magical beasts, aberrations, etc. that are called "spiders" or spiders augmented with a template that changes their creature type) and poisons from any non-extraplanar fungus. Poisons from other sources affect them normally. Mhyrs are immune to the stinking cloud effect of mhyr kits, though they find the odor deeply unpleasant.

Scrimmage (Ex) When an enemy moves into a square that is adjacent to any square the mhyr threatens, if that movement could have provoked an attack of opportunity, the mhyr may immediately move 5 ft. into a square adjacent to that enemy's position and make an attack of opportunity against that enemy. The mhyr must be able to make an attack of opportunity in this round in order to use this ability.

Skills Mhyrs have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks. Mhyrs have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Mhyrs use their Dexterity modifier for Climb and Swim checks.

[afroakuma]

Aralia
Aralia 1st-level Warrior
Small Plant
HD 1d8 (4 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +0
AC 15; touch 13; flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Rapier +4 melee (1d4, 18-20/x2) or vine whip +4 melee (1d2 subdual)
Full Attack Rapier +4 melee (1d4, 18-20/x2) and vine whip +4 melee (1d2 subdual)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with whip)
Special Attacks Expert edge, snag, vines
Special Qualities Low-light vision, plant physiology, roots, tether grip, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +2 Ref +2 Will -1
Abilities Str 10, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 11
Skills Climb +8*, Jump +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Martial Lore +2
Feats Combat ExpertiseB, Weapon Finesse
Environment Any (temperate forests)
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often lawful good
Advancement by class Favored Class Swashbuckler
Level Adjustment +0

Unusual but friendly, aralias are plant-people on an eternal diaspora from their wandering home. Aralias stand roughly 40 inches tall, and resemble gnomes or miniature humans made of leaves, vines, and moss. Four organs on their faces approximate eyes, and generally resemble large smooth almonds or chestnuts coated in glistening oil. Aralias lack discernible noses, though they do possess small slitted stoma that can be observed fluttering slightly to assist in breathing. They have expressive mouths with woody "teeth" used purely for speech articulation - aralias do not eat with their mouths. Their heads feature large broad leaves around their brow with a blossoming, cottony flower behind that resembles a globe of white, yellow, orange, lavender, or pink hair. Apart from the obvious leaves and vines, an aralia could be mistaken for a green-skinned gnome or halfling, and they emulate a number of humanoid behaviors such as blinking, itching, responding to pleasant aromas, and so forth. Aralias are fully sapient and exhibit the same range of emotions as any humanoid would.

Aralias may wear clothing but generally disdain armor or restrictive outfits. Vines trail around their slender arms, from tiny ones that fringe the wrists to a pair of long vines that grow from near their elbows and can be used as ropes or whips. Aralias carry themselves somewhat stiffly and are known for a psychological tic that prompts them to announce "at your service" at appropriate moments. They are also known for behaving formally and politely, if somewhat confusingly at times, and will emulate human behaviors despite being unable to meaningfully complete them. Aralias are easy to track due to the plant debris and pollen that trail behind them (+4 bonus to checks to track) and both dragons and creatures with the scent ability find them easy to locate (+4 bonus to Spot checks to locate an aralia). Aralias who have encountered another aralia and spent at least an hour in their presence will grow a seed over the course of a month in the back of their head, which will fall out and roll away one day while the aralia is rooted, planting itself in the earth and growing into a new aralia after another month. Aralias have no sense of familial connection to one another and are generally unconcerned with the fate of their seedlings.

Aralias are a relatively new people in the multiverse; 800 years ago, when a city built in a giant tree came under attack by chromatic dragons and its courtly defenders were slain, a mighty druid channelled nature's power into the tree's vines, which implanted seeds in the corpses of the defenders that sprouted into plant replicas who took up arms to defend their Mother Vine. The now-sentient city came alive and used its power to slip into a roaming demiplane, which continues to settle for a few days at a time in various places around the Material Plane. Aralias have dispersed from the Living City by wandering past its boundary and failing to return before it slips away. Their response to this is little more than a shrug - while aralias are famous for asking "do you know how to find the Living City?" and variations to those they meet, they generally demonstrate a total lack of worry when they receive a negative response. Each aralia has a calm confidence that it will return to its home at some point.

Biologically aralias are hermaphroditic (monoecious, to be precise) and bear no discernible sexual characteristics associated with humanoids. In personality, aralias may often identify as a particular gender, as genderfluid, or as genderless. While aralias have sometimes played up the "courtly romantic swashbuckler" idioms, they do so purely from their vestigial memories and aping the behavior of humanoids, and have no actual romantic interest in any humanoid (or one another). Aralias have indefinite lifespans. They speak Baao and Treant.

Expert Edge (Ex) Whenever an aralia uses the Combat Expertise feat to gain a bonus to AC, it may gain that same bonus to melee and thrown ranged damage rolls with slashing or piercing weapons, to a limit of the aralia's Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This limit is further increased by the aralia's edge, which consists of the sum of the following class features:

• Agile fighting (+X when fighting defensively = +X to edge)
• Always ready (+X bonus = +X to edge)
• Assassin save bonus against poison (+X bonus = +X to edge)
• Blessing of scripture (+X bonus = +X to edge)
• Bonus trick (X bonus tricks = +X to edge)
• Channel spell (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Cloaked casting (X instances of cloaked casting = +X to edge)
• Cruelest cut (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Dagger sneak attack (Xd6 bonus damage = +X to edge)
• Dervish dance (X uses per day = +X to edge)
• Extra fortune (X extra fortunes = +X to edge)
• Fearsome reputation (+X to specified skill check = +X to edge)
• Fighter bonus feats (X fighter bonus feats = +X to edge)
• Fighting challenge (+X morale bonus = +X to edge)
• Ghost step (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Grace (+X to Reflex saves = +X to edge)
• Improved Reaction (+X to initiative = +X to edge)
• Ki Projection (+X to specified skill checks = +X to edge)
• Magical defense (+X to saving throws vs. spells = +X to edge)
• Mind blade (+X enhancement bonus = +X to edge)
• Monk AC bonus (+X to AC = +X to edge)
• Multiple surface thoughts (X simultaneous targets for detect thoughts = +X to edge)
• Precise strike (+Xd6 damage = +X edge)
• Psibond (X psibond options = +X to edge)
• Psychic strike (+Xd8 bonus damage = +X to edge)
• Quick to act (+X to initiative = +X to edge)
• Quick cast (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Sense Void (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Sideslip (X uses/day = +X to edge)
• Skill teamwork (+X to specified skill checks = +X to edge)
• Skirmish (+Xd6 damage and +Y AC = +(X+Y) to edge)
• Slow fall (X*10 feet = +X to edge)
• Spellgrace (+X to saving throws = +X to edge)
• Streetwise (+X to specified skill checks = +X to edge)
• Sudden strike (+Xd6 damage = +X to edge)
• Surprise strike (+Xd6 damage = +X to edge)
• Swashbuckler dodge bonus (+X to AC = +X to edge)
• Teamwork trap sense (+X bonus = +X to edge)
• Tempest defense (+X bonus = +X to edge)
• Trap sense (+X bonus = +X to edge)

This extra damage affects only living creatures with discernible anatomies - undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits and/or sneak attacks is not vulnerable to the additional damage from expert edge. The aralia must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An aralia cannot benefit from the extra damage of expert edge while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Plant Physiology (Ex) Aralias are plants with certain humanoid-like qualities, and as such benefit from certain particular traits, as described below. These traits override the traits of the plant type wherever the two would be in conflict.

• +2 bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting effects. Aralias contain an echo of humanoid consciousness and are not immune to such effects, but remain somewhat resistant to them.
• Immunity to poisons that do not specifically effect plants. The following poisons specifically do affect aralias normally (note that this list is not exhaustive): arsenic, burnt othur fumes, cloudkill, dragon bile, id moss, the poison spell, striped toadstool, terinav root, ungol dust.
• Immunity to sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning. Aralias do not sleep and lack a nervous system.
• Aralias are not immune to polymorph or other transformative effects such as petrification.
• Aralias are subject to critical hits and sneak attack damage.
• Aralias do not have blood; effects which would work on a creature's blood do not function against an aralia, nor can an aralia make use of effects that would require the user's blood in any way.
• Aralias can live without their heads, though the body acts as though confused and blinded while decapitated and cannot make use of any skills, feats, class features, or other abilities that would require thought to activate. An aralia's head can be reattached by holding it in place on the stump of its neck for 1 hour. An aralia whose head is destroyed becomes inert, but can be brought to suitable soil to root into and will automatically do so, regrowing a new head after 1 week of continuous rooting provided the soil is kept well watered.
• Aralias do not have hearts, nerves, or bones. Effects requiring any of these fail where an aralia is concerned.
• Aralias are considered to have eyes and skin for the purposes of effects requiring either.
• Diminish plants can be cast targeted against an aralia within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level). If used for its stunt growth function, it deals 1d6 Str, Dex, and Con damage (Fort half) and allows spell resistance to negate. If used for its prune growth function, it acts as reduce person and lasts for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate.
• Forest voiceCC does work through aralias as well as the Living City's vines if the City is within 10 miles of the aralia. Aralias tend not to appreciate being used in this fashion.
• Plant growth can be cast targeted on an aralia within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level). If used for its overgrowth function, it acts as enlarge person and lasts for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate. If used for its enrichment function, it acts as vigorSC and last for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate.


Roots (Ex) Aralia feet contain small taproots that can extend into the ground, enabling them to draw nutrients from any soil native to their home plane. An aralia who spends at least two hours rooted to one place on natural earthen terrain with a reasonable moisture content (e.g. not sand, clay, or permafrost) is fully nourished for the day and does not need to eat or drink otherwise. This ability also grants them the stonefoot stanceToB. An aralia that extends its roots into contaminated soil is exposed to any toxins, diseases, etc. that may be found therein. An aralia may drink water normally but is incapable of ingesting food other than via its roots, and becomes sickened whenever it has gone more than 24 hours without having done so. Aralias can go a maximum of 1 day without food before starvation sets in.

Snag (Ex) An aralia who hits an enemy with a whip attack may choose to forego the damage the attack would deal and instead wrap the whip around the foe, pulling them closer. The aralia and the creature struck by the whip make opposed Strength checks, adding their grapple size modifiers. If the aralia wins the opposed check, the creature struck is dragged 5 ft. toward the aralia, who may immediately make a single melee attack with another wielded weapon at its full base attack bonus provided the creature is now within reach. The aralia gets a +4 competence bonus to confirm a critical hit on that attack. The aralia does not move if it fails the opposed check. This ability cannot be used if the creature would be physically impeded from moving (for example, bound in place to its current square, or the movement would force it into a space too small for it).

Tether Grip (Ex) An aralia's miniature hand-vines wrap tightly around objects it holds, giving it a +4 bonus to checks to resist being disarmed. An aralia can voluntarily lower this ability as a free action.

Vines (Ex) An aralia naturally grows a long vine near each hand that functions as a whip. Unlike a normal whip, an aralia cannot drop a vine during a trip attempt. Vines have hardness 1 and 3 hp. If severed, they regrow in 24 hours, and can function as 15 ft. lengths of rope that will degrade within 1 hour, becoming brittle and fragile. Vines do not occupy the aralia's hands. As part of a full attack action, an aralia may make a single attack with a vine at its highest base attack bonus without incurring normal penalties for wielding multiple weapons.

Aralia Characters

Aralias possess the following racial traits:

• -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence. Aralias are frail but nimble and have expanded intellect thanks in part to their racial memory.
• Small size
• 20 ft. movement speed
• Plant type
• Low-light vision
• +2 natural armor
• Aralias take half again as much (50%) damage from fire, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
• -2 penalty to initiative checks when outside the Living City. Aralia minds try to reach out to the Mother Vine to alert one another, which causes a momentary distraction. An aralia may spend 1 power point (if available) when rolling initiative to negate this penalty on that check.
• +4 racial bonus to Climb checks. Aralias can use their hand-vines to provide substantial assistance in climbing.
• -2 penalty to Search and Spot checks. Aralia eyes are rudimentary.
• -4 penalty to Listen checks. Aralias have very rudimentary ears.
• Aralias suffer a -4 penalty to Fortitude saving throws to resist the effects of hot or cold weather.
• Aralias are proficient with whips.
• Aralias gain Combat Expertise as a bonus feat.
• Racial Memory: An aralia gains 4 ranks in Knowledge (nature) and 2 ranks in Martial LoreToB. These skills are always considered class skills for the aralia. For each level attained after 1st, the aralia automatically gains 1 rank in Knowledge (nature). Some aralias are amnesiac and lack the full racial memory they should have inherited - such an aralia gains 4 skill points at 1st level that may be allocated normally, but gains no further skill points from this ability.
• Expert Edge: as above
• Plant Physiology: as above
• Roots: as above
• Snag: as above
• Tether Grip: as above
• Vines: as above
• Automatic Languages: Baao, Treant. Bonus Languages: Common, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Gnoll, Sylvan, Terran.
• Favored Class: SwashbucklerCW
• Level Adjustment: +0

[Tzardok]

Swashbuckling plants. There's always something new.

Is Baao their own language (or more specific, the language of the Living City), or is it some other language whose origin I don't know/remember?

[afroakuma]

Swashbuckling plants. There's always something new.

Is Baao their own language (or more specific, the language of the Living City), or is it some other language whose origin I don't know/remember?

The language of the Living City, yes.

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Aralias

Aralias are not particularly religious, being moreso spiritual than anything, and oftentimes more concerned with holding high ideals over venerating any particular principle, let alone a deity. This despite the fact that their very existence is owed to a conflict between deities. The great tree-castle Baao was under the protection of an honorable order of knights, duelists, and good-natured but roguish sorts who had assisted the followers of Bahamut in concealing a powerful relic - a raiment that endowed the wearer with immunity to dragonbreath, as well as many other magical properties. As a significant investment of the power of the Platinum Dragon, this artifact was not only of immeasurable worth to his champions but also a natural target for the cruel draconic goddess Tiamat, who manipulated two rival dragons to produce offspring that would serve as her champions for the sake of conquering Baao and stealing the relic to corrupt it.

The druid-king of Baao marshalled his forces against the onslaught, aided by clergy of Bahamut and by metallic dragons, but while the crimson dragon (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24471622&postcount=26) Dusk and her followers waged war in the foothills, dark magic wrought by her half-dragon son Argaman of the Desolation laid low the noble defenders of the city proper, allowing them easy ingress. In desperation, the druidic circle joined with the druid-king and enacted a mighty magic that gave life to the mighty and ancient tree that upheld the city as well as the enormous network of vines and foliage that had grown around it over the centuries. The tendrils of this Mother Vine found the slain defenders of the city and grew the first aralias to hold back the advance while the druids gave their lives to shroud the city within a demiplane. In a matter of hours, the Living City vanished into a rolling fog, ejecting Argaman and denying the forces of Tiamat her victory.

Mother Vine
Quasipower of Faerie
Heart of Baao, Guardian of the Living City
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Nature, protection, aralias, secrets
Divine Realm: Plane of Faerie/Baao, the Living City
Symbol: A vine-covered tower
Domains Community, Good, Healing, Plant, Protection, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Whip

The Mother Vine is not a true deity, being in essence a kind of nature spirit created through the channelled powers of a druidic circle and imbued with a spark of divinity by the grace of Bahamut. "She" is largely noncommunicative and has very little power outside of the Living City, but through "her" power the City can traverse the Plane of Faerie within a fey demiplane and emerge to take root on a Material Plane world temporarily. As a force of nature, the Mother Vine has very little dogma to adhere to, but "she" is venerated within the Living City by the new generations of druids that steward it and ensure that it remains strong and vital, as well as celebrated by the inhabitants for "her" role in keeping them hidden from their enemies.

The Mother Vine has a trivial number of clerics outside the Living City and not very many more within it; their spells are granted via Bahamut's own divine might, as the Mother Vine does not possess the true divinity required to provide spells to clergy. As the Mother Vine is celebrated but not often worshipped, "her" ascension to true divinity is almost certainly a non-starter, especially given the limited scope of "her" influence. Nonetheless, aralias remember the Mother Vine through their racial memory, and those within the bounds of the Living City can make use of telepathic connections with the Mother Vine to communicate with one another. The Mother Vine is known to be mildly psionic, a trait that emerges within some aralias.

Tiamat
Lesser Power of Baator
The Chromatic Dragon, Queen of Evil Dragons, the Avaricious, the Dragon Queen, etc.
Alignment: Lawful evil
Portfolio: Evil dragons, chromatic dragons, conquest, greed
Divine Realm: Baator/Avernus/Tiamat's Lair
Symbol: A five-headed dragon
Domains Evil, Greed, Law, Pride, Scalykind, Tyranny, Wrath
Favored Weapon: Heavy pick

What's left to say about Tiamat? The Five-Headed Dragon is infamous across the multiverse for her millennia-spanning rivalry with her brother Bahamut, and her enduring power is a testimony to the fear and awe in which she and her chosen are held by countless civilizations. If anything, she is limited in her might and ambition only due to the fact that she engenders more fear than worship, and so few of her own dragons actively venerate her. Nonetheless, Tiamat is as powerful as a lesser power can be, and influential besides - the guardian of the most well-known passageway between the First and Second Hells of Baator, well-connected with Dukes of Hell, with legions of warriors wearing her symbol and ready to march on her foes. Perhaps in truth it is her hatred for Bahamut that limits her, for too many of her schemes are bent toward the destruction of her brother, to the detriment of other opportunities.

Indeed, such a scheme is precisely why her followers now have the aralias to deal with as well - had she not marshalled her forces against the city of Baao, or had she simply commanded them to fight a fair battle, or had she been willing to accept the loss of Bahamut's relic as a fair price for destroying the city as a whole, any number of opportunities existed for her to secure a true victory. Her avarice and spite, however, resulted in yet more foes arrayed against her and ensured the Platinum Dragon's holy artifact would be protected in a place she effectively cannot reach. While the Living City and its plant guardians are ultimately only one more minor irritant to the Dragon Queen, she is nonetheless livid about it and has endowed her high priest Argaman with immortality so that he might find a way to invade the Living City once more and this time finish the job he failed 800 years ago.

[afroakuma]

Nizzid
Fine Dragon
HD 1d12-2 (5 hp)
Speed 5 ft. (1 square); fly 60 ft. (good)
Init: +4
AC 23; touch 22; flat-footed 19 (+8 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural)
BAB +1; Grp -19
Attack Bite +5 melee (1d2-4)
Full Attack Bite +5 melee (1d2-4) and two claws +0 melee (1)
Space 0 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Gnaw dweomer, spell breath
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, digestive spell immunity, low-light vision, prestidigitation, resistance to acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5, and force 5, SR 12
Saves Fort +0 Ref +6 Will +4
Abilities Str 3, Dex 18, Con 6, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 13
Skills Disguise +9*, Hide +20, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats Flyby Attack
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 2-3 HD (Fine); 4-6 HD (Diminutive)

Sometimes referred to as "wandcap dragons" for their favorite perch, nizzids are miniature, highly magical dragonkin whose preferred diet is wand charges and standing dweomers. Lazy and easily satisfied, these none-too-intelligent arcane pests are no bigger than a human thumb from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Any given nizzid shifts randomly between four colors and metals, almost always alternating back and forth between chromatic and metallic appearance, sometimes with shimmering bands running down the length of their bodies. Nizzids bear vague similarities to extant species of dragon but cannot accurately be described as a true miniature form of any known dragon breed - they are their own creature. A "crown" of three horns adorning the nizzid's brow spells out everything about their attitudes - nizzids have absolutely no concern for their relative stature; they are entirely certain that they are the lords of all things and that other creatures are clumsy inferiors meant to serve them. So, essentially, cats with wings.

Nizzids eat insects and will go after small birds, eggs, fruit, berries, lizards, and pretty much anything else up to one size category larger than they. What they truly fiend for, however, is magic - there is nothing a nizzid wants more in life than to find a wand, curl up around the tip, and latch on with its jaws like a calf on a teat. The jewel-toned eyes of a nizzid will sparkle balefully at anyone who dares try to remove them from such a perch, though in practice there's not a lot they can really do against a humanoid plucking them gently off a wand to fire off a charge. Nizzids can sense magic and have particular preferences and tastes, but they are not particularly bright and will just as happily munch on Nystul's magic aura as a true standing dweomer or enchanted bauble.

Nizzids can prove cautiously friendly, but more often they are hazards for arcanists, getting into wand collections, getting drunk on potions, and belching out wisps of random spells that can cause apprentices to run about in panic putting out fires. They are sometimes caged and employed by wizards for their menagerie of energy resistances, though nizzids are wily and dextrous and do not like being caged. The faerie dragon god Nathair Sgiathach considers himself responsible for nizzids, though in truth sages continue to debate their origins. One theory posited by a precocious apprentice suggests that they are the product of a dragon digesting a rod of wonder and causing an unpredictable explosion of magical energies. Rational sages dismiss this as complete nonsense, which of course means that it is completely true.

Nizzids seem to encounter one another with startling regularity, which explains how they have somehow managed to carry on as a species. A pair will chatter for a few hours, generally at night, then one will burp a spell at the other. If sufficiently impressed, mating ensues, and the two then go their separate ways. Nizzid eggs resemble tiny precious gems in metallic or jewel tones and have often been traded by unscrupulous merchants, resulting in irked customers and more than a few particularly creative and vengeful wizards coming to remind the con artist that a pointy hat means serious business. While technically dangerous due to their bite and claws, nizzids very rarely bother attacking living creatures with these unless they constitute obvious prey, and they lack the instincts necessary to go for a kill when they have (somehow) subdued a larger foe, instead just content to sit and resolutely gnaw at a toe or chew on a bit of exposed shoulder. Easily distracted from anything that isn't delicious magic, they will often meander off for a nap or take wing to search for something more palatable than the flesh of humanoids, horses, and so on. Nizzids generally have a favorite "flavor" of magic, which predominantly leans toward certain schools over others, as found on the table below.




d100
School




1-24
Evocation


25-44
Illusion


45-59
Conjuration


60-72
Transmutation


73-82
Enchantment


83-90
Divination


91-96
Abjuration


97-100
Necromancy




Detect Magic (Sp) Nizzids continuously detect magic as the spell of the same name.

Digestive Spell Immunity (Su) When a nizzid successfully eats a charge or use of a magical item, sips a potion, or dispels a spell by gnawing on it, it becomes immune to that spell (or those spells, if more than one spell effect is present within a magic item) for 24 hours.

Gnaw Dweomer (Su) A nizzid's preferred diet is magic, which it can enjoy in various forms by biting onto a magic item or aura. To "eat" magic in this fashion, a nizzid must succeed on a bite attack against a magic item or an object targeted by an ongoing spell effect. When a nizzid succeeds on a bite attack against a magic item or magically affected object, it makes a special dispel check as a 0th level caster and adding its Charisma modifier to the result. If successful, the result depends on the nature of the magic being gnawed:




Magic Item or Effect
Result




Permanent magic item, uncharged
Caster level of the item is reduced by 1 for 1 hour.


Permanent magic item, charged
Item loses 1 charge.


Single-use or limited-use wondrous item
Item loses 1 use. If the last use of the item is consumed, item is rendered nonmagical.


Scroll
Nibbled and rejected.


Potion
Sipped, nizzid may become drunk (treat as confused for 1 hour) if it fails a Will save.


Ongoing spell effect
Caster level of the effect is reduced by 1 for 1 hour. If this would reduce the caster level to 0 or less, effect is dispelled.


Psionic, martial, incarnum, or other form of "magic" item
Ignored. Nizzids cannot detect or digest such energies.




If a nizzid gnaws on an effect that would copy a spell of 4th level or higher, it suffers indigestion and becomes sickened for 1d4 minutes. A successful charge or use eaten or spell dispelled satisfies the nizzid's dietary needs for 24 hours. Nizzids often curl themselves around a reliable food source, giving them the nickname "wandcap dragons" for how they will twine themselves around the tip of a wand to chew on it and eat its charges.

Prestidigitation (Sp) Nizzids can use prestidigitation at will as a 1st level caster.

Spell Breath (Sp) When a nizzid has eaten a charge or use from a magic item, sipped from a potion, or dispelled a spell using its gnaw dweomer effect, residual spell energies linger within it for 1 hour. The nizzid may "burp" out some of these energies as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 ft., affecting the creature targeted on a successful attack with the spell effect that was originally consumed. The effective caster level for this spell effect is equivalent to the nizzid's HD, and the save DC is 10 + the spell's level + the nizzid's Constitution modifier. A spell effect of 4th level or higher cannot be emitted in this fashion as it is much too strong for the nizzid to properly digest. In the event that multiple spell effects are present on the source being gnawed (for instance, a permanent magical item with multiple charged abilities), the effect "burped" out is selected randomly from among applicable effects. Once the nizzid has made a successful attack roll with its spell breath, the digested spell's energies are discharged. A targeted spell effect affects the target normally, a personal spell effect affects the target as though the target had cast it on itself, and an area spell effect treats the target as the epicenter of the spell.

Skills Due to their size and their habit of clutching tight to a suitable perch and falling into a very still slumber when not eating, nizzids at rest have a +8 bonus to Disguise checks to be mistaken for an inanimate object such as a tiny decorative miniature or ornament.

[Tzardok]

I love these rascals. I have no idea why; everything about them is just funnily adorable.

[Eurus]

I also love them. Familiars, maybe? Hmm...

[afroakuma]

Paragon
Medium Outsider (Lawful)
HD 2d8+6 (15 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +4
AC 16 (18); touch 14 (16); flat-footed 14 (16) (+2 Dex, +2 insight, +2 natural, +2 deflection vs. chaotic creatures)
BAB +2; Grp +4
Attack Masterwork short sword +6 melee (1d6+2, 19-20/x2) or slam +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack Masterwork short sword +6 melee (1d6+2, 19-20/x2) or slam +4 melee (1d4+2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Perfected strike
Special Qualities DR 5/magic, protection from chaos, PR 15, resistance to acid 5 and fire 5, spell-like abilities, super ego
Saves Fort +4 (+6) Ref +4 (+6) Will +4 (+6)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14
Skills Appraise +7, Balance +9, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (any two) +7, Listen +7, Search +7, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7, Swim +9
Feats Daunting PresenceB, Mini, Improved ToughnessB, CWar, Weapon Focus (short sword)
Environment Peacable Kingdoms of Arcadia (Abellio)
Organization Solitary, pair, unit (4), dodex (12), maniple (24), or cohort (120)
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always lawful (any)
Advancement by class; Favored Class Any
Level Adjustment +2

Supercilious and prideful, esikuvas - more commonly known as paragons - are the embodiment of Arcadia. Holier-than-thou, striving to be seen as perfect, and eternally convinced of their own superiority. A paragon stands exactly seven feet tall in adulthood and appears to possess an ideal athletic masculine or feminine physique, clearly muscled and without any body hair. Their skin is a rich cobalt blue with a reflective sheen and has often been described as "blue gold," while their eyes are pure gold in appearance and glow with a soft light. The facial features of a paragon are contoured and angular, with high cheekbones and an appearance that suggests hours of careful makeup work. Both sexes grow stark white hair from the backs of their heads exclusively, with men gathering theirs into a single braid that runs down their back and women generally bifurcating theirs into two braids worn over the shoulders or interwoven to form a loose collar. Paragons lack eyebrows and lashes, nails, and have no visible means of excretion (if asked, they grow deeply uncomfortable but allude to their "perfect" digestion rendering such a concept unnecessary). They generally wear white and/or gold silken clothing in minimal amounts, the better to exhibit their physiques.

Paragons are disdainful of the einherjar, the petitioners of Arcadia, as well as virtually all others they encounter, although they envy modrons as the embodiment of absolute order that paragons themselves aspire to be. Rigidly organized, they comport themselves according to a discipline and rigor that others would find uncomfortable, with everything from the home to the community structured in military fashion. A group of four adults is a unit, led by a tetran (a paragon of at least 1st level); twelve are a dodex, led by a dodecan (at least 3rd level); a pair of dodices are a maniple, led by a didan (at least 5th level); and five maniples constitute a cohort, led by a decan (at least 7th level). Paragon cohorts can be found on Mechanus and Acheron, with a few foolish ones venturing into the Upper Planes (where they are given a polite welcome and politely ushered away) or joining the Blood War to "show their lessers how to bring about peace" (you can imagine how well this goes for them). Rarely, an ambitious paragon will lead a group into the Material Plane (or, more likely, accidentally end up there) and set about enacting "order" as they see fit, invariably butting heads with the current residents.

While paragons are quite accomplished (naturally) in any class, leaders tend to have levels in marshalMini, while sub-officers such as options and corniculars generally have levels in crusaderToB. Paragons speak Celestial and one of Dwarven, Formian, Infernal, or Modron. It is widely suspected that all paragons can speak and understand Common perfectly and that they feign ignorance because it is too plebeian for them. Unlike most outsiders, paragons do need to eat, drink, and sleep, though they get by on half the requirements of a human. Some paragons are aligned with deities of lawful nature on Arcadia, Mechanus, or Acheron, most notably a small cohort of evil-leaning paragons residing in the divine realm of the bigoted deity Zarus.

Perfected Strike (Su) As a swift action, a paragon can empower its next attack with the force of its ego. If the attack is made against a chaotic creature and/or a creature with the Chaotic subtype, the paragon adds its Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll, damage roll, and critical confirmation roll (if applicable). The victim of the attack, if chaotic and/or possessing the Chaotic subtype, must make a Will save (DC 13) or be dazed for 1d4 rounds. A creature that successfully saves against this ability is immune to the dazing effect of that paragon's perfected strike ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. The paragon cannot make use of perfected strike while not protected by its protection from chaos ability.

Protection From Chaos (Sp) A paragon is constantly under the effects of protection from chaos cast at its character level. If this protection is dispelled or otherwise removed, the paragon can reassert it as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The paragon may use protection from chaos on itself a number of times per day equal to its Charisma bonus (minimum 1) and the effect has a permanent duration.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - instant searchSC; 3/day - comprehend languages, see invisibility, true strike. Caster level 2nd, save DCs Charisma-based.

Super Ego (Su) A paragon adds its Charisma bonus, if any, to Balance, Climb, Concentration, Escape Artist, Jump, Swim, and Tumble checks, and to initiative checks, as well as its Charisma bonus, if any, as an insight bonus to AC. This ability is inactive whenever the paragon is not currently protected by its protection from chaos ability.

[afroakuma]

Burbur
Diminutive Magical Beast
HD 1d10-1 (4 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +4
AC 18; touch 18; flat-footed 14 (+4 size, +4 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp -11
Attack Feeding tube +9 melee (2d4-1)
Full Attack Feeding tube +9 melee (2d4-1)
Space 0 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Feeding tube
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., immunities, low-light vision
Saves Fort +1 Ref +6 Will +1
Abilities Str 2, Dex 19, Con 8, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 7
Skills Balance +8*, Climb +8*, Escape Artist +8*, Survival +5*
Feats Weapon Finesse
Environment Any land and underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure None
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 2-3 HD (Diminutive); 4-6 HD (Tiny)

The burbur was originally printed in Monstrous Compendium Volume III and reprinted in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume III. This is an adaptation of an existing monster.

Resembling soft, segmented worms about 6 in. to 1 ft. in length, ivory to yellow in hue, burburs are often mistaken for vermin or aberrations due to their uncanny speed and alien visages. A burbur's head resembles a mosquito's, with a long proboscis and two large glistening black eyes. From behind its head emerge two articulated and highly dextrous forelimbs that can be used for climbing and assist the burbur in its shockingly fast movement.

Totally harmless to virtually all creatures, burburs are the bane of slimes, molds, mosses, and fungi - to the frequent delight of those who must contend with deadlier varietals of such species. A single burbur has the appetite to clear out three 5 ft. square patches of slime, mold, moss, or fungus in short order. Burburs have few natural predators due to their diet - hazardous remnants of their latest snack linger within the burbur's tissues for several days, and whatever opportunistic creature tries to gobble one up will get to enjoy the toxins, acidic enzymes, and infectious spores that are now rampaging through its system. As not all creatures know about this risk prior to ingestion, burburs often conceal themselves among their favored foods or other hazardous flora, hoping that would-be foes will get the hint. Burburs are often found near yellow musk creepers or violet fungi, both of which they are immune to and neither of which are considered edible to a burbur, ensuring that it will never eat itself out of a shelter.

Burburs can be domesticated to a certain extent - provided they are fed at least a good handful of moss, slime, mold, or fungus each day, they are satisfied and quite docile. If left unfed, burburs get restless and fussy and will lash out (pointlessly, as they cannot harm most creatures) at their handler and try to escape. Live burbur specimens in good health can fetch as much as 1000 gp on the right markets. It is important for handlers to note that burburs have no immunity to oozes, jellies, or puddings; nor are they immune to poisonous vapors that do not consist of fungal spores or the off-gassing of a slime, moss, or mold.

Feeding Tube (Ex) A burbur's feeding tube is harmless to anything that isn't a slime, mold, moss, or fungus, including creatures of the plant type that are not fungal in nature. Against any of the aforementioned targets, however, it is a shockingly effective weapon. A burbur's attack clears a single 5 ft. square patch of slime, mold, moss, or conventional fungus within 1 round. Against fungus creatures with hit points, the feeding tube deals 2d4 damage plus the burbur's Constitution modifier in place of its Strength modifier. Furthermore, a burbur's feeding tube latches onto the creature with the first successful hit, allowing the burbur to remain attached as though grappling and automatically hitting for damage in the following round.

Immunities (Ex) Burburs are immune to any harm from the toxins, acids, spores, or feeding action of virtually any slime (such as green or olive slime), mold (such as brown, russet, or yellow molds), moss (such as obliviax), or fungus (such as violet fungi). Any such lifeform that would grow from contact with a living creature in some way (such as brown mold drawing heat from living things to grow explosively) does not in any way profit from the presence of a burbur. They are also more generally immune to infectious plants such as yellow musk creepers. A fungus creature capable of making physical attacks can still harm a burbur with bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage if applicable - but any feeding abilities, acids, poisons, spores, infections, shoots, rhizomes, or other harmful effects carried along with such an attack are of no consequence to the burbur. For example, if there was a fungus that could extrude shoots dealing 1d6 piercing damage and draining 1d4 Constitution, the burbur would suffer the piercing damage on a successful attack but not the Constitution drain.

Skills A burbur has a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, and Survival checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier on Climb checks in place of its Strength modifier.

[afroakuma]

Li
Li 1st-level Warrior
Small Monstrous Humanoid
HD 1d8-1 (3 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); glide 40 ft. (average)
Init: +2
AC 14; touch 13; flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 armor, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Samekugi +4 ranged (1, 19-20/x2) or sai +1 melee (1d3)
Full Attack Samekugi +4 ranged (1, 19-20/x2) or sai +0 melee (1d3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Dart sniper
Special Qualities Fixation, glide
Saves Fort +1 Ref +2 Will +0
Abilities Str 11, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills Climb +6, Hide +8* (+12 in forests), Jump +6, Move Silently +4
Feats DodgeB, Sapphire Serenity*B, Stealthy
Environment Temperate and cold forests
Organization Solitary, trio, shadow (6-12), or fog (15-30)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Standard, or half standard plus 1d3-1 doses of poison (gamakoro root paste* or hakunai leaf extract*)
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement by class; Favored Class NinjaCAdv
Level Adjustment +0

Cousins of the kenkuMMIII, lii resemble 3 ft. tall anthropomorphic blue jays - provided one gets the chance to see them. Mildly xenophobic, and more to the point quite apathetic about contact with others, lii use their talent for stealth to scout for trouble and dissuade would-be visitors with a well-thrown blade from ever reaching their concealed villages. Li feathers are not actually blue - though they certainly appear to take on shades from pale cloudy blue to rich azure to deep ultramarine, this is a trick of light, explaining how such brightly-colored beings possess so uncanny an aptitude for concealing themselves. Li voices are raspy and grating when not speaking their own language, a melodious and subtle array of chirps, clicks, and tweets that blends into the sounds of the wood. They tend toward pure neutrality, though theirs is an aggressive form of neutrality that eschews "good" and "evil" - unworkable abstracts in mainstream li philosophy - in favor of "what we need" and "what we do not need," the latter category tending to include any non-li coming within a mile of a li settlement, who will almost invariably get a pointed welcome and an equally pointed message to sod off or die.

Primarily found in forests, lii rarely venture outside of their lands except to participate in one of their most important cultural and economic traditions - shark fishing. Lii consider sharks to be one of their five sacred beasts and a symbol of nature's power. They not only catch river sharks, but will also take posts on seagoing vessels for a chance to land a shark, which is preserved and allowed to ferment on the journey home, to provide cartilaginous materials for scrimshaw and other ornaments as well as the meat, a delicacy in li culture that is often considered borderline inedible to most humanoids. Li villages contain between three and seven septs, branches of main clans, as well as yanenashi - lii who have disavowed or been disavowed by their clan, have lost the clan name due to misfortune (amnesia, orphaning, etc.), or are under oath to separate from their clan for some matter of principle; and yanedeshi - lii who are separated from their clan to be apprenticed, for studies, or for religious vocation.

Lii have in the past had terrible wars against sivsMC:MoF and bullywugsMC:MoF masterminded by shapechanging ranine beings who may have been a lost kind of hengeyokaiOA. They also have a dark history with the yuan-ti, and worked to develop poisons specifically targeted to undermine and destroy the evil serpentine race. They do not appreciate elves, feeling that the elder race combines xenophobia (which the lii can at least understand) with a condescending need to impose control (which they cannot). Lii just want to be left alone, and will press the point with belligerence where necessary. It is difficult, but not impossible, to negotiate with lii, though generally this will involve speaking at trees in a dense patch of forest, hoping that the occasional flash of movement out of the corner of one's eye is a li moving closer to hear the speaker out. The most dangerous predator of the li is the roc, a bird greatly feared in li culture; green dragons, monstrous spiders, dire wolves, owlbears, and giant owls round out the host of major predators the lii have to deal with on a regular basis.

Lii are known to tap into many unusual abilities, including the powers of incarnumMoI and psionics. Some follow the path of the wu jenCArc while still more study the mysteries of dragon magic, becoming dragon shamansPHBII (generally affiliated with green or sapphire dragons) or dragonfire adeptsDM. Spirit shamans and clerics are also found in li villages, but by far the most prominent class among lii is ninja. With a natural aptitude for stealth, cultural expertise in specialized poisons, and a talent for throwing weapons and traps, lii make excellent ninjas. Lii will in general be more inclined (+4 bonus to Diplomacy checks) to hear out a fellow avian - aarakocraMC:MoF and kenkuMMIII in particular are more likely to be received politely as opposed to being harried out of the woods with a flurry of flying blades and darts emerging from the shadows.

Omnivorous, with a fondness for berries, insects, and fish, lii particularly enjoy grilling and steaming in their cuisine, and all lii who have reached the age of puberty carry a tabetou, a small knife that serves as the sole eating utensil in li culture. Soups and broths are enjoyed from a cup and sipped using the beak. To be presented with a tabetou is a sign of deep respect from a li; asking to share one, or taking it to use, are both considered the height of rudeness, to say nothing of immaturity (li children, called kotori, are fed by their parents using the parent's tabetou, so asking to share one is akin to announcing that one is a small child). Li humor can be hard to grasp, and their moods difficult to read without long experience. Despite many elements of their culture being traditional and conservative, lii are impressed by practical innovations and take to them readily. Indeed, some of the few outsiders lii are known to get on with include gnomes and hadozeeStorm, who demonstrate a spirit of inventiveness that pleases the li mindset. Lii are extremely fond of dancing and favor plucked string instruments over either wind instruments (which are hard for a li to play with any proficiency) or percussion instruments (which are quite loud and risk compromising the quiet concealment of the village). Li villages can be challenging for non-lii to navigate, being designed to take advantage of the gliding skills of the avian race. Most important for the would-be visitor is to come with good silver (lii recognize that outsiders value gold and will grudgingly conduct exchanges with it, but prefer silver amongst themselves) and precious stones. Artwork is also quite welcome. Lii favor simple clothes and rarely choose to wear armor heavier than a simple padded suit; chief fibers are hemp, jute, and ramie.

Dart Sniper (Ex) When using a throwing weapon for sniping, a li takes only a -10 penalty to its Hide check rather than the normal -20 penalty. Similarly, if a li throws a weapon as part of a Bluff check to create a distraction, it gets a +4 bonus to the Bluff check and to the subsequent Hide check. This use does not constitute an actual attack.

Fixation (Ex) Lii are particularly vulnerable to fascination, shiny and sparkly objects, and are often quite poor at understanding subtext despite generally possessing above-average common sense. They take a -2 penalty to saving throws to avoid becoming dazzled or fascinated and have a -4 penalty to Sense Motive checks. A creature that presents a gemstone of at least 100 gp value per hit die of a li gets a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Gather Information checks made towards that li for as long as the li can see the gemstone. This works even if the creature cannot see the li or is uncertain a li is being addressed - lii have been known to break cover to investigate when a precious stone is involved. A gemstone worth at least 200 gp per hit die of a li imparts a +4 circumstance bonus instead.

Glide (Ex) Lii have rudimentary wings that do not allow for true flight but which can be used to glide, negating fall damage from any height and allowing 20 ft. of forward movement for every 5 ft. of descent. Lii glide at a speed of 40 ft. (average maneuverability). Even if a li's maneuverability improves, it cannot hover while gliding, nor can a li glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a li becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, its wings cannot help it - the li will fall normally and sustain falling damage as any other creature would.

• -2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Wis. Lii are not hardy or strong, but they are agile and possess a natural awareness of the world around them.
• Small size.
• 20 ft. movement speed.
• Monstrous humanoid.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Lii use their Dexterity modifier in place of their Strength modifier on Climb and Jump checks.
• Lii have a +4 bonus to Appraise checks involving silver or precious stones.
• Lii get a +4 bonus to Hide checks in forest terrain.
• Lii gain Dodge as a bonus feat.
• Lii have a +1 bonus to attack rolls with thrown weapons.
• At 1st level, a li chooses one of the following as a bonus feat: Sapphire Serenity*, Sapphire Spirit*, Sapphire Subconscious* .
• Weapon Familiarity: Lii treat the barbed daggerCAdv, kuwa*, sai, samekugi*, sharktooth gauntlet315, shimalo'koaDR352, and shuriken as martial weapons.
• Dart Sniper: As above.
• Fixation: As above.
• Glide: As above.
• Automatic Languages: Kakesu. Bonus Languages: Auran, Common, Draconic, Elven, Hadozee, Kenku, Sahuagin, Sylvan.
• Favored Class: NinjaCAdv
• Level Adjustment: +0

Sapphire Serenity
The power of Sardior's tear lets you tap into mystical ki to gain flashes of insight.
Prerequisites You must be a member of the li race to select this feat.
Benefit You gain 1 daily use of ki power. As an immediate action, you may expend a daily use of ki power to apply an insight bonus equal to your Wisdom bonus (minimum +2) to attack, damage, and critical confirmation rolls; to AC; or to saving throws. This bonus lasts until the start of your next turn. You may make this choice after dice are rolled but before knowing the outcome of the roll. For example, if you roll a 17 to attack, before finding out whether the attack roll succeeded or failed, you may choose to expend a daily use of ki power to add an insight bonus to the result.
Special If you possess the Stunning Fist feat, you may also expend ki power uses as Stunning Fist uses.

Sapphire Spirit
The power of Sardior's tear shields your soul from negative energy using the mysterious power of essentia.
Prerequisites You must be a member of the li race to select this feat.
Benefit You gain 1 point of essentia and can invest essentia in this feat. While you have essentia invested in this feat, you are protected from negative energy, energy drain, and death effects, as if by the death ward spell. However, each time this feat blocks such an effect, one essentia is divested from it and returns to your essentia pool. Once this feat is empty, it has no effect. This effect applies after all other applicable defenses (saving throws, spell resistance, etc.) have failed. You may choose to accept an effect rather than block it with this feat.

Sapphire Subconscious
The power of Sardior's tear imparts psionic ability.
Prerequisites You must be a member of the li race to select this feat.
Benefit You gain 1 power point and learn one 1st-level power from the lurkCPsi or psychic warrior lists. At character level 3rd and every three character levels thereafter, you gain an additional power point and may change the power learned from this feat to any other 1st-level power from the lurk or psychic warrior lists. At character level 9th and above, you may instead select a 2nd-level power from the lurk or psychic warrior lists. At character level 15th and above, you may instead select a 3rd-level power.
Special If you select this feat at character level 3rd or above, you gain power points from this feat as though you had taken it at 1st level. You must, however, select a 1st-level power on taking this feat, even if you would normally qualify to exchange it for a 2nd-level or 3rd-level power.




Weapon
Cost
Dmg (S)
Dmg (M)
Critical
Range Increment
Weight
Type




Kawa
15 gp
1d6 & 1d4
1d8 & 1d6
19-20/x3 & x2
-
5 lbs
S or B


Samekugi (5)
2 gp
1
1d2
19-20/x2
15 ft.[br]
1/2 lb
S and P




Kuwa
A farming implement turned weapon, the kuwa is a slightly curved hoe with a flat sharpened blade. While the bladed end is devastating, martial arts involving the kuwa often emphasize using the heel of the blade and the butt of the haft for bludgeoning purposes. A kuwa is a double weapon. You can fight with it as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, you incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fighting with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon.

A creature wielding a kuwa in one hand can’t use it as a double weapon—only one end of the weapon can be used in any given round.

Samekugi
A relative of the shuriken, "shark nails" or samekugi are flattened symmetrical blades with nail-like spokes designed for the use of taloned avian hands. Samekugi are designed to bend and twist apart to leave treacherous fragments, such that five samekugi can be tossed at the ground within their first range increment as a full action to splinter apart and function as caltrops. A nonproficient wielder cannot make use of samekugi as caltrops. A samekugi is a special monk weapon. This designation gives a monk wielding samekugi special options. A samekugi can’t be used as a melee weapon.

Although they are thrown weapons, samekugi are treated as ammunition for the purposes of drawing them, crafting masterwork or otherwise special versions of them and what happens to them after they are thrown.




Poison
Type
Initial
Secondary
Price




Gamakoro root paste
Injury DC 10
1 Con and 1 Wis
1d3 Con and 1d3 Wis
110 gp


Hakunai leaf extract
Injury DC 12
1d2 Dex and dazzled
1d4 Dex and blinded
140 gp


Shisshin dust
Contact DC 10
None
Disease
200 gp


Waruhebi
Injury DC 14
1d4 Cha
1d6 Con
270 gp


Yokugan smoke
Inhaled DC 13
Confusion
1d8 Wis
500 gp




Gamakoro Root Paste
The tuber of a squat river-growing flower poisonous to frogs and toads, gamakoro root is particularly toxic to amphibian creatures. Creatures with amphibian characteristics (including but not limited to bullywiggs, froghemoths, grippli, and siv, but excluding outsiders which superficially resemble frogs such as slaad, hydroloths, and hezrou) suffer a -2 penalty on saving throws against gamakoro root paste, and 1 point of ability damage from both the initial and secondary damage becomes ability drain instead against such creatures. Avian creatures, including aarakocra, kenku, and lii, are immune to the effects of gamakoro root.

Hakunai Leaf Extract
The distinctive circular hakunai leaf does not affect avian creatures such as aarakocras, kenku, and lii, but it is a bane to other creatures. Any creature with low-light vision suffers a -2 penalty to saving throws against hakunai leaf extract. The initial damage of the poison causes the victim to be dazzled for 1 minute. The secondary damage causes blindness until the ability damage from the poison is recovered (remove blindness or restoration will immediately recover the victim's sight, though remove disease does not).

Shisshin Dust
The powdered residue of the shisshin fungus, this dust is harmless to most creatures but deadly to reptilian and draconic ones. Shisshin is an opportunistic and parasitic fungus that infects the scale bed of reptilian or draconic skin, causing scales to flake off painfully as thin white fibers from the fungus dislodge them. Exposure to the dust is less hazardous than exposure to a living infected creature, but the fine powder contains active spores that may take root in the body of a yuan-ti, dragon, kobold, lizardfolk, and so on. It can also affect piscine creatures such as locathah and merfolk (though any such creatures will get a +2 bonus to their saving throws to resist the poison and the subsequent disease). A vulnerable creature that fails the saving throw against the secondary damage is immediately infected with shisshin.




Disease
Infection
DC
Incubation
Damage




Shisshin
Contact
17
1d4 days
1d2 Dex & 1d2 Con




Shisshin only affects creatures with scales, and creatures of a piscine nature (rather than reptilian or draconic) get a +2 bonus to their saving throws against the disease, which cannot be transmitted in a saltwater environment. Each time the infected creature fails a saving throw against shisshin, its base natural armor bonus is reduced by 1. When its base natural armor bonus reaches 0, any further ability damage dealt by any disease to the infected creature is increased by 1. Base natural armor bonus recovers at a rate of 1 point per day when the shisshin infection ends and can be recovered immediately with regenerate or similar effects.

Waruhebi
These tall, curling, lavender flowers are dangerous to snakes and serpentine creatures, none moreso than yuan-ti. The detect poison ability of yuan-ti cannot detect waruhebi (a yuan-ti that casts detect poison via other methods, such as class-based spellcasting, can detect it normally), nor can the neutralize poison ability possessed by some yuan-ti affect a dose of waruhebi. Waruhebi is often planted as a territorial symbol by avian creatures such as aarakocra, kenku, and lii, who are immune to the plant's toxins.

Yokugan Smoke
This chemical compound produces irritant fumes that exclusively affect creatures with darkvision - those without darkvision are immune to the toxic effects. For creatures with darkvision, yokugan smoke causes violent hallucinations and surreal distortions in the field of vision, prompting victims to act as though confused for 1 minute, following which they may suffer Wisdom damage as their mind fights to reassert reality.

[Metastachydium]

Aralia

A plant race with no LA and a very neat one at that! How did I miss this? Anyway, I like it!


Plant Physiology (Ex) Aralias are plants with certain humanoid-like qualities, and as such benefit from certain particular traits, as described below. These traits override the traits of the plant type wherever the two would be in conflict.

• +2 bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting effects. Aralias contain an echo of humanoid consciousness and are not immune to such effects, but remain somewhat resistant to them.
• Immunity to poisons that do not specifically effect plants. The following poisons specifically do affect aralias normally (note that this list is not exhaustive): arsenic, burnt othur fumes, cloudkill, dragon bile, id moss, the poison spell, striped toadstool, terinav root, ungol dust.
• Immunity to sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning. Aralias do not sleep and lack a nervous system.
• Aralias are not immune to polymorph or other transformative effects such as petrification.
• Aralias are subject to critical hits and sneak attack damage.
• Aralias do not have blood; effects which would work on a creature's blood do not function against an aralia, nor can an aralia make use of effects that would require the user's blood in any way.
• Aralias can live without their heads, though the body acts as though confused and blinded while decapitated and cannot make use of any skills, feats, class features, or other abilities that would require thought to activate. An aralia's head can be reattached by holding it in place on the stump of its neck for 1 hour. An aralia whose head is destroyed becomes inert, but can be brought to suitable soil to root into and will automatically do so, regrowing a new head after 1 week of continuous rooting provided the soil is kept well watered.
• Aralias do not have hearts, nerves, or bones. Effects requiring any of these fail where an aralia is concerned.
• Aralias are considered to have eyes and skin for the purposes of effects requiring either.
• Diminish plants can be cast targeted against an aralia within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level). If used for its stunt growth function, it deals 1d6 Str, Dex, and Con damage (Fort half) and allows spell resistance to negate. If used for its prune growth function, it acts as reduce person and lasts for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate.
• Forest voiceCC does work through aralias as well as the Living City's vines if the City is within 10 miles of the aralia. Aralias tend not to appreciate being used in this fashion.
• Plant growth can be cast targeted on an aralia within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft./level). If used for its overgrowth function, it acts as enlarge person and lasts for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate. If used for its enrichment function, it acts as vigorSC and last for 1 minute/level (Will negates) and allows spell resistance to negate.


Yup. Full plant traits are too good for no LA. Those little concessions like the immunity to death from vorpal weapons, the thing with blood and the added effect of Plant Growth (an old pet peeve of mine: it should always do that for plant creatures!) are really nice touches.


Snag (Ex) An aralia who hits an enemy with a whip attack may choose to forego the damage the attack would deal and instead wrap the whip around the foe, pulling them closer. The aralia and the creature struck by the whip make opposed Strength checks, adding their grapple size modifiers. If the aralia wins the opposed check, the creature struck is dragged 5 ft. toward the aralia, who may immediately make a single melee attack with another wielded weapon at its full base attack bonus provided the creature is now within reach. The aralia gets a +4 competence bonus to confirm a critical hit on that attack. The aralia does not move if it fails the opposed check. This ability cannot be used if the creature would be physically impeded from moving (for example, bound in place to its current square, or the movement would force it into a space too small for it).

My only "gripe" (for lack of a more fitting term) would be this; Snag makes tons of sense thematically, but it's a weird ability on a small creature with a Strength penalty.


Li

And now a BIRDY too! This must be my lucky day.


Cousins of the kenkuMMIII, lii resemble 3 ft. tall anthropomorphic blue jays

Blue jays are pretty and cute, but a weird pick given the Oriental vibes of… Well, much everything about these guys. Have you considered Amami jays? They are a related species endemic to southern Japan (rather than North America).


Fixation (Ex) (…) - lii have been known to break cover to investigate when a precious stone is involved. A gemstone worth at least 200 gp per hit die of a li imparts a +4 circumstance bonus instead.

This bit is just fluff, right? Otherwise I think they'd deserve at least a Will save or something.

Glide (Ex) Lii have rudimentary wings that do not allow for true flight but which can be used to glide, negating fall damage from any height and allowing 20 ft. of forward movement for every 5 ft. of descent. Lii glide at a speed of 40 ft. (average maneuverability). Even if a li's maneuverability improves, it cannot hover while gliding, nor can a li glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a li becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, its wings cannot help it - the li will fall normally and sustain falling damage as any other creature would.[/QUOTE]

WotC should have given the same to kenkus. It's not like it would have tipped them over to LA +1 territory and it doesn't even clash with their stupid lore that I hate.

[enderlord99]

This bit is just fluff, right? Otherwise I think they'd deserve at least a Will save or something.
A will save to avoid... someone getting a +2 bonus against them for three specific skills?

[Metastachydium]

A will save to avoid... someone getting a +2 bonus against them for three specific skills?

? I'm pretty sure I specifically quoted the bit about breaking cover (and presumably rushing into potential danger) rather than that

[enderlord99]

? I'm pretty sure I specifically quoted the bit about breaking cover (and presumably rushing into potential danger) rather than that

Oh.

"Have been known to" has no mechanical relevance.

[afroakuma]

A plant race with no LA and a very neat one at that! How did I miss this? Anyway, I like it!

Stick around, then, there's another one dropping sometime in the next few weeks!


Yup. Full plant traits are too good for no LA. Those little concessions like the immunity to death from vorpal weapons, the thing with blood and the added effect of Plant Growth (an old pet peeve of mine: it should always do that for plant creatures!) are really nice touches.

Glad you like it.


My only "gripe" (for lack of a more fitting term) would be this; Snag makes tons of sense thematically, but it's a weird ability on a small creature with a Strength penalty.

I went back and forth on it, but in the end I figured there are enough Small creatures out there that they'll have a reasonably okay time using it on them - to say nothing of hitting them with bull's strength and, of course, plant growth.


And now a BIRDY too! This must be my lucky day.

Coincidentally also the first of two.


Blue jays are pretty and cute, but a weird pick given the Oriental vibes of… Well, much everything about these guys. Have you considered Amami jays? They are a related species endemic to southern Japan (rather than North America).

I did consider them, but lorewise I really wanted to make them blue - and as a Canadian I wanted to bridge a bit of my own local fauna into their universe. Nothing saying some lii can't resemble Amami jays, of course.


This bit is just fluff, right? Otherwise I think they'd deserve at least a Will save or something.

Just fluff, yes.


WotC should have given the same to kenkus. It's not like it would have tipped them over to LA +1 territory and it doesn't even clash with their stupid lore that I hate.

3.X did the kenku dirty. Didn't even bring back Quorlinn. Speaking of whom... watch this spot. :smallwink:

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Lii

The lii have a complex set of beliefs, encompassing both worship of divine figures as individual gods as well as veneration of spirits and a traditional celebration of five sacred beasts, who are represented by various deities of the pantheon but also considered separate from them. The de facto main deity of the lii is Quorlinn, the patron of the kenku, who is venerated as the keeper of secrets and concealer of li villages. Their own true patron is famously mythologized for his role in stealing from a dragon god and subsequently sharing out the powers of the artifact he "liberated" among the lii when he could not contain its power, which among other things resulted in the ascension of the current pantheon when the now-demigods absorbed more of the artifact's power and achieved apotheosis.

Each, in their turn, found their spark deficient, and drew power from some other source to complete their ascension. The druid Dokuba was able to draw on the power of nature; loremaster Ijitate tapped into the Plane of Mirrors; the three who would become Houjiro joined with one another, eschewing external strength in favor of a united front; and the rogue Okoru allowed himself to be bound to the will of an alien warlord in order to thieve a bit of psionic power.

The li belief system encompasses several facets - the elements of the traditional practice of the wu jen, a cyclical theory of ages of strife, admiration of the lowly rat for its many qualities as a teacher of perseverance and mastery over nature (as well as its ready availability as a food source), and celebration of five sacred beasts. The dragon, symbolizing power over the sky; the bee, symbolizing industry, the community, and the resources of the wood; the shark, the power of water and a source of strength; the dire badger, a deadly protector of its territory and master of the land; and above all the turtle, emblematic of the world as a whole - though for some reason, li tradition holds that turtles have wings concealed within their shells. The four principles are each symbolized by a young turtle, working in unison to bring its vision of the world to all. They are Bellicosity, the ferocious vigilance needed to protect the village; Innovation, the cunning and ambition to topple the mighty with the tools of the small; Leadership, the will to take action to secure prosperity; and Satiety, the memory of the joys of life and the drive not to lose oneself in the past or the future but to live in the moment.

The darker elements of the li faith surround the Three Despicables, who out of envy of the world that is (symbolized by the turtle, the cosmos beyond the reach of any one of the Three) persecute the rat (representing the mortals of the world). Each brings forth a Kyoufunen, a Time of Terror - and as each falls to the next, there is a period of time where society may prosper, for the Despicables are despised by one another, and each is both predator and prey. They are the frog, the teeming multitude that depletes the wood of its resources; the snake, the rapacious and toxic devourer; and the slug, the hidden parasite which acts invisibly to consume the hopes of the future and the seedlings that would feed the next generation. The era of the frog is said to have come and gone with the war against the bullywugs and the sivs; in turn, this era was replaced by the era of the snake, when the yuan-ti brought conflict to the lands of the lii. Now this too has passed, and sages wait fearfully for the signs that will herald the era of the slug, with some believing that the slug is a metaphor for the disembodied horror of Kurangan (a shapeless parasite of stalked eyes bereft of "shell") and still others pointing to the lore fragments regarding an "Age of Worms" and suggesting that the slug is an allusion to a different kind of squirming, slimy, undesirable vermin.

Quorlinn
Lesser Power of the Beastlands
The Filcher, Eggnapper, Pluck-Plumes, the Daring Deceiver
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Kenku, disguises, trickery, thieves
Divine Realm: Beastlands/Krigala/Filchnest
Symbol: Mask and beak
Domains Illusion, Kenku*, Liberation, Protection, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Short sword

A reluctant patron, Quorlinn received the "gift" of the kenku from his superior, a greater power of the skies; he has regretted this every day since, as he finds having to steward an entire people to be an onerous obligation. Not only that, but of late his followers have begun turning to other secretive powers, such as Mask, Shar, and Vecna. As much as it frustrates Quorlinn to have to serve as protector of the kenku, it irks him more to think that others are successfully stealing from him, and through trickery, deception, and cunning, he hopes to reestablish himself as the top god of the avian race - at which point he will no doubt go back to complaining about his role. Ever since Sorame stole Sardior's tear, Quorlinn has been functionally serving as the de facto patron of the lii as well, and while it eats at him that their mythology is something he could correct to fix his problems, the kenku god is also keenly aware that he's not exactly flush with worshippers to give away at this time. He still hopes to help restore Sorame when his own people are more reliable in their worship, but at this time he's looking out for himself first and foremost. The lii believe Quorlinn is the father of their original patron (which is true!) and that he uses his powers to conceal their villages and help them trick would-be invaders (which isn't!) into following paths that will get them lost and out of the lii's way.

Tengan
Dead Power (formerly Demipower of the Outlands)
The Blue-Eyed God, Thief of Tears, Sky-Scattered
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Lii, treasure, thievery, supernatural gifts
Divine Realm: Astral Plane, formerly Outlands/Skywake
Symbol: A crystal tear
Domains Greed, Mysticism†, Sky, Trickery, Wealth
Favored Weapon: Sai

A child of Quorlinn who gained a fragment of his father's divinity, Tengan also inherited his father's penchant for thievery, though he was by far and away more fond of spreading his wealth among his favorites. Accruing a following among a forest-dwelling race of kenku predisposed to small stature, Tengan gifted them with plunder from the depths of the seas and the lords of the skies, ultimately setting his sights on stealing from a dragon's hoard - and not just any dragon, but a dragon deity. With bravado and boasting did Tengan secure an invitation to the Elemental Plane of Air to visit with Sardior, and what a treasure he discovered waiting for him - five precious artifacts, one for each gem dragon kindred. Though any of them would have been a prize beyond imagining, Tengan could only imagine stealing one - Sardior's tear, a fantastic teardrop sapphire flickering with the dragon god's own investiture of power and psionic will. In its cerulean facets Tengan saw untold insight and mental prowess becoming his, and he coveted it to the point of mania.

Stealing away with the gem in the dead of night, Tengan fled to a hidden forest on the Outlands, where he basked in the azure glow of Sardior's tear, absorbing its powers and marvelling as his awakening divinity connected him with the minds of his followers on the Prime. As he attained demipower status, however, Tengan realized that the power of the artifact would surely lead Sardior to him - unless he could conceal its light within himself. Tengan disguised himself to spread the word that he had died seeking a rare treasure, and swallowed the tear, hoping that rumors of his demise would reach the Ruby Dragon and put him off the scent. What he quickly came to discover, however, was that his unstable nascent divinity could not fully contain the power of the tear. In desperation, he reached out through his divine link with the kenku who had followed him, sharing out motes of the divine power swelling within him and transforming them into lii.

In a fit of cosmic irony, his followers, newly transformed and empowered by Sardior's tear, began to spread a story of Tengan's heroic martyrdom, telling of how their brave patron had died to share his final prize with them. Still too weak to send more than a few trivial omens in a vain attempt to dissuade them, Tengan discovered too late the vulnerabilities attendant with divinity. To make matters worse, his followers did believe in and place their faith in him - but they specifically believed him to be dead! Thus passed Tengan, whose power never recovered, ebbing away as he fought to try and prove he was still alive. Now a dead power, his corpse retains a flickering thought in its mind - was Sardior's tear shed in sorrow?

...or in mirth?

†Clerics of Tengan who select the Mysticism domain choose between dictum and word of chaos as their 7th level domain spell, and between cloak of chaos and shield of law as their 8th level domain spell.

Dokuba
Demipower of Bytopia
Strifeshadow, the Tireless, She of Bane and Balm
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Poison, herbalism, healing, weaponmaking, craft
Divine Realm: Bytopia/Dothion/The Watchwood
Symbol: A bee on a leaf
Domains Craft, Healing, Metal, Plant, Poison*
Favored Weapon: Barbed dagger

Depicted as a li female of yellow and black plumage and variable age, Dokuba is the guardian of the village and mistress of the crafts that keep the lii strong and hidden. Patron of all practical arts, in contrast to Ijitate who is patron of lore and study, she is celebrated by craftworkers and warriors alike, and druids in her service are uniquely permitted the use of, and proficient in, any of the traditional weapons of the lii (losing proficiency in the scimitar, shortspear, and spear). Dokuba teaches which plants are potent cures, which are good stock for construction, and which are terrible toxins best used against enemies of the lii. In this pursuit she is both the healer goddess and the goddess of poison and agony, and she is called Strifeshadow for the fact that conflicts are prosecuted using her implements, be they subtle or overt. Industry is the highest virtue in Dokuba's eyes, though unlike more lawful deities she also deeply appreciates innovative sloth - "Dokuba grins" is a common li idiom meaning, roughly, "you clever little rascal." Of the five sacred beasts, Dokuba is associated with the bee, venomous and weapon-bearing but always toiling in service to the community. Her wu jen element is Metal.

Okoru
Demipower of Ysgard
The Steel That Burns Cold, the Invisible Blade, the Wrath of the Wood
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Wild beasts, violence, combat, ambushes, hostility
Divine Realm: Ysgard/Muspelheim/River of Burning Ice
Symbol: A burning shuriken or samekugi
Domains Animal, Chaos, Planning, Trickery, War, Wrath
Favored Weapon: Samekugi and sharktooth gauntlet

The ninja god, Okoru voluntarily surrendered the portfolio of the mind and its powers, only to resent it since - the price he had to pay for his apotheosis, when his psionic powers kindled his frail divine spark with the stolen energies of an alien power. Okoru abandoned this portfolio out of fear that he would find himself enslaved to the abomination Kurangan, and his resentment runs deep and cold. Not truly evil, however, he bears no malice for those who he does not consider foes; however, he is quick to mark others as such, and the monochrome depiction of him as a li of black and white only serves to emphasize his absolutist worldview and snap judgments. Okoru admires the strength and instinct of wild beasts and is closest to the animal world of the li pantheon, in contrast to Dokuba who concerns herself with plant life. In his own way he is a protector of the clan and the village, and while his penchant for schemes can often seem at odds with itself for how many plots he has in motion at the same time, when Okoru is able to bring all of the elements of his design together he has no equal. His sharkskin gauntlets are depicted as shredding through foes of the lii, and he is often painted surrounded in a halo of flame. Okoru deigns to recognize Houjiro as an equal and they share an uneasy friendship, for he is thought and she is strength; he is violent action, she is death. Ijitate is often painted as his rival, though in truth the fate god considers Okoru a bit of a lost soul for how ardently he fights against the great principles that are his "sons". Of the five sacred beasts, Okoru is symbolized by the dire badger, which lairs in the ground and strikes with unimaginable ferocity when riled to act, ripping its foes to shreds. His wu jen element is Fire.

Houjiro
Demipower of Arborea
Riverwing, Sea-Talon, the Bite of Steel, She Who Slays
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Portfolio: Sharks, fishing, harsh weather, strength, survival, death
Divine Realm: Arborea/Osse/The Karcharian Line
Symbol: An egg in a shark's mouth
Domains Death, Law, Shark*, Storm, Strength, Winter
Favored Weapon: Shimalo'koa

Houjiro is the most unstable of the li pantheon, for in her mortal existence she was not one but three separate lii, whose individual incomplete apotheoses did not receive enough of the tear's power to fully kindle beyond their individual sparks. Somehow, they drew themselves together voluntarily, resulting in an all-white li goddess of three fearsome aspects. In her youthful aspect, Houjiro is the daring shark huntress who rides the untamed seas. Her matronly aspect is wind-scarred and strong, gripping tight to the branch and to the deck of the ship as the ruthless storms seek its destruction. Her ancient aspect is the soul of winter itself, ice and wind and night, death that bites with the cruel precision of a shark's razor teeth, the biting cold of the snowy wind. Though all three depictions are seen in li culture individually, the goddess herself in truth presents a more united front. Her vessel plies the waters of the Karcharian Line, her nets catching up the souls of departed lii from the waters of Osse that they might be carried safely to their final rests. If Dokuba is the mistress of weapons, Houjiro and Okoru are those who put her tools to use. Mastery over and subjugation of nature are within her portfolio, though with storm and cold and the intimidating power of her favored animal she ever reminds the lii that nature in its turn is formidable and can bring death a thousand times over. Of the five sacred beasts, hers is the shark, moving incessantly from challenge to challenge, forceful and powerful, a symbol of violent death that can smell weakness. Her wu jen element is Water.

Ijitate
Demipower of Hades
The Reflective, Reckoner of Eggs, Stonesoul, Dour Father, the Old Grump, Keeper of the Principles
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Life, constancy, fate, duty, principle
Divine Realm: Hades/Niflheim/Stonecay
Symbol: A hexagonal mirror
Domains Earth, Fate, Knowledge, Life, Mirror*, Protection
Favored Weapon: Unarmed strike

Ijitate is a deity of two facets, always admired and yet always considered... well, an old grump, as his famous epithet suggests. A reclusive deity who moved his stony island to Hades to avoid visitors, the dour and humorless god of life and fate is said to have formerly been warm and cheerful, before his four sons went out into the world of the lii. Other myths suggest his sour disposition stems from losing a friend, and that he has been inconsolable since Tengan died. Still more - these with a small grain of truth to them - paint him as a foe of Okoru, who cannot stand Ijitate's foresight and awareness of how each of the secretive and violent god's plans will unfurl; in turn Ijitate fears that Okoru's need for violence to prove himself will spill over into catastrophe and devour his four sons. They are given, in oral tradition, as characteristics associated with great principles - Bellicosity, Innovation, Leadership, and Satiety. It is believed that Ijitate has attempted to place a divine realm on the Plane of Mirrors but has met with significant resistance, and is too apathetic to seriously press the matter. In his positive attributes, Ijitate is often associated with the symbol of the rat, the "most admirable animal" of li tradition, for his tireless exploration of the truths of the universe. Ijitate's associated sacred animal, however, is the turtle, the guardian of wisdom and the unflinching order of the cosmos. His associated element under the wu jen is Earth, though it is said that Ijitate's mirror can reflect any element, any season, and any nature.

Other Deities of the Lii

Sardior
Lesser Power of the Elemental Plane of Air
the Secretive, the Ruby Dragon, the Prince of Neutral Dragons, the Wyrm of Will and Wit
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Psionics, night, secrets, gem dragons
Divine Realm: Elemental Plane of Air/Ruby Palace, Prime Material Plane/Ruby Palace, and Astral Plane/Ruby Palace
Symbol: A ruby with an inner glow
Domains Gem Dragon, Knowledge, Mentalism, Mind, Night, Travel, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Unarmed strike

The wandering palace of the Ruby Dragon has settled more often of late in the balmy winds of the Elemental Plane of Air, but oft as not Sardior can be found sneaking it through the skies of many a Prime world. Sly and quick-witted, Sardior has always enjoyed his younger position in the draconic pantheon, and is a curious wyrm with a flair for mischief. Like as not, this is how all five of the precious relics meant for his thanes have all quite coincidentally vanished - Sardior's will, an amethyst lozenge; Sardior's laugh, a crystal necklace; Sardior's voice, a horn of emerald; Sardior's tear, a teardrop-shaped sapphire; and Sardior's thirst, a goblet of topaz. The whereabouts of one, at least, is a certainty - the tear found its way into the possession of the kenku hero-deity Tengan, who used its power to ascend to full divinity and ultimately died as a result of his schemes' unravelling, giving rise to the current li pantheon as well as transforming his followers. It is surely an equal coincidence that such a loss to Sardior has been repaid with the worship of many lii, who venerate him as a power of the skies and patron of psionic abilities. The only interloper among the li pantheon (though arguably Quorlinn is likewise no true li deity, he at least is of relation to them), Sardior holds equal standing with the other four, representing the fifth sacred beast, the dragon, and the wu jen element of Wood. Whether the Ruby Dragon in truth held any notion of what might transpire when the tear went missing is a riddle for the ages, but Sardior does not abuse his position in li society - they are no dragons, but they hold several draconic values dear to them, which the god respects. His influence wards off the ideals of his relations - neither Bahamut's arch nobility and honor, nor Tiamat's ambition and hunger for conquest, are core elements of li identity. Of course, the influence of any dragon will always produce a certain amount of avarice, and Sardior may be blamed for the li fascination with gemstones that so captivate them that they can be stopped in their tracks by a suitably shiny stone.

Kurangan
Demipower of the Astral Plane
the Disembodied, the Exile Unfleshed, the Dark Will, the Raveling Orb, the Staring One
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Psionic dominion, mutation, power, destruction, beholder abominations
Divine Realm: Astral Plane/Ephialtodrome
Symbol: A staring eye with a peripheral eye to either side attached by a curled stalk, forming a spiral
Domains Beholder*, Corruption, Domination, Evil, Madness, Mind
Favored Weapon: Whip

The "lost" beholder deity, a demipower clinging to existence as a dark and nebulous will of evil, Kurangan is not the entity's original name - that was lost when the Great Mother seized and devoured its body, leaving its half-eaten soul to retreat to the Astral Plane and rebuild itself. Maimed and torn such that only a spirit of will and malevolence remained, Kurangan meditated on its offenses - mutating true beholder stock to create abominations, "gifting" beholder essence to humanoids to create the malformed lensmen, and of course the basic offense of being born at all, a crime the Great Mother could never forgive - and determined that it would double down, intensifying its campaign to transform beholder stock to its mad and warped imaginings. Infesting a decaying Astral realm and remaking it into a place where nightmares run free, Kurangan focused its will on magnifying the psionic powers that made it such a mutation to begin with. Now it seeks to mutate other beings so that it might enslave them and twist them to its purposes, making it the most militant of the beholder deities by far. It was this entity that the sparking Okoru touched minds with and stole power from, causing the beholder god to turn its interests toward the lii. Though the hour has not yet come for its backlash, agents of the abominable and corrupt demipower have already begun to study the failures of the bullywugs and the yuan-ti to destroy the avian race, and it has ambitions to conquer them and use their psionic potential to create a new legion of mutant slaves and food stock for its copious creations to devour as they see fit.

Beholder Domain
Granted Power You get a +1 bonus to attack rolls with ranged touch attacks and a +1 bonus to the DC of any ray effect you produce. As long as you possess the Willing Deformity feat, you gain all-around vision and can no longer be flanked.
1st - fiery eyesCArc
2nd - darkvision
3rd - chain of eyesSC
4th - arcane eye
5th - prying eyes
6th - eyebite
7th - eye of the beholderBoVD
8th - dreaded form of the eye tyrantCM
9th - eye of powerSC

Kenku Domain
Granted Power You gain CravenCoR or Improved DisguiseDR335 as a bonus feat.
1st - ventriloquism
2nd - invisibility
3rd - deceptive facadeSC
4th - dimension door
5th - susurrus of the cityDC
6th - mislead
7th - power word blind
8th - screen
9th - shapechange

Mirror Domain
Granted Power As a swift action, you may spend a turn or rebuke attempt to create a reflective barrier in front of you. This barrier provides a +4 shield bonus to AC and provides total immunity against rays, magic missiles, and gaze attacks. The reflective barrier lasts for 1 round.
1st - reflective disguiseSC
2nd - mirror image
3rd - mirror manifestation*
4th - mirror sendingBoVD
5th - mirror walkingMotP
6th - greater mirror imagePHBII
7th - spell turning
8th - body outside bodyCArc
9th - replicate castingSC

Poison Domain
Granted Power You gain Master of PoisonsDotU as a bonus feat.
1st - horrible tasteSC
2nd - increase virulencePHBII
3rd - malevolent miasmaSC
4th - poison
5th - toxic weaponPHBII
6th - cloudkill
7th - befoulLoM
8th - red tideSW
9th - true creation (cost is 1 XP/2 gp value when creating poisons)

Shark Domain
Granted Power You may move and attack normally while underwater, even with slashing weapons such as axes and swords or with bludgeoning weapons such as flails, hammers, and maces, provided that the weapon is wielded in the hand rather than hurled. This power does not confer any ability to breathe water or swim.
1st - shark's ferocity*
2nd - jaws of the mako*
3rd - shark boltDR344
4th - sharkjaws*
5th - dire hungerSC
6th - summon sharks (as summon nature's ally VI, 1d4+1 Huge sharks only)
7th - megalodon empowermentSW
8th - whirlwind of teethBoVD
9th - summon dire sharks (as summon nature's ally IX, 1d2+1 dire sharks only)

Jaws of the Mako
Transmutation
Level: Blackguard 1, Cleric 2 (Sekolah), Shark 2
Target: Creature touched

As jaws of the moraySW, but the bite attack has a critical range of 19-20/x2. If the target creature is under the effects of shark's ferocity and jaws of the mako at the same time, the bonuses from shark's ferocity are doubled for so long as both spells are in effect on that creature.

Mirror Manifestation
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Beguiler 4, Hexblade 2, Jester 3, Mirror 3, Spellthief 3, Urban Druid 4, Wu Jen 3 (Metal)
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more summoned creatures
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This dangerous spell calls to the beings who lurk at the edges of reflection, bringing forth one or more nerraFF, inscrutable outsiders from the Plane of Mirrors. These nerra arrive with only facsimiles of their true weaponry and lack the ability to use their mirror image spell-like ability, but they will fight as you direct until destroyed. You may use mirror manifestation to summon (as summon monster) 1d3 varoots or 1 kalareem. All are armed with masterwork weapons rather than shard weapons (losing the +2 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls and the wounding property) and the kalareem wields only one longsword instead of two. If you choose to summon varoots, you may elect to have them arrive resembling one or more humanoids within range, as though having already used their disguise self spell-like ability to copy the appearance of another creature. Each varoot may only appear as one creature at a time, and may appear with an appropriate slashing or piercing melee weapon in hand matching the armament of the creature copied instead of its normal weaponry, though again it will be a masterwork version of such a weapon and possess no enhancement bonus or other properties of the weapon being copied.

Using this spell draws the attention of beings from the Plane of Mirrors. For 24 hours after casting this spell, any creature native to the Plane of Mirrors gets a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks made when in combat against the caster. If cast on the Plane of Shadow, Ethereal Plane, or Astral Plane, there is a 50% chance that the creatures summoned are not under the control of the caster. On the Plane of Mirrors, the creatures summoned are never under the caster's control and can act as they please, though they may elect to follow the caster's orders out of curiosity, boredom, or to create a false sense of security.

Material Component: A prism or clear crystal.

Focus: A reflective surface of at least 1 square foot in area, such as a still pool of water, a mirror, a clean glass window, or a polished steel breastplate. A specially prepared mirror costing at least 1000 gp or any magical mirror can be employed as the focus; if such a mirror is used, the creatures summoned bring shard weapons with them (+2 wounding weapons), and can use their mirror image spell-like ability as normal. A kalareem summoned in this manner brings two shard longswords with it.

Shark's Ferocity
Transmutation [Water]
Level: Cleric 1 (Sekolah), Druid 1, Ranger 1, Shaman 1, Shark 1, Shugenja 1, Spirit Shaman 1, Sohei 1, Wu Jen 1 (Water)
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The target of this spell gains some of the ferocious might of the predatory shark. Shark's ferocity grants a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength, a +2 morale bonus on rolls to confirm a critical threat, and a +4 enhancement bonus to Swim checks. If the target possesses the Aquatic subtype, it also receives a +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor (a creature with no natural armor bonus is treated as having a +0 bonus).

Focus: A shark's tooth (a cleric of Sekolah may use their holy symbol as the focus instead).

Sharkjaws
Evocation [Force, Water]
Level Blackguard 3, Cleric 4 (Sekolah), Shark 4, Wu Jen 4 (Water)
Effect Jaws of force/water

As spiritjawsSC, but the jaws have a -2 penalty to their attack roll (and thus to their grapple check) if used outside the water, and a +2 bonus to their attack roll (and grapple check) when used underwater. These adjustments stack with the normal +4 bonus to the grapple check. When used underwater, the jaws are made of water and not of force, and thus cannot be disintegrated, though control water allows the caster to dispel them (no check required). Sharkjaws threaten a critical hit on a 19-20 and have a +4 bonus to rolls to confirm a critical hit.

Material component: A piece of bone from a shark's jaw.

[afroakuma]

Burn Bogle
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
HD 2d8+5 (14 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 13 (+3 natural, +2 Dex)
BAB +2; Grp +8
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d4+2) or flame +5 melee touch (1d6+2 fire) or flame +5 ranged touch (1d6+2 fire)
Full Attack Slam +4 melee (1d4+2) or flame +5 melee touch (1d6+2 fire) or flame +5 ranged touch (1d6+2 fire)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Produce flame
Special Qualities Camouflage, darkvision 60 ft., fire instincts, resistance to fire 5, smokeproof
Saves Fort +1 Ref +5 Will +4
Abilities Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills Climb +4, Hide +7, Intimidate +2*, Move Silently +4, Spot +5*
Feats Improved GrappleB, StealthyB, Toughness
Environment Temperate and cold forests, hills, and plains
Organization Solitary, pair, or prowl (3-6)
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Often neutral
Advancement 3-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment +1

Burn bogles are strange and ungainly humanoids that superficially resemble bogglesMMII. They have long arms, nacreous pallid skin, and eerie yellow eyes that seem to catch the light. Hairless and smooth-skinned, their mouths are often smeared with soot that creates a terrifying false grin. The palms of their knobbly hands feature three flat, conical black horns that converge in triangular orientation, and their fingers - each capped with a square, coarse, and ridged nail - are connected to knuckles surmounted by small nozzle-like tubercles. Their teeth, usually stained so black as to be imperceptible, are flat and protrude slightly, and their eyes are wide-set, giving them an inhuman, bestial appearance as well as a broader field of vision.

Often mistaken for fey creatures, just as their supposed cousin species the boggles are, burn bogles are slow-witted and territorial, but not often truly hostile. Their diet is ash and soot, with higher-charcoal ash most preferred. In pursuit of this diet, bogles will generally use their produce flame ability to burn a few tree branches or singe some bark, sometimes going to far as to partially burn through a tree trunk. Resistant to but not immune to fire, bogles attempt to avoid letting a flame spread beyond their control. They always know how many uses of produce flame they have available, and are loath to use up their last in combat, knowing they will wish to eat later. In lean times, when wood is too wet to burn easily, they will venture toward settlements, caravans, and campfires, hoping to follow the smell of smoke to available food. An adventuring group or caravan may draw the attention of one or more bogles who will stalk them for days to savor an easy and interesting meal at each and every campfire. The totally bare rings of stones from campfires past - licked clean by the bogle - have an eerie and otherworldly air about them as the disturbed ground around it and the totally smooth ground in the center suggest a portal or fey ward of some stripe, which lends to their misinterpretation as fey. The fact that they are more often seen in wet winters and cold, rainy or snowy spring weather has led them to be called "winter wights" and incorrectly believed to come and go with the cold season.

Burn bogles mate and move on; unless pursuing the smell of smoke, prowls of bogles are almost never seen. Bogle young are reared only until they can produce a controlled flame that yields ash, and are then chased away by the mother, who doesn't wish to risk her patch of wood to the immature pyrotechnics of a young boglet. They are aggressive when frightened or when they fear their territory is being invaded. They are typically nocturnal and their curled-up forms can be mistaken for boulders during the day. Bogles can smell smoke from a mile away and prefer the ash and smoke of resinous trees such as pine and fir. Bogles are dry-skinned and do not drink water normally, masticating leaves and roots to extract their juices and spitting out dried boli of the ground-up plant material. A few bogles train in classes such as barbarian or ranger, but this is rare as bogles have short attention spans for matters that don't involve food, given their normal curiosity. Burn bogles get extremely angry about uncontrolled flames and forest fires and will viciously attack anything they see being irresponsible with fire. Burn bogles speak a rough and halting version of Sylvan; they are incapable of reading due to how their eyes focus.

Camouflage (Ex) A burn bogle can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Fire Instincts (Ex) Burn bogles are quite skilled at understanding the movement of and behaviors of fire. They get a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with armaments of pure flame (such as the flames of a produce flame spell or a flame blade spell, but not a flaming sword. They also get a +2 bonus to Reflex saves against fire effects.

Produce Flame (Sp) A burn bogle may use Extended produce flame as a standard action a number of times per day equal to two plus its Constitution modifier (minimum 1). The caster level of this ability is equal to the burn bogle's character level.

Smokeproof (Ex) Burn bogles can see normally through smoke and suffer no ill effects from smoke inhalation. Other kinds of vapors may occlude their vision as normal and harm them as appropriate (i.e. a cloudkill or stinking cloud).

Skills A prone bogle receives a +8 bonus to Hide checks in a natural setting as it looks like stone. Bogles have a +4 racial bonus to Spot checks. Burn bogles use their Dexterity modifier in place of their Charisma modifier on Intimidate checks, as their unsettling lanky motions and fast movement are how they make themselves appear terrifying.

[Metastachydium]

Stick around, then, there's another one dropping sometime in the next few weeks!

(…)

Coincidentally also the first of two.

Oh! Much looking forward to those!


I did consider them, but lorewise I really wanted to make them blue

Because of the Tear, right? Yeah, that makes sense.


and as a Canadian I wanted to bridge a bit of my own local fauna into their universe. Nothing saying some lii can't resemble Amami jays, of course.

I'm a proud Eurasian myself, but blue jays do absolutely deserve all the love they can get.


Kenku Domain

(…)

7th - power word blind


Quite the appropriate pick! I like it.

[afroakuma]

Fire Naga
Large Aberration
HD 9d8+27 (67 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares); swim 30 ft.
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 11; flat-footed 13 (+4 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +13
Attack Bite +8 melee (2d6+4 and poison)
Full Attack Bite +8 melee (2d6+4 and poison) and tail slap +3 melee (1d10+1)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Calming gaze, poison, spells
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire
Saves Fort +6 Ref +7 Will +9
Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 17
Skills Bluff +8, Concentration +11, Hide +6, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Listen +9, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +5, Spot +9, Swim +11*
Feats Arcane StrikeCWar, Close-Quarters FightingCWar, Combat Casting, Eschew MaterialsB, Lightning Reflexes
Environment Warm forests
Organization Solitary or nest (2-4)
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often chaotic good
Advancement 10-13 HD (Large); 14-27 HD (Huge)

Inhabiting warm tropical forests and often lairing near temples or other functional but nonresidential structures, fire nagas are generally benign and maintain a distant but symbiotic relationship with local forest peoples. When riled, they are territorial and display a fierce temper, slithering forward into combat at high speed and making liberal use of their magically-enhanced fighting skills to dole out venomous bites. While many incorrectly believe fire nagas to be creatures possessing substantial magical fire abilities, or even a vulnerability to cold temperatures, the former is hardly ever true and the latter is at worst a preference. In truth, fire nagas earn their name from two sources - their vibrant orange-red, yellow, and azure blue coloration, with its fractal-leopard rosette pattern, and from their total comfort in the center of a raging fire, for the creatures are totally immune to the harms of intense heat. Beyond their striking color pattern, fire nagas are noteworthy for their almost elfin beauty and for the two earlike fins that spread from the sides of its head when it chooses to extend its spines.

Woe betide the true creature of fire that crosses a fire naga, for their ancestors cut their teeth on an invasive band of efreet and they possess a terrible numbing poison that fills a fiery creature with deadening chill. Their legend says they were painted to deceive efreet by the trickster god Parrafaire, who led the marauders to believe that fire nagas were creatures from their home plane sent to aid them. Fire nagas will also go after azers, fire giants, or red dragons, though none of the three typically frequent the lands a fire naga calls home. As they can dwell comfortably in water, they are sometimes mistaken for a variety of lung dragon. Fire nagas are typically pleasant and helpful; although they are carnivorous and see nothing inherently wrong with eating a humanoid, they typically abstain out of a sense of empathy to other intelligent creatures, though if a particularly stupid specimen should attack the naga or otherwise consistently demonstrate itself to be incapable of not acting like a volunteer hors d'oeuvre on legs, well... contrition beats starvation.

While generally of a more kindly disposition, fire nagas are still plagued by arrogance and an unruly stubborn individualism, and prone to petty acts of retaliation for perceived slights. Some few have become the focus of local cults, which they may find irksome or amusing, depending on the individual character of the naga. In general, fire nagas get along with water nagas and are sometimes even found in the same environments; they may share a protective disposition over a particular site with guardian nagas, but the two avoid each other in general as their lawful and chaotic natures conflict. They dislike spirit and dark nagas. Fire nagas are mildly more likely to be spiritual or religious than most other types of naga; they generally worship Parrafaire, with a smaller number venerating Shekinester. Fire nagas speak Common and Ignan.

Calming Gaze (Su) As calm emotions, 30 feet, Will DC 17 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Dex. Against creatures with the Fire subtype, Fortitude DC 19, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Dex. The save DCs is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial adjustment when used against creatures with the Fire subtype.

Spells Fire nagas cast spells as 7th level sorcerers, and can also cast spells from the druid spell list. The druid spells are considered arcane spells for a fire naga, meaning that the creature does not need a divine focus to cast them.

Typical Spells Known (6/7/7/5; save DC 13 + spell level)
0 - create water, detect magic, detect poison, flare, mage hand, open/close, purify food and drink; 1st - entangle, hypnotism, jet of steamCM, magic missile, shield; 2nd - heartfireSC, mirror image, see invisibility; 3rd - haste, quench.

Skills A fire naga has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Parrafaire
Demipower of Carceri
Prince of Hidden Secrets, the Naga Prince, the Trickster
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Guardianship, secrets, trickery
Divine Realm: Carceri/Minethys/Trickster's Delight
Symbol: A male naga head with feathered ears
Domains Illusion, Naga*, Protection, Scalykind, Trickery, War
Favored Weapon: Dagger or tail scytheSK

Child of Shekinester by the couatl deity Jazirian, Parrafaire possesses his mother's complex and layered mind, but with a bold and colorful character reminiscent of the iridescent plumes of his father. Playful and mischievous, Parrafaire loves being cryptic and offering riddles, mazes, and puzzles to test and try mortals, placing traps and trials to evaluate seekers of secrets. Slightly vain, he nevertheless values resourcefulness, cunning, and wisdom - values he prizes greatly over trifles such as morals and ethics. Concealed wisdom and hidden locales are within his purview, and he is a patron of those who would bring strength of arms to bear to get what they seek, though never of senseless violence or pure brute force. For any who would dare, Parrafaire has pitfalls and phantasms aplenty to tweak and torment them at every turn. Fire nagas believe (quite correctly!) that they were originally water nagas transformed by Parrafaire to covertly oppose an efreeti sultan, and thus they consider the trickster god their patron, though he did not plan to have them acquire their levelheaded natures or calming gaze (a gift of Shekinester, whose contemplative nature radiates from their eyes). Uniquely for a demipower, Parrafaire can create avatars as a greater deity - it is widely believed (also correctly!) that this is through the agency of his mother, who allows her son to dispatch avatars in order to limit how often she herself must intervene.

Shekinester
Greater Power of the Outlands
the Naga Queen, the Preserver, the Empowerer, the Weaver, the Three-Faced Queen
Alignment: True neutral (lawful good, true neutral, and chaotic evil aspects)
Portfolio: Creation maintenance, destruction, knowledge, nagas
Divine Realm: Outlands/the Court of Light
Symbol: Grain jar (Preserver) or mirror (Empowerer) or mask (Weaver)
Domains Good, Knowledge, Law, Naga*, Renewal, Scalykind (Preserver); Balance, Fate, Knowledge, Magic, Naga*, Protection, Scalykind (Empowerer); Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Naga*, Scalykind (Weaver); Destruction, Fate, Knowledge, Magic, Naga*, Protection, Renewal, Scalykind, Spell (unaspected)
Favored Weapon: Scythe or tail scytheSK

A complex goddess of many aspects, Shekinester is all and none - she is the Preserver, who maintains creation and ensures its renewal after times of turmoil; she is the Empowerer, who teaches knowledge and magic and unlocks the paths of fate; and she is the Weaver, who pulls apart creation to make way for her own new threads to be added, plotting and scheming. Each of these is a facet celebrated by one of the great nagakinds, but none reflect the entirety of the goddess. In truth, she is a goddess of cycles, of change, of constants amid uncertainty, and of progression. All of her facets reflect this to some degree - the Preserver wishes to protect what has already been achieved, the Empowerer wishes to provide the tools and tests to carve the path to success, and the Weaver wishes to tear apart the old to create the new. An ancient goddess believed by some to bear responsibility for protecting the flame that lies at the heart of creation, Shekinester has many allies and counts the Vedic and Pharaonic pantheons among her close associates, as well as diverse powers such as the water deity Istishia or the elven time god Labelas Enoreth. Contemplative and constantly evaluating, she is worshipped in myriad fashions across many worlds, including on Toril where the ancient serpent kingdoms taught of five aspects rather than three. Her intensely inscrutable nature makes her something of a remote power to deal with, and her concerns cross countless spheres.

Naga Domain
Granted Power: You gain Combat Casting as a bonus feat.
1st - cobra's breathCArc
2nd - charm person
3rd - detect thoughts
4th - poison
5th - mind fog
6th - true seeing
7th - renewal pactSC†
8th - mind blank
9th - absorptionSC

†the caster may substitute 100 XP for the 500 gp material component.

[afroakuma]

Shusher
Medium Aberration
HD 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); swim 10 ft.
Init: +6
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 13 (+3 natural, +2 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +6
Attack Slam +5 melee (1d4-1 + 1d6 electric)
Full Attack 2 slams +5 melee (1d4-1 + 1d6 electric) or shocking grasp +5 melee touch (4d6 electric)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Shock fronds, shush
Special Qualities Blindsight 60 ft., extraordinary scent, gas vulnerability, immunity to electricity, PR 14, resistance to fire 5
Saves Fort +3 Ref +3 Will +5
Abilities Str 8, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills Hide +11*, Intimidate +4*, Listen +3*, Move Silently +11*, Survival +8, Swim +7*
Feats Ability Focus (shush), Improved GrappleB, Improved InitiativeB, TrackB, Weapon Finesse
Environment Any underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-16 HD (Large)

Eerie and alien, shushers are denizens of the Underdark and other deep places, whose sinister shhhh sound has been the haunting end to many an unwary adventurer's life. Resembling stooped, hunched, gray-skinned humans with overly long arms and fingers covered in small writhing cilia, shushers are oily and hairless, with distinctive eyeless heads that fan backwards to form a kind of conical or trumpet shape, widening in the back to reveal a perforated and spongy anterior resembling a lotus seed pod, which expands and contracts with the creature's breathing. Its ribcage looks emaciated and features vivid yellow skin over visible bones. Its mouth is too wide, filled with tiny, razor-sharp teeth. Its feet terminate in a set of four webbed tendrils in place of toes, which can fan out to about 300 degrees total, aiding in swimming and in stealth.

Shushers inhale through the backs of their heads, taking in odors with shocking precision through hundreds of tiny tubercles and exhaling through their mouths. They "taste" with their finger cilia, which generate an unnerving noise when they oscillate that has unpleasant interactions with the nervous system. In order to quickly "sample" multiple scents at the same time, shushers tend to hold up a single finger to their mouths and exhale a focused stream of air across the cilia, both sounding and looking like they are shushing onlookers. As they are blind and "see" via smell, shushers can commonly be encountered with their backs to prospective victims, slowly turning on them while shushing like some hideous mockery of a librarian. Shushers prefer a diet of meat but in particular they want to devour respiratory organs, including the nasal passage, windpipe, and lungs. Reptilian, arthropod, and aquatic creatures are useless for this purpose; shushers will cheerfully eat the meat of either type of creature, but only avian and mammalian respiratory organs meet their full dietary needs. Beyond the physical requirements, however, shushers enjoy the "tastes" of pain and fear that they can experience by using their frond-like fingers to transmit jolts of electricity through a victim's body, and cruelty is par for the course where they are concerned.

Perhaps thankfully, shushers, though intelligent, have little society to speak of - they do not mate, reproducing via deposition of slimy polyps from their yellow underbellies that "breathe" to collect nutrients from the air, throbbing in an unsettling fashion and creating a distinctive low scratchy wheeze that can be heard from 60 ft. away with a DC 10 Listen check. These polyps exude a sickly sweet smell that attracts scavenging creatures like rats, who get caught in the polyp's coating of adhesive digestive slime and are pulled in by the embryonic shusher to serve as food. Few creatures of the underground that are large enough to avoid this fate find the polyps appetizing. Fortunately, shushers care little for their offspring and generally view others of their kind as competition for food, and for this reason they are rarely encountered in multiples unless pressed into the service of others. Shushers are not easy to negotiate with but understand and savor pain, and they have been known to work with beholders, illithids, and drow.

Shushers have very little in the way of religious belief; some recognize and venerate the demon prince Dagon, while others are connected to the dark force known as the Patient One. Ghaunadaur is notably not venerated by them, likely due to the fact that shushers fall victim to slimes and oozes as much as any other subterranean denizen. Duergar despise shushers and will go out of their way to kill them when found. Sages theorize that shushers may have been created by the same dark will that gave life to destrachans, a similarly blind subterranean predator that compensates with an alternative sense that has been weaponized. Others, touching on the fact that shushers have been seen enslaved to beholders, believe that the gas-sensitive beings might be a creation of Gzemnid, the beholder god of gases. The truth is not likely to come forward anytime soon; shushers neither know nor care, and they are not particularly fond of conversation. Most shushers understand Undercommon, having eavesdropped on potential prey enough to have heard it countless times. They can speak, but communicate with one another purely through olfactory signals. Shushers will sometimes accept the servitude of other beings and work alongside them provided they ensure reliable access to food and appease the creature's ego sufficiently. This never results in any loyalty on the part of the shusher itself - everything to these beings is either predator or prey. Shushers are maliciously overconfident when they believe themselves to have the upper hand, but when they believe themselves outmatched they will flee with great haste to lick their wounds.

Blindsight (Ex) A shusher can use its extraordinary powers of smell to ascertain creatures and most objects, surfaces, and liquids within 60 ft. as a sighted creature would. Effects which block or significantly manipulate the flow of air functionally cut off part of the shusher's "vision" range (e.g. a wind wall effectively creates a blind spot for a shusher; a gust of wind directed at a shusher blinds it for 1 round with no saving throw, etc.)

Extraordinary Scent (Ex) Shushers possess the scent ability with a base range of 60 ft. and get a +4 racial bonus to Wisdom checks to track creatures by scent. They get a +8 racial bonus to Survival checks made to follow tracks, and can always pinpoint and identify creatures regardless of the presence of other powerful odors. This scent ability is accurate enough to provide the shusher with blindsight in a 60 ft. radius.

Gas Vulnerability (Ex) The extraordinarily complex olfactory organs of the shusher are heavily exposed and have considerable surface area, making toxic and harmful vapors particularly effective against them. A shusher suffers a -8 penalty to saving throws against any kind of harmful vapor such as inhaled poisons, smoke, cloudkill, mind fog, stinking cloud, and even nontoxic vapors capable of causing harm such as an incendiary cloud.

Shock Fronds (Su) The long, cilia-covered fingers of a shusher resemble fronds of some alien plant, and nestled among these cilia are tendrils that transmit an electric shock when touching a non-shusher. A shusher adds 1d6 electric damage to its slam attacks. As a full attack, a shusher can charge up and deliver a shocking grasp (caster level 4th, DC 14, save DC Dexterity-based).

Shush (Su) The shusher's name comes from their eerie habit of holding up a finger to their mouths and exhaling a stream of air through their heads, which allows them to quickly scan odors as well as "tasting" the various scents that pass across its finger's sensory cilia. This creates an unsettling sound that resonates with the vocal cords of certain creatures. Humanoids, monstrous humanoids, fey, animals, magical beasts, and giants may all be affected. Any such creature within 60 ft. of a shusher using this ability must make a Fortitude save (DC 16) or be silenced (as the spell) and unable to speak for 2d4 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to the shusher's Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). Any such creatures within 30 ft. of a shusher using this ability must also make a Will save (DC 16) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds as the sound agitates their nervous system. Use of this ability is a standard action. This is a sonic effect that is not mind-affecting, but as it operates on the neurological pathways that carry fight or flight signals, it does constitute a fear effect, and so creatures immune to fear are not affected. Save DCs are Constitution-based.

Skills A shusher has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. Shushers have a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate checks and a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, and Move Silently checks.

Husher
Medium Aberration
HD 7d8+21 (52 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares); climb 20 ft.
Init: +6
AC 18; touch 12; flat-footed 16 (+6 natural, +2 Dex)
BAB +5; Grp +13
Attack Claw +9 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Hush
Special Qualities Blindsight 90 ft., extraordinary scent, gas absorption, immunity to electricity, PR 17, resistance to acid 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +5 Ref +4 Will +7
Abilities Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 17
Skills Climb +12*, Hide +16*, Intimidate +12*, Listen +9*, Move Silently +16*, Survival +12
Feats Ability Focus (hush), Improved GrappleB, Improved InitiativeB, TrackB, Power Attack, Stealthy
Environment Any underground
Organization Solitary or coven (2-3 plus 4-10 shushers)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement 8-14 HD (Medium); 15-21 HD (Large)

Mutated offshoots of the shushers, hushers are more muscular, though still lean and wiry, with jagged bony plates protecting their head, neck, shoulders, and upper torso. In place of the soft tendril-like fingers of the shusher, hushers have vicious claws, and the sensory cilia that line a shusher's fingers are instead found around the husher's mouth, forming a ring that resembles a ghastly, twitching, writhing goatee. Birthed from mutant shusher polyps, hushers are capable of both polyp gestation (producing more shushers) and live gestation (carrying a husher polyp within a sac on their abdomen). These wily and cunning predators dominate their lesser brethren and employ them as muscle, scouts, and miscellaneous labor, using the threat of their venomous breath and their unique capacity to "switch off" their scent where shushers are concerned, effectively rendering them invisible to any shusher when the husher does not wish to be perceived.

Hushers produce a similar unsettling sound to their lower brethren, though theirs is always preceded by an expulsion of stored odors and gases to allow for rapid recirculation of new air. This initial exhalation creates a hhhhuh sound prior to the conventional shhhh, giving these creatures their sinister moniker. Hushers are a serious threat wherever they should arise, as they are more organized, more likely to engage in pacts with other underground dwellers, more willing to consider worshipping dark powers in exchange for the clerical magics they offer... in short, hushers represent an escalation of the organized danger from subterranean menaces. Fortunately, they are rare (5% of shusher polyps) but once a husher emerges and reaches maturity (roughly 2 years, assuming good feeding grounds), it can produce not just more shushers, but also a new husher approximately once every 17 months. This spawning rate is dangerous - within 10 years, 36 mature hushers can be spawned from the first mutant and its progeny, to say nothing of countless shushers made as a byproduct. Mercifully, hushers have a very significant weakness to fire, which can be exploited to keep their numbers under control.

Blindsight (Ex) A husher can use its extraordinary powers of smell to ascertain creatures and most objects, surfaces, and liquids within 90 ft. as a sighted creature would. Effects which block or significantly manipulate the flow of air functionally cut off part of the husher's "vision" range (e.g. a wind wall effectively creates a blind spot for a husher; a gust of wind directed at a husher blinds it for 1 round with no saving throw, etc.)

Extraordinary Scent (Ex) Hushers possess the scent ability with a base range of 60 ft. and get a +4 racial bonus to Wisdom checks to track creatures by scent. They get a +8 racial bonus to Survival checks made to follow tracks, and can always pinpoint and identify creatures regardless of the presence of other powerful odors. This scent ability is accurate enough to provide the husher with blindsight in a 90 ft. radius.

Gas Absorption (Ex) The extraordinarily complex olfactory organs of the husher are protected compared to its lesser kin, insulated by a series of "pocket lungs" that contain harmful gases. Inhaled poisons, smoke, spores, and other dangerous fumes and vapors can be safely absorbed by the husher and exhaled as part of its hush ability on a later round, provided they are not of limited duration (as e.g. cloudkill vapors would be). This ability provides the husher with a +4 racial bonus to Fortitude and Will saving throws against such vapors, though it offers no bonus in any case where simple exposure to the fumes or vapors, rather than inhalation of them, is what presents the hazard (such as an incendiary cloud). A husher can absorb and store up to three different exposures to such gases.

Hush (Su) The husher's name comes from their unsettling habit of discharging a breath of toxic fumes before rapidly cycling air through their respiratory tubercules, which allows them to quickly scan odors as well as "tasting" the various scents exhaled through its mouth. This triggers their toxic exhalation ability (see below) and creates an eerie sound that resonates with the vocal cords of certain creatures. Humanoids, monstrous humanoids, fey, animals, magical beasts, and giants may all be affected. Any such creature within 60 ft. of a husher using this ability must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be silenced (as the spell) and unable to speak for 2d4 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to the husher's Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). Any such creatures within 30 ft. of a husher using this ability must also make a Will save (DC 18) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds as the sound agitates their nervous system. Use of this ability is a standard action. This is a sonic effect that is not mind-affecting, but as it operates on the neurological pathways that carry fight or flight signals, it does constitute a fear effect, and so creatures immune to fear are not affected. Save DCs are Constitution-based.

Toxic Exhalation (Ex) As a standard action or as part of its hush ability, a husher may expel any toxic vapors stored in its pocket lungs, filling a 30 ft. cone with inhaled toxins, spores, or other dangerous fumes or vapors. It must select from its stored gases one to exhale. Creatures caught within the cone are exposed to the vapors and suffer their effects; they are entitled to a saving throw if one would normally be permitted. A husher often is exposed to insanity mist cultivated in the skulls of previous victims, and may store one blast of insanity mist fumes (inhaled poison, primary damage 1d4 Wis, secondary damage 2d6 Wis, Fort DC 15 negates). Hushers are also often exposed to smoke (spend 1 round unable to take actions, Fort DC 15 negates) and store one blast.

Skills Hushers have a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. They must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC higher than 0, but can always choose to take 10, even if rushed or threatened while climbing. If a husher chooses an accelerated climb, it moves at double its climb speed and makes a single Climb check at a -5 penalty. Hushers retain their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus to their attacks against climbing hushers. They cannot, however, use the run action while climbing. Hushers have a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate checks and a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, and Move Silently checks.

[afroakuma]

Sogan
Sogan 1st-level Warrior
Small Aberration
HD 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Speed 25 ft. (5 squares)
Init: +1
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 14 (+2 leather armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -2
Attack Shortspear +3 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack Shortspear +3 melee (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Psionics, spit, sulfine haze
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., peel flesh, piscaethine immunity, rejuvenation, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +3 Ref +1 Will -1
Abilities Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 9
Skills Bluff -3, Diplomacy -3, Escape Artist +5, Hide +3 (+5 underground), Knowledge (arcana) +1, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (psionics) +2, Listen -1 (+1 underground), Sense Motive -3, Spot -1 (+1 underground), Swim +3
Feats DashCWar
Environment Any underground
Organization Solitary or pod (2-10)
Challenge Rating 1/2
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement by class Favored Class LurkCPsi
Level Adjustment +0

Deep beneath the ground, in lightless lakes of still waters, lurk the antediluvian horrors known as aboleths. Born from contact between a Far Realm entity and the Material Plane in the earliest days of mortal existence, these horrid aquatic beasts, only vaguely resembling fish, employ their psionic might and mastery of alien enzymes to manipulate the form and stuff of life itself, developing oozelike golems and breeding malformed amphibious slaves to serve their whims. Not all of their experiments have yielded positive results, however, and some have simply been obviated by newer, more successful attempts. Callous and uncaring, the deep masters cast their previous studies out after salvaging what they could of them, leaving them in horrific middens to rot, corrode, and degrade.

..or at least, that was the usual plan.

Evolution, it seems, wanted to play its own part, and presented with all the stuff of life, all the qualities aboleths had tried to instill in a thousand thousand strange and perverse experiments into novel creatures to use as food and minions, it took up the oozing slurry of Frankensteinian detritus and produced something bizarre yet successful. A kind of fungus absorbing the strange radiation of the Underdark took root in these middens and began to fuse with the more successful elements of what would otherwise have been waste. From the corpses of fish and humanoids came a spongy, cartilaginous skeleton. Discarded graft skin became the basis for thin and easily-sloughed layers of dermis, rapidly produced from a radix layer coating the bones of the creature. To promote growth, plantlike elements were assimilated from hideous underground tubers and bulbs, as well as the transformative mucus of the aboleths themselves. Catalyzing it all was the psionic potential embedded within so much of the half-alive matter.

The result was the emergence of a strange new life-form, comprised of fungal fronds and thick leafy growths forming jagged heptagonal pads called leithers. From the center of these pads grew soft-shelled slimy bulbs (shanaks, or "boils" in the language of the aboleths), up to four feet tall, and within them a vaguely humanoid creature. When the shanak ruptured, the first sogan stepped forth into the cold and lightless world of the Underdark, an unanticipated and unwanted creature born of the careless and callous wastefulness of the deep masters. Born with the psionic sensitivity of its fungal cradle and a resistance to the capabilities of their errant creators emerging from the aboleths' desires to manufacture slaves that could endure various conditions of their existence, sogans have become an unexpected threat not just to the humanoid populations of the Underdark, but specifically to the aboleths themselves, whose normal methods of control and terror simply fail to have the same impact.

Sogans resemble halflings or gnomes, at least superficially; their flesh is clammy and looks constantly moist, as well as being generally translucent (with the exception of purple-fleshed sogans and the very elderly). Their skin is always white, yellow, or a deep reddish-purple, based on whether the pulp stock used to grow their leither in was chiefly comprised of arthropods, fish, or meat. Sogans generally appear bald, with the "hairs" some exhibit being torn skin that hasn't fully sloughed off. Their ears are nothing more than a pair of holes on each side of their head, while their eyes are pallid greenish globes without visible irises. Sogans possess a pair of flaplike gills where a nose would be and their lipless mouths have no teeth or tongue - instead, two to four long white tubercles that superficially resemble knitting needles tuck inside their jaws, extending outward when a sogan fully extends its mouth in order to puncture prey and drain juices from it. A yellowish-green mucus constantly accretes inside their mouths, which they spit out every few minutes. Sogans wear acid-treated leathers and the few that have true hair have thin strands of translucent white growing in odd patches around their head, neck, and shoulders. Their fingers and toes are both webbed and sogans possess only three of each on each limb. A distinctive sharp odor trails sogans, emerging from their sweat glands, and it intensifies noticeably when a sogan uses psionic powers. Most disturbingly, some sogans are encountered with entire chunks of their flesh peeled away, seemingly no worse for wear even with their bones exposed.

Sogans form loose societies around their leithers, rarely venturing too far from the cavern where their pod was grown. They reproduce hermaphroditically three times in their life by vomiting a thick slime containing radix material into a shallow sandy pit or pool of water. Three or more sogans are required to produce a new pod, which grows a leither over the course of 15 months when fed with a pulp stock made of freshly killed prey before shanaks develop, ultimately rupturing 5-6 months later to reveal new sogans. In general, they avoid one another except for this purpose or for collective protection of the leithers, which are a communal resource for their rejuvenation when a sogan is damaged. Bearing little loyalty to one another, some sogans will viciously defend leithers against use by one another, even though their own ability to make use of it is effectively dependent on someone else watching over it while recuperation takes place.

Sogans get along poorly with aboleths, dwarves, and gnomes, but are largely treated with indifference by others. In the case of dwarves and gnomes in particular, this chiefly stems from an allergy to the chemicals a sogan sweats out. Note that while others may be indifferent to them, few go out of their way to befriend sogans, whose alien mindset is largely bereft of notions such as friendship, love, empathy, compassion, or trust. Apprehensive and skeptical, they tend to open with hostility and follow up with fear. Generally poor at parsing social cues, sogans have little use for them. They will travel in pods for mutual security but even members of their own spawning pod are just other lifeforms to compete with and be threatened by at the end of the day. This makes them easier to divide than other intelligent creatures who work in groups.

Some few sogans have turned away from their xenophobic and predatory callousness and explore what the value of community is. While their minds still present an alien approach to the idea of working together for non-immediate reward, it has been demonstrated that some sogans can integrate with other races. They remain at odds with the general principle of currency, as sogans use nothing of the sort between themselves and have to be taught why it should be desired. Like the creatures whose experiments inadvertently spawned them, sogans do not as a rule worship any deities, and sogan clerics are extraordinarily rare.

Peel Flesh (Ex) Sogan bodies are composed of countless thin layers of flesh that grows outward from a radix layer around the bones. When the sogan sustains some form of damage that infiltrates its flesh and could threaten its overall health if allowed to persist, it can voluntarily slough off the damaged portions, literally peeling them away from its body. As a full-round action, a sogan (or an adjacent creature capable of grappling it, with the sogan's permission) can peel away damaged flesh, taking 1d6 damage and suffering 2 points of Constitution drain. Whenever the sogan uses this ability, it immediately cancels any one of the following conditions affecting the sogan:

• Any disease transmitted by contact or injury.
• Any poison transmitted by contact or injury.
• Any form of parasite.
• Any unwanted graft or symbiote that is attached to flesh.
• Any progressive or ongoing condition dealing damage (e.g. acid arrow) or resulting in physiological transformation (e.g. a chaos beast's corporeal instability ability) but not an instantaneous transformation (such as polymorph or petrification).
• Any effect not described above which could reasonably be treated by resection of an affected portion of flesh.

This process, while quick, is quite painful, and the sogan must succeed on a Will save (DC 25) to resist crying out in pain as it happens.

Piscaethine Immunity (Ex) Sogans evolved from the castoffs of countless aboleth experiments in lifeshaping, and concentrate all of the resilient traits aboleths attempted to prioritize into an incredible set of immunities in ways that the deep masters never anticipated. Sogans enjoy the following benefits:

• Immunity to the enslave ability of any aboleth
• Immunity to any psionic power manifested by any aboleth, including psionic powers acquired through class levels, as though the sogan possessed power resistance and the aboleth failed to penetrate it. Psionic powers that do not check power resistance may still affect a sogan normally (for example, if an aboleth manifests an ectoplasmic cocoon around a sogan, it will still be captured unless it succeeds on its Reflex saving throw). If using the default aboleth from the Monster Manual, follow similar rules for the spell-like abilities listed as psionics; the sogan is immune to any that allow for spell resistance.
• Immunity to the slime ability of any aboleth
• Immunity to the mucus cloud ability of any aboleth
• Counts as an aboleth for the purpose of any effect that would specifically not affect aboleths (such as the Toxic MucusLoM feat)
• Does not trigger aboleth glyphsLoM, though other glyphs of warding produced by an aboleth via spellcasting, magic items, etc. will trigger normally
• Sogans cannot receive aboleth grafts; any attempt to attach such a graft to their body causes it to peel away and rot in 1d4+1 rounds
• Sogans have a +2 insight bonus to saving throws against any effect produced by an aboleth against which they are not immune (such as the ectoplasmic cocoon example above).
• A shaboathLoM that hits a sogan, starts its turn grappling a sogan, or starts its turn with a sogan engulfed within it suffers damage from direct contact with the sulfine sweat of the sogan. The sogan's body deals 1d10 damage plus the sogan's Constitution modifier to the shaboath in any such circumstance.

Psionics Sogans are naturally psionic. Any power they manifest produces an olfactory display and the Concentration DC to conceal such a display increases by 5. The olfactory display of a sogan's psionic powers is distinctive and unmistakable - any creature familiar with it will never confuse it with any other smell, let alone an olfactory display produced by a non-sogan's psionic power. Sogans all know chameleon, conceal thoughts, empty mind, and thicken skin. In addition, each sogan knows one of adrenaline boostCPsi, biofeedback, burst, or catfall, chosen at 1st level. These powers known are treated as 1st level powers and cost 1 power point to manifest (plus more to augment, if applicable). The sogan's manifester level for these powers is equal to its character level.

Rejuvenation (Ex) A sogan who is able to reach a healthy and unoccupied leither can voluntarily connect to it, enveloping itself in a shanak for a period of 24 hours or more. For each complete 24-hour period that passes, the sogan regains 2 points of Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution lost to ability drain or ability damage, as well as healing as normal from full rest. During this time, half of any kind of damage inflicted on the leither passes through to the sogan as well. A sogan enveloped in its shanak is helpless and can take no action except to choose to emerge, a process which takes 1d4 minutes.

Spit (Ex) Sogans reflexively and continuously spit a chartreuse-colored mucous substance, typically once every 1d6 minutes plus the sogan's Constitution modifier (on average once every four minutes). This makes them quite easy to track. The Survival DC to track a sogan is lowered by 10. As a swift action, a sogan can deliberately spit at another creature's eyes by making a ranged touch attack with a -4 penalty. If successful, this attack deals 1 point of acid damage and causes the foe to be dazzled for 1 round, as well as imposing a -1 penalty to the foe's AC for the same duration. This attack is useless against target without eyes, targets more than one size category larger or smaller than the sogan, or targets whose eyes are covered.

Sulfine Haze (Ex) Sogans exude a thin mist of sulfines from a reaction of their sweat with air, which irritate the eyes and respiratory passages of certain subterranean or tunnel-loving creatures (including but not limited to gnomes, dwarves, beholders, aboleths, illithids, and derro). Any such creature attempting an action requiring concentration while within 15 ft. of a sogan must succeed a Concentration check (DC 15 + the sogan's Constitution modifier) or lose their action. This DC is increased by 2 for each additional sogan within 15 ft., but any given creature only needs to make one check per action against this ability, regardless of how many sogans are present. A sogan exposed to a moderate or stronger wind has this haze dissipate until 10 rounds after the wind has abated (even a gust of wind or wind wall is sufficient to disperse this haze). The haze can also be stopped if the sogan is within a watery mist such as obscuring mist or fog cloud or while immersed in any liquid. A sogan has no ability to suppress this effect.

Sogan Characters

Sogans possess the following racial traits:

• +2 Constitution. Sogan anatomy contains redundancies that allow them to peel away whole chunks of their flesh without substantially harming themselves, when necessary.
• Small size
• 20 ft. movement speed
• Aberration type
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• +1 natural armor
• Sogans take half again as much (50%) damage from electricity, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
• +4 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. Sogans have slimy skin with thin outer layers that can shed instantly to help them wriggle out of a foe's grip.
• -2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks. Sogans rarely interact with others and their interactions tend toward the rudimentary, making them blunt and unintuitive.
• Sogans have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks in natural underground terrain. Worked stone and other materials inhibit this bonus.
• Sogans have a +2 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard.
• Sogans have a +2 racial bonus on Autohypnosis checks and are considered trained in Autohypnosis.
• Sogans possess no inherent proficiency with or familiarity with any kind of weapon or armor.
• Alien Memory: At 1st level, a sogan gains a total of 4 skill points to allocate between any three Knowledge skills as though they were class skills. At each even-numbered level, the sogan gains an additional skill point to allocate to any Knowledge skill in the same way. Martial LoreToB is considered a Knowledge skill for the purpose of this ability.
• Naturally Psionic: Sogans gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level.
• Peel Flesh: as above
• Piscaethine Immunity: as above
• Psionics: as above
• Rejuvenation: as above
• Spit: as above
• Sulfine Haze: as above
• Automatic Languages: Aboleth, Undercommon. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Common, Dwarven, Gnome, Grell, Terran.
• Favored Class: LurkCPsi
• Level Adjustment: +0

[afroakuma]

Kemir (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmcEYVz4cqA)
Large Monstrous Humanoid
HD 8d8+24 (68 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +2
AC 19; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +8; Grp +18
Attack Claw +13 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2) and bite +11 melee (1d6+3 and disease) and tail whip (1d4+3 subdual)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with tail whip)
Special Attacks Discorporate, disease, gnaw, lord of filth, rend 2d6+9
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., half damage from bludgeoning, immunities
Saves Fort +8 Ref +8 Will +9
Abilities Str 23, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 12
Skills Climb +17, Intimidate +12, Listen +16, Spot +16
Feats AlertnessB, Great FortitudeB, Improved Critical (claws), Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment Any
Organization Solitary, nest (1 plus 2d4 dire rats), or gang (1 plus choice of 4d4 evil-aligned humanoids of CR 1/2, 2d4 evil-aligned humanoids of CR 1, or 1d4+1 evil aligned humanoids of CR 2)
Challenge Rating 6
Treasure Double standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement 9-16 HD (Large); 17-24 HD (Huge)

Hulking and odious, kemirs are thankfully rare and blessedly solitary, for these brutal yet cunning monstrosities are both dangerous adversaries in their own right and scheming leaders of a rabble of beings weaker in body and/or mind. Both feared and respected by the vilekith of their lands, kemirs resemble a horrific exaggeration of a rat fused with a man - as tall as ogres but more heavyset and muscular, with two long digitigrade legs and a lashing tail, with a mottled coat of fur that averages out, in most cases, to a foul brown-grey. While these traits would be more than sufficient to paint kemirs as a frightening foe, they pale before the unsettling ability these terrors possess to transform their bodies into swarms of biting, gnawing rats that flood over any who stand in their way, reuniting at the worst moment to present survivors with the towering shadow of the hideous monstrosity.

The origin of kemirs is not known, though sages suggest some power of disease or vermin is to blame, with many pointing to the Lower Planes. Certainly, fiendish kemirs have been encountered in those places, but the lack of exultation or claims of credit on the part of any fiendish lord would be quite unusual if any were responsible for the creation of these brutes. The prospect of their emerging naturally from large rat populations has not been ruled out, giving rise to their epithet, "rat kings." Even their method of reproduction is unknown, though this may have more to do with the combination of unfavorable factors in the study of kemirs than any deep mystery.

Kemirs have been encountered working with goblins, orcs, ogres, and occasionally gnolls and other humanoids. They are commonly seen associating with dire rats, and rumors persist of kemirs affiliated with wererat groups. Their capacity to show calm, collected, often icy leadership skills is disturbing for the populations of lands menaced by a kemir, for behind their vicious strength lurks a patient and attentive mind with an eye for detail. Despite their infamously voracious hunger, a kemir can resist gorging itself for several days at a time provided it is confident of a truly excessive meal at the completion of their current plan. Content to move in the shadows while making use of minions to advance their agenda, on the battlefield kemirs typically eschew stealth - as far as they concerned, once the fight has come to them, opponents are volunteer meals on legs. They are familiar with fire and its uses but still suffer from an instinctive dread of it, and will take a -2 penalty to Will saving throws whenever a significant fire source (anything larger than a torch) is within 30 ft. of them.

Kemirs speak Common, Undercommon, Giant, and one of Goblin, Gnoll, or Orc, though they possess no native ability to read any of these languages.

Discorporate (Su) A kemir's most notorious and horrifying ability is that it can dissolve its body into a teeming throng of rats, which swarm with wild abandon over all in their path while moving with a kind of frightening cohesion. As a full-round action, a kemir can transform into four rat swarms, which start out collectively occupying the same space as one another (without otherwise interfering with, impeding, or damaging one another) and act at the kemir's initiative count less 1. For each 25% of its maximum hp that a kemir has lost, it discorporates into 1 fewer swarm. Damage dealt to the swarms does not meaningfully impede the kemir unless a swarm is destroyed. While the swarms are adjacent to at least one other swarm produced by the same kemir's ability, any one swarm may take a full-round action to recombine with all the others, reforming into the kemir, which regains 1 hit point per hit die. For each swarm originally produced that was destroyed, the kemir suffers 2 points of Strength and Constitution damage which cannot be healed until the kemir can find a new swarm of rats to integrate into its body.

Disease (Ex) Filth fever—bite attack, Fortitude DC 18, incubation period , damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Gnaw (Ex) A kemir's bite attack ignores 5 points of hardness or damage resistance, with the exception of DR/- and DR/epic.

Immunities (Ex) Because of their swarm-formed physiology, kemirs enjoy immunities to certain attacks and abilities:

• Kemirs can carry disease but never suffer the effects of any disease to which they are exposed.
• Kemirs are immune to poison.
• Kemirs are immune to wounding and bleeding effects. One of their constituent rats takes the wound and bleeds out, which does not propagate to the rest of the swarm.
• Kemirs are immune to phantasm effects.
• Kemirs are immune to damage and distraction from rat swarms. Other swarms may damage and distract them normally.
• Kemirs are immune to being entangled.

Lord of Filth (Su) A kemir gets a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures suffering from or infected with a disease (including those still in the incubation period). Kemirs get a +4 bonus to Spot checks to notice an infected creature and combat invisible creatures infected with disease as though the kemir possessed the Blind-Fight feat.

Rend (Ex) A kemir that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d6+9 points of damage.

Kemir Krals

Rarely, reports have arisen of advanced kemirs, generally possessed of darker fur in shades of brown and black, who appear to possess unique and frightening abilities. Called kemir krals, these mythical figures are believed to have acquired or evolved special capabilities to put themselves ahead of their kindred. Krals are always found leading groups of humanoids, almost always with at least two ogres working under them as well.

A kemir kral is a kemir with +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Wis, and +2 Cha. In addition, each kemir kral possesses one of the following special abilities.

Amass (Ex) As a standard action while adjacent to a rat swarm, the kral can amass the rats of that swarm into itself for a brief period. For 1 round plus 1 round per point of Constitution bonus the kral possesses (minimum 1 round), the kral grows in size to the next largest category, gaining +4 Strength and +4 Constitution as well as a +10 ft. bonus to speed. If the kral uses its discorporate ability, this foreign rat swarm separates from those that constitute the kral and is no longer under the kral's control.

Chains of Filth (Su) Creatures infected with a disease (including one in the incubation period) within 30 ft. of this kral are slowed as the spell. A creature must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the kral's HD + the kral's Charisma modifier) to voluntarily leave this 30 ft. radius while infected with disease. A creature that successfully makes this saving throw is immune to this kral's chains of filth ability (including the slow component) for 24 hours. Note that if the kral's own movement causes the radius to shift such that a creature moves from within to without, no save is required and no immunity is conferred.

Plaguedrinker (Su) The kral gains fast healing equal to the number of non-rat creatures within 30 ft. who are alive and infected with disease. Wererats, dire rats, other kemirs, and rat swarms are all excluded from this count, as are nonliving creatures. This ability takes the form of thin strands of black droplets leaking from the nostrils, mouth, and wounds of infected beings and floating through the air into the kral's mouth and nose, making it readily apparent to observers exactly how many beings are being counted by this ability.

Swarming Step (Su) As a full-round action, the kral may discorporate briefly while moving up to twice its speed. During this movement, it can pass through squares containing other creatures as though it were a swarm, uses the statistics of a rat swarm instead of its own, and may make up to four total swarm attacks against creatures in squares that it passes through. The kral must end its movement in a space large enough for it to occupy, as it returns to its normal form at the end of this movement. This ability may not be used on consecutive rounds.

Krals with abilities other than these may exist, and sages warn of the potential for so-called "buyukrals" possessing multiple unusual abilities. Kemir krals have a CR 1 higher than a kemir.

[Tzardok]

Say, if you are taking requests... I'd like a conversion of the ruvoka as a playable race, please.

[afroakuma]

Sliming Shocker
Small Aberration
HD 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Speed 5 ft. (1 square); fly 20 ft. (perfect)
Init: +1
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 14 (+3 natural, +1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +3; Grp +0
Attack Tentacle +5 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack Tentacle +5 melee (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Shock, slime
Special Qualities Blindsight 100 ft., DR 5/piercing, flight, immunity to acid, electricity, fire, and paralysis, knockaway
Saves Fort +3 Ref +4 Will +2
Abilities Str 12, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 7, Cha 8
Skills Hide +12 (+16 underground)*
Feats Dodge, Lightning Reflexes
Environment Underground
Organization Solitary, pack (3-6), or colony (9-20)
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure None
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 5-8 HD (Small); 9-16 HD (Medium)

Of the many bizarre predators that call the Underdark home, few announce their presence with such an obvious tell as the otherwise stealthy sliming shocker. Properly called tigbara, sliming shockers resemble immature grells or xantravars, bulbous ovoids with a tentacle dangling in the manner of an inverted teardrop from their undersides. Floating near-silently through the caverns of the Underdark, the presence of sliming shockers is always given away by the six to twelve nozzlelike protuberances hanging down from its sides, which can give it an appearance like a grell or a particularly lazy beholder from a distance. These nozzles constantly drizzle a thin and slippery mucus onto the ground below, which is evidently crucial to the digestive process of the tigbara as well as being an important component of its primary method of attack.

Sliming shockers are of animalistic intelligence, and in their behavior it shows. They do a poor job at plotting next moves beyond a stealthy approach and as often as not are given away by the stream of slime drooling down from the ceiling of their cavern of choice. Most subterranean predators ignore them or chase them off, killing them out of territoriality rather than for food, but umber hulks enjoy the taste of them and illithids consider them a delicacy - no substitute for a proper brain, but not an experience to be missed. The creatures themselves generally prey on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, basically anything that can be caught and zapped to death. Burburs are a particular target as the little beasts are attracted to tigbara slime, making them easy prey. Carrion crawlers dislike them as they possess an immunity to paralysis - in fact, the slime of a tigbara, properly collected and treated alchemically, makes an effective potion of remove paralysis.

Sliming shockers are often found in the same cavern networks that house grell, a race that despises them as pests and will attempt to violently purge them from their territories. Sages have not made any kind of meaningful connection between the two, but remark on how suspect it is that they bear so many physical similarities. Of course, other sages point out that the similarities are largely superficial, noting that the rough and rubbery main body of the tigbara is hollow and gas-filled within, not comprised of brain matter as with grells. They reproduce hermaphroditically, in their own fashion, ejecting bubbly eggs in a froth out of the anterior mucosal nozzle and promptly ignoring them. A sliming shocker that happens upon a patch of unfertilized eggs will expel a spray of immature ova matter onto them, which the unfertilized eggs will devour and enucleate around. Of course, any given sliming shocker is much too stupid to recognize whether the patch of eggs it has stumbled upon is its own, and so a single sliming shocker is capable of repopulating an area on its own via accidental parthenogenesis.

Blindsight (Ex) Sliming shockers sense electrical activity, which includes electromagnetic resonance from ores and minerals in their rocky surroundings. Abiotic creatures - such as most nonferrous constructs (e.g. clay golems, flesh golems), elementals, and undead - are effectively invisible to a sliming shocker.

Flight (Ex) Sliming shockers fly through controlled release of gases from their nozzles, combined with being effectively balloons filled with lighter-than-air gases. This makes them fairly slow but gives them perfect maneuverability.

Knockaway (Ex) Sliming shockers are extremely light and resilient, but their primary method of locomotion gives them little ability to hold position when struck by a solid blow. A sliming shocker hit with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + damage dealt before subtracting DR). On a failure, the sliming shocker is knocked through the air 10 ft. in a direction of the attacker's choice, plus an additional 5 ft. for every 5 damage dealt after subtracting DR (round down). If it collides with a solid surface, it immediately fills its arrival square with slime and suffers 1d6 points of damage from the collision for every 10 ft. of movement it still had left at the time of collision (round down). If it collides with a creature of its size or larger, it stops similarly but does not suffer collision damage, though it fills both that creature's square and the square it is pushed off into with slime. Clever opponents can bat sliming shockers at other hostile creatures or into walls.

Shock (Ex) As a full-round action, a sliming shocker can extend its tentacle down to the ground. If it makes contact with tigbara slime (whether produced by itself or another tigbara), it exudes a burst of electricity that hits all creatures in contact with that patch of slime, as far as 400 ft. away if there is a continuous slime trail. This attack deals 3d6 electric damage to all creatures touching the slime (Reflex DC 14 negates). The save DC is Constitution-based. Note that creatures in contact with a patch of slime that is fully separated from the slime the tigbara is currently shocking are not affected; there must be a clear connection between slime patches for the shock to spread.

Slime (Ex) At the start of its turn, a sliming shocker's drooling slime forms a patch of slime in its current square. This slime functions similarly to the slick coating produced by a grease spell (Reflex DC 14 to avoid falling) but takes 1 hour to break down. As a full-round action, a sliming shocker can move at half its normal fly speed, drizzling slime into each square it enters during its move. When a sliming shocker is encountered in its own hunting grounds, it is highly likely that several patches of slime will already exist on the ground around it. This slime is odorless and inert, but slippery. A flask of alcohol or a handful of salt (1/4 lb) will destroy a patch of slime immediately.

Skills A sliming shocker gets a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks made in cavernous areas containing unworked stone.

[Tzardok]

A slime-drooling, electric balloon? Add some trivia about liking children, and this could be a pokémon. :smalltongue:

[Debihuman]

First of all, I really like your sliming shocker.

Since it has Int 1 and is not mindless, it should have 2 regular feats and not just a single bonus feat.

As it already qualifies for Dodge (the prerequisite is Dex 13), that could just be its first regular feat IMHO. You could also just give it Mobility to add to Dodge since that's the prerequisite. I personally like Mobility as it is an underutilized feat for low-level monsters.

Other good feats to consider for this critter (IMHOP) would be Improved Initiative, or Iron Will or Lightning Reflexes.

I hope you find this helpful.

Debby

[afroakuma]

Good catch Debi, thank you!

[afroakuma]

Mbarg
Large Monstrous Humanoid
HD 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +2*
AC 17; touch 7; flat-footed 17 (+10 natural, -1 size, -2 Dex)
BAB +4; Grp +12
Attack Longspear +7 melee (2d6+4, x3)
Full Attack Longspear +7 melee (2d6+4, x3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with longspear)
Special Attacks Spores
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., fungal host, mucous veil, partial sleep, scent, splintering hide, watchful
Saves Fort +6 Ref +2 Will +3
Abilities Str 18, Dex 7, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 7
Skills Intimidate +5, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Spot +9*
Feats Great FortitudeB, Haft Bash*, Power Attack
Environment Warm forests
Organization Solitary, pair, or squad (4-8)
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure Standard
Alignment Often lawful neutral
Advancement by class Favored Class WarbladeToB
Level Adjustment +2

At one time a reclusive race from a minor crystal sphere, two historical run-ins with outsiders changed the destiny of the mbargu (sing. mbarg) and set them on a literal course to the stars.

Standing between 9 and 11 ft. tall and weighing typically between 600 and 800 lbs, mbargu can very loosely be compared in stature to ogres, but any other comparisons in terms of appearance likely die out there - excepting perhaps in the hygiene department, though mbargu do bathe whereas ogres don't even have a word for the concept. Appearing roughly humanoid, with dull orange, gray, green, or brown skin, mbargu are hairless and notable for their two sets of eyes, which are massive - though rarely fully visible under the craggly plates of cornified skin that constantly grow around their bodies. A thin film of whitish mucus coats the mbarg's eyes and forehead, terminating just above their massive, flat, diamond-shaped nose, which is essentially a flap over an olfactory organ and lacks nostrils. Mbargu may best be described as giants covered in what looks like thick, jagged tree bark, which forms a natural armor over most of their bodies and generates the appearance of a large uneven mask over their faces. A mbarg's mouth is wide and filled with flat teeth, and most mbargu have colorful patches of mold or stacks of mushroom caps emerging from various parts of their bodies.

The effect in aggregate is to make mbargu look something like ogres wearing thick bark and rectangular masks with long, vertical eye-slits showing only pale white beneath, the whole coated in sprays and florets of bright colors. Generally wielding polearms, mbargu have complacent and peaceful dispositions and appreciate the concept of inertia, which makes them excellent guards as their notion of "inertia" tracks with "maintaining the status quo." Their culture is intricate and heavily organized around storytelling and structure, including their intensely complicated language, Mabina, which evolves with the day of the week, day of the month, current year, and often seems (quite correctly, as it turns out) to be the verbal equivalent of playing an extended game of skill and strategy. Mbarg conversations can last for hours and are said by those who have actually managed to fully understand them to be riveting and incredibly involving - but for the majority, even via comprehend languages and similar methods, while the surface level meaning of Mabina can be gleaned with ease, the nuances that make mbarg discussions so intriguing are lost in the shuffle.

A people averse to deep water and most comfortable in shade, mbargu have always been fearful of the sunny skies and fascinated by the starry night. They are quite happy to explore and seek new ideas, provided the mere act of doing so doesn't cause undue chaos and hardship. They tend to live in open air, which they find comfortable. The mbargu became targets of a callous and malevolent race known as the zernMMIV, beings with the capacity to radically transform their own bodies and those of other creatures. A small number of zern invaded the mbarg homeworld and enslaved a great many of their people, stealing them away to become part of zern experiments. In response, the mbargu discovered fungi that possessed heightened sensitivity to zern biology, forming a symbiotic bond and endowing them with the capabilities needed to retaliate against the invaders. The zern retreated, but have never forgotten the humiliation - and as they consider all other beings inferior to themselves, the idea of leaving the mbargu to their own devices is anathema to them.

Of course, in the wake of the zern invasion, the mbargu met another people - the spacefaring merchants known alternately as the arcane or mercaneMotP. Seeing the explorer spirit of the mbargu and finding them to possess both the physical strength and intellectual talent to work as guards, the mercane offered to employ a number of them and let them voyage between the crystal spheres. This arrangement has worked for both parties, and mbarg guards have become a somewhat common sight at various spelljammer ports throughout the Known Spheres, as well as more than a few who have begun serving in a similar capacity on other planes. Mbargu rarely work for chaotic or evil employers, but individuals may vary in their preferences. Their reputation as odiferous but sharp-eyed, tough but readily cooperative, and generally friendly has led more and more mbargu to be recruited for such roles. It has been said by some in Sigil that the ideal protection for one's treasure vault is two mbargu and a spectatorLoM, a trinity of like-minded beings who enjoy standing watch and will keep one another endlessly entertained while doing so.

Mbargu largely eat insects, roots, eggs, birds, reptiles, and the occasional fish or amphibian. They dislike eating mammalian meat as their teeth handle it poorly. Mbargu are somewhat synesthetic and recognize one another moreso by the colors that their scents and voices inspire in the mind than by physical appearance (which, given the growth rate of their cornified skin plates, is ever-changing). They find the humanoid notion of recognition based on face and body to be tragic, pitiable, and a loss to the true colors of social interaction between individuals.

Fungal Host (Ex) All mbargu form symbiotic relationships with a variety of molds and fungi that colonize their bodies. Their natural vulnerability to fungal infection imposes a -4 penalty to saving throws against fungal toxins, spores, hyphae, and other effects by which a fungus might infect, poison, or contaminate a creature. Mbargu respond to myconidMMII spores as though they themselves were myconids. Mbargu exposed to an effect that purges infectious agents from their body (such as remove disease or heal) become sickened for 24 hours; this effect cannot be removed through restorative abilities or effects.

Mucous Veil (Ex) Mbargu eyes are coated in a thin film of mucus that continually regenerates, protecting them from most forms of physical trauma. Mbargu are immune to any physical effect (including intense light) that would dazzle or blind via damage to the eyes, including glitterdust, sand-throwing, corrosive or irritating vapors, and so on. Effects such as blindness work as normal on a mbarg.

Partial Sleep (Ex) Mbargu have two pairs of eyes that split visual processing duties, alternating periods of rest. Even while asleep, one pair of eyes is open and capable of picking up on movement and alarming stimuli. A sleeping mbarg may make initiative checks, Search checks, and Spot checks, though it suffers a -4 penalty to these checks as it shakes off its rest and rouses its body. In effect, a mbarg is never rendered unconscious due to sleep.

Spores (Ex) The parasitic and symbiotic fungi infesting a mbarg's body emit a thin haze of spores that functions as a mild inhaled poison when the mbarg is in less than moderate wind. Creatures within 120 ft. of a mbarg must make a Fortitude save (DC 17) or be sickened for 1 minute. The save DC is Constitution-based. Mbargu and fungus creatures are immune to this effect. ZernMMIV and zern-created creatures suffer a -4 penalty to this saving throw, and suffer 1d4 Constitution damage when so exposed (Fort negates). A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to that mbarg's spores for 24 hours. A simple alchemically-treated face covering (Craft (alchemy) DC 15, cost 1 sp to manufacture) is sufficient to protect a creature from breathing in these spores.

Splintering Hide (Ex) Whenever a mbarg suffers damage from any external source, it may elect to splinter off part of its natural armor as an immediate action to ablate the damage. By reducing its natural armor by 2 points, a mbarg can reduce the damage suffered by 10 (to a minimum of 0). Damage caused from an internal source (e.g. a parasite) or of a non-physical nature (e.g. mind thrust, an incorporeal source, nightmare, etc.) cannot be ablated in this fashion - it has to be from some source that would impact the mbarg's natural armor. The mbarg's natural armor bonus recovers after an 8 hour rest by a number of points equal to the mbarg's Constitution modifier (minimum 1).

Watchful (Ex) Mbargu use their sensitive eyes to monitor their surroundings. They apply their Intelligence modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier to initiative checks, and their Intelligence modifier instead of their Wisdom modifier to Spot checks.

Mbarg Characters

Mbargu possess the following racial traits:

• +8 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma. Mbargu are massive lumbering physical specimens with sharp minds clouded by their fungal symbionts.
• Large size
• 30 ft. movement speed
• Monstrous Humanoid type
• Racial Hit Dice: A mbarg begins with four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.
• Racial Skills: A mbarg's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 * (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (local), Listen, Search, and Spot.
• Racial Feats: A mbarg's monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
• Mbargu have a +2 racial bonus on attack rolls against zernMMIV and zern-created creatures.
• Mbargu have a +8 racial bonus on opposed Spot and Sense Motive checks against zern.
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• +10 natural armor
• Mbargu gain Great Fortitude as a bonus feat.
• Fungal Host: as above
• Mucous Veil: as above
• Partial Sleep: as above
• Scent
• Splintering Hide: as above
• Spores: as above
• Watchful: as above
• Automatic Languages: Mabina. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Gnome, Hadozee, Loxo, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon, Zern.
• Favored Class: WarbladeToB
• Level Adjustment: +2

Haft Bash
You are skilled at using the haft of a polearm to knock enemies back.
Prerequisites Strength 15+, Dexterity or Intelligence 13+
Benefit When wielding a polearm or quarterstaff in two hands, you can make an additional attack using the haft of your weapon when you full attack. This attack uses your full base attack bonus, happens before your normal attacks, and deals damage as if it were a club wielded in your off-hand (1/2 Strength bonus to damage). If it hits, you may make a bull rush attempt against the target as a free action, without provoking attacks of opportunity. If successful, you may choose to push the target less than the full amount determined by your roll, and you do not need to move with the target if you do not wish to.
Special If the target of this attack has readied an action to sunder or possesses the Improved Sunder feat, they may immediately respond to an attempt to use this feat by making an attack against your weapon to sunder it. This attack gets a +4 circumstance bonus.

[Debihuman]

You have an asterisk by Initiative for Mbarg, but it isn't reflected below the stat block. How do they get Initiative +2 when their Dexterity is 7? [Edit] Found it under the Watchful special ability -- they use their Intelligence modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier.

Debby

[afroakuma]

Deities of the Mbargu

The mbargu produce very few true priests, but they have a substantial (if rather passive) religious faith, centered on the family of gods around whose portfolios their world revolves, plus one interloper god who is rising in popularity. Their creator, the goddess Musu, is in the unusual position (for a creatory deity) of being the youngest member of the pantheon, rather than one of the senior members. Mbargu recognize other deities from their homeworld and occasionally venerate travel and exploration deities from other worlds, but by and large a significant component of their religiosity is the laissez-faire attitude of their mother goddess, and other gods of watchfulness such as Helm may expect too much commitment and activity.

Musu
Lesser Power of Arcadia
River of Life, the Flowering, She Who Watches All, the Green Goddess
Alignment: Lawful neutral (true neutral tendencies)
Portfolio: Mbargu, life, death, renewal, patience, forbearance, fungi
Divine Realm: Arcadia/Buxenus/Camelthorn, formerly Arcadia/Nemausus/Camelthorn
Symbol: A giraffe's head with trees emerging from its ossicones
Domains Decay, Forbearance*, Law, Life, Plant, Renewal, Repose
Favored Weapon: Longspear

One of the very last deities to have established a realm on Nemausus before it collapsed into Mechanus, Musu the Flowering is the youngest deity of the mbargu, as well as their creator. Millennia ago, Musu made the acquaintance of the giant deity Diancastra, who had elected to take on a male aspect as part of a scheme. The two had a dalliance and Musu came away inspired to create life of her own in order to see what it would do and how it would approach the world. Her children inherited prodigious size and an inscrutably clever language from their "father" and a laissez-faire nature from their mother, originally a nature goddess representing the cycle, abundance, and variety of life.

Originally an extremely involved goddess, Musu soon came to learn that her grandfather Makama would ensure consequences for overstepping her duties and being unfairly generous to her progeny, for his purview of the dangers of the natural world would be threatened by an overconfident, overcapable race. Her last major gift to them came from her own father Mbisi, who offered to grant her one gift from himself to bestow on the mbargu. Conspiring once more with Diancastra, Musu asked her father to put each gift into a box and she would choose one box. He put extra eyes into one box and barklike protective skin into the other. Diancastra drew a square around them in the sand and Musu chose "this box," the one in which both were contained, which her father, amused at their cheek, granted.

Today, Musu's faith remains the predominant religion among the mbargu, though they have begun to adopt foreign gods as their travels take them to far-off worlds. Her shrines are set up at the sources of rivers, on watersheds, and major ceremonies are held at deltas and river mouths. She is the goddess of birth and death, of food and famine, of sickness and succor. Her sacred animal is the giraffe, which stands aloof watching over all but must bow deeper than any other if it is to eat of the same grass that all others can share in with ease, symbolizing her unpretentious nature. Her followers teach that life is to be taken as it comes and that the true mastery of things comes in being willing to experience and learn from them, be they for good or ill. Musu is often venerated in mbargu communities by the inclusion of a central pool, brook, or stream around which to congregate.

Mbisi
Intermediate Power of Mechanus
The All-Seeing, the Watcher, Great Tree-Father, Giver of Sight, Witness of All
Alignment: True neutral
Portfolio: Sight, visions, knowledge, flora and fauna, watchfulness, forests, preservation of nature
Divine Realm: Mechanus/Sundrinker Isle
Symbol: A four-eyed wooden mask
Domains Forest*, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Watchfulness*
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

A watcher, a guide, and an impassive collector of information, Mbisi manifests as a colossal treant-like being studded with thousands of eyes of every shape and description - cat's eyes, dragon's eyes, goat's eyes, frog's eyes, and so on. Although he is a second-generation deity, Mbisi is regarded as a patriarch and high authority by his many children and even third-generation powers who did not descend from him often look to the Watcher for their cues. Impartial, with a quiet sense of humor, Mbisi rarely gets involved in mortal affairs except where the protection of nature itself is at stake. The watchful power dislikes providing counsel or direction, but is happy to share true information and observations, which can often influence decisions while still allowing for the listener to make a choice. Mbisi is the child of the dread god Makama by a shadowy presence, and his eyes are ever watchful for his father's many threats and his mother's insidious lurkings.

On Mechanus, Mbisi's realm can be seen from a great distance, for it lies in the center of a "dark region" due to the god's own powers - a rift to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Radiance exists to brighten the nearby cogs of Mechanus, but its light streams down like rivers or waterfalls flowing into the myriad eyes of the colossal Mbisi, who appears as though surrounded by spotlights in the twilight. Mbisi is venerated in mbargu communities in the form of the oldest and mightiest tree, which is painted with eye motifs in tribute to the Watcher and treated as the living representation of the community itself, its capacity to grow, to learn, and to flourish. Mbargu communities have dissolved when their watch-tree has been destroyed. Mbisi occasionally dispatches axiomaticPlH observersLoM as his planar allies and is known to have relations with the formians. His sacred animal is the oyster, which emulates his eye motif, taking in everything about the world in which they inhabit without going forth and intervening, collecting the best of what they discover to create pearls.

Makama
Greater Power of Elysium
The Dreaded, the Perilous, Dread Lord, the Many Faces of Danger, Most Cardinal Terror, the Sum of All Fears, the Glorious and Terrible, Death-Tamer, the Mighty and Monstrous
Alignment: Neutral evil
Portfolio: Danger, discovery, the sun, the ocean, powerful beasts, forces of nature, risk
Divine Realm: Elysium/Thalassa/Shores of the Worthy
Symbol: A lion's face surrounded by seven snakes to form a sun-like figure
Domains Beast*, Courage, Danger*, Evil, Knowledge, Ocean, Sun
Favored Weapon: Kukri

One of the oldest and most senior powers of the mbargu homeworld, Makama's influence lies across many worlds, for he is the creator of and patron of displacer beasts and their cousins the kamadans, as well as sometimes being tied to creatures such as wemics, wereleopards, and other creatures of a feline nature. Makama's role in mbarg life is somewhat unusual for an evil-aligned deity; his clergy run schools and hospitals, serving as teachers and medics, counselors and strategists. The god of dangers, Makama is without mercy but not inherently cruel; rather, he wants mortals to experience a healthy respect for the perils around them, to study and learn from them, to know what they can overcome and what they must stand down against.

Makama takes many forms, including that of an anthropomorphic kamadan or displacer beast, a prowling panther made of shadows, or a terrible storm; however, his most common incarnation is an anthromorphic lion with a blinding, searing halo of sunlight, often either shown as a fish or a column of swirling waters from the waist down, whose mane is composed of dreadlocks in many colors, all of which are live snakes. In this depiction he represents many kinds of danger - violent and overt (the lion), subtle and insidious (the snake), powerful and predictable (the sun), unknown and uncertain (the ocean). Makama is a ferocious opponent of fear for fear's sake - his dogma stipulates that "there is nothing in nature which thrives by feeding on itself," and so fear is not allowed to be the exception. Fear, he teaches, is a form of respect, a mark of something that is to be acknowledged, studied, and either mastered or defended against. For this reason, Makama's clerics are forbidden to wield spells with the fear descriptor - artificial fear is unrelated to true danger and thus of no worth to Makama.

Curious to many scholars of the Planes is that Makama makes his home deep in Elysium, a plane ostensibly antithetical to his evil nature; however, the realm of Makama is unexpectedly welcoming, and his neighbors, while skeptical, are generally tolerant of his presence - especially the guardinals, who appreciate his role on their plane, for Makama's predatory creations move through the layers of Elysium and disturb those visitors at risk of succumbing to the bliss of the joyful lands. It is a role none native to the plane relish, but one they feel is a kindness that must be offered - and they silently thank the Dread Lord for taking up this mantle. His realm, meanwhile, is a place of succor and plenty because it is kept only for the worthy - those who sought to understand and master the dangers of their world in life, teaching others in their turn, and bringing betterment to their communities. Those who had a healthy respect for danger and a desire to brave the wilds for the sake of knowledge and to pass on the gifts of their learning to future generations are Makama's worthy, and to them is afforded an afterlife of peace and plenitude on the islands of Thalassa. Makama's realm guards the isles of Avalon and he is not above sending the occasional menacing beast to test those who would try to visit that sacred place.

Felines of all kinds are sacred to Makama, who is venerated in mbargu communities by the placement of beast skulls at gates and crossroads, a reminder of dangers gone before and those yet to come. A patron of adventurers, Makama's temples are often valuable waypoints for travellers to secure provisions and equipment for the road ahead.

Other Deities of the Mbargu

The mbargu are not a tremendously religious people, but their history has been touched by other powers besides the core three that make up their communal veneration and are involved in societal structure. The interloper god Anaghan, a traveling power of exploration, found a following when he inspired mbargu to sail the stars on spelljammers. The lurking shadow of the antithetical goddess Elili, the mate of Makama, brings strife and destruction to many peoples of the mbargu homeworld. Lastly, where fungus thrives, the demon prince Zuggtmoy is never far behind; she has never forgiven Musu for the theft of the spores that instill mbargu with so much of their heartiness and have become such a key piece of their culture (even though it was actually Diancastra who was behind the theft), but so far her plots to infiltrate mbargu society and corrupt them to her worship have had limited success. More successful have been her plots to abduct and enslave mbargu, breeding them with fiends to create fungus-infested half-demon muscle.

Anaghan
Lesser Power of the Elemental Plane of Air
Cloudcutter, the White Pelican, the Starseeker
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Sky, stars, spelljamming, exploration
Divine Realm: Elemental Plane of Air/Star Galleon
Symbol: A cloud partitioned by a star shape
Domains Air, Chaos, Good, Sky, Star*, Travel
Favored Weapon: Halberd

A power from a distant world, worshipped by an avian people known as the orzobars, Anaghan and his followers move from sphere to sphere, exploring the worlds of wildspace. An enthusiastic spirit of discovery and voyaging, Anaghan has little time to attend to his groundling faithful but always means well by them, encouraging them to take up opportunities to break free of the confines of the spheres and see what strange and wondrous vistas await through the flow, or across the Great Wheel. His attitude is that of a blowsy, scatterbrained uncle, sharply focused on his keenest interests and ardent that his clerics do likewise, but hopelessly adrift in matters terrestrial. The communities his faith has touched are of divided opinion on Anaghan - some viewing him as a figure of inspiration and opportunity, others as a disruptor fracturing social stability and stealing away with the young and able-bodied to unfathomable places whence they might never be seen again.

Mbargu communities do not commonly maintain a point of veneration for Anaghan; those that do often choose a crystal of some sort placed in a public space to catch the glimmers of the sun through the canopy. Anaghan's sacred animal is said to be the pelican, a bird capable of carrying others in flight using its vast bill.

Elili
Intermediate Power of the Abyss
The Veiled Voice, Mother of Nightmares, a Shadow, the Poisoner of Hope
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Evil monsters, foulness, corruption, darkness, destruction, drowning
Divine Realm: Abyss/13/The Blood Tor (the Garden of Night), formerly Abyss/89/Shadowsea (the Garden of Night), previously Abyss/500/the Sea of Blood
Symbol: Two feline eyes over a starry veil or fanned jellyfish tentacles
Domains Beast*, Blackwater, Chaos, Corruption, Darkness, Destruction, Evil, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Through the annals of history on the mbargu homeworld, various peoples record in their myths and legends of disasters, nightmares, and monsters; all of these are in some way attributed to "a shadow" that came upon something or other. In the origin of the displacer beast, it is said that a great panther named Shantu beseeched Makama for the power to give fright to hunters emboldened by their confidence and the purging of the dark shadows of the world with fire and sword. It is said that Makama called to his veiled mate, and drew a thread from her veil, offering it to Shantu to devour, but warning the panther that nothing is consumed for its qualities without giving its all, for good and ill. The thread bound to Shantu, body and soul, becoming tentacles barbed to strike and a coat of trickery - but the wicked darkness of Elili came with it.

This is the method of the Veiled Voice, a counselor of dark dreams and bringer of corruption and woe. Often taking the form of a werepantheress veiled in starlight, or a scyllanStorm of inky black aspect as though mirroring the night sky, Elili is a transient and impermanent force of destruction and evil, insisting always that she be referred to simply as "a shadow" rather than, say, "the Shadow," for she delights in being the straw that breaks the camel's back, the missing nail for want of which the whole house comes tumbling down, the drop of honey that causes a chain reaction of death and despair. She has been known for a time among the Vedic pantheon and was for centuries a guest of Kali before that goddess migrated from the 500th layer of the Abyss to seize the 643rd, the Caverns of the Skull, as her new domain. She then took up with Dagon at the obyrith's invitation, but in the past thousand years she has shared the 13th layer with the Faerûnian deities Beshaba and Umberlee. Occasionally tapped as an ally by other powers of evil, Elili is considered darkly reliable, as she is rarely interested in long-term involvement and too capricious to bear any particular fondness for or territoriality concerning any of her "projects." In her own mind, the dark goddess is just a shadow that passes by, destroying lives and corrupting worlds, though she deeply enjoys lurking around some favorite friends and erstwhile lovers, including her infamous and enduring affair with Makama, the ancient god of dangers. Though he finds her cruelty, negligence, and sadistic pursuits distasteful, her perennial mate remains attracted to the sheer volume of peril and calamity that she represents.

Perhaps the most dreadful thing about the venomous and destructive goddess is how tremendously calm, contemplative, and patient she is capable of being - her multifarious plots, interests, and attentions are so diverse and so diverting that no individual setback spurs her to anger. Indeed, those who have tangled with the chiefest servants of Elili report how vastly disturbing it is to see them in defeat, exhibiting such unconcern, such total disconnect, that it is hard not to wonder if in fact some terrible scheme has already been resolved behind the scenes.

Elili is not openly venerated in mbargu society or indeed in most any society; her few shrines and temples are generally overseen by inimical beings such as cloakers, kopruMMII, werebeasts, and the like. It has been intimated by dark divinations that a shadow may be approaching the malefic sea god Panzuriel in order to assist the latter in some foul scheme; no doubt such an alliance, however temporary, would be disastrous for all those caught in its wake. Elili's sacred animal is the jellyfish, transparent and beautiful, but hiding deadly venom.

Zuggtmoy
Demon Lord of the Abyss
Demon Queen of Fungi, Lady of Rot and Decay, Lady of Fungi
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Fungi
Divine Realm: Abyss/222/Shedaklah
Symbol: A broken jawless skull with a sickly mushroom growing from a hole in its crown
Domains Chaos, Corruption, Evil, Fungus*, Plant
Favored Weapon: Scythe

Forever scheming to attain greater heights of power and be counted among the most supreme rulers of the Abyss, Zuggtmoy's ambitions have always been checked through the agency of more powerful and competent schemers such as Lolth and Tharizdun, as well as her enduring feud with Juiblex the Faceless Lord. The mbargu are a young race in relative terms, and one deeply tied to the symbiotic fungi they have cultivated, descended from magical spores stolen from the Demon Queen of Fungi herself. If Zuggtmoy can extend her fibrous talons to snatch them up, she may find herself with a great deal more power on the Material Plane, especially as the mbargu have already started traveling between spheres via spelljamming. Of course, such corruption takes time, and is no easy feat, but the foul tanar'ri lady is nothing if not territorial. While her inroads with them to date have been of profoundly limited success, Zuggtmoy knows that all it takes to rot away the defenses is a single exposed weakness, combined with time and favorable conditions. That, after all, is the essence of her beloved molds and mushrooms. When Mbisi is not watching closely enough, when Musu can be duped into accepting the growing darkness as part of the natural cycle, then the demon will strike true - and thousands of mbargu souls will likely hang in the balance.

Beast Domain
Granted Power Rebuke, command, or bolster magical beasts as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Magical beasts are considered to have turn resistance equal to their Intelligence bonus, if any. Use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. This granted power is a supernatural ability.
1st - beast clawsSC
2nd - charm beast (as charm person, but applies to animals and magical beasts only)
3rd - girallon's blessingSC
4th - displacer formSC
5th - form of the threefold beastCM
6th - aspect of the earth hunterSC
7th - mass animalistic powerPHBII
8th - ally of beasts*
9th - shapechange

Danger Domain
Granted Power Gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
1st - omen of perilSC
2nd - nerveskitterSC
3rd - phantom foeDM
4th - discern danger*
5th - nightmare
6th - greater discern danger*
7th - menacing mirage*
8th - mass death wardSC
9th - antipathy

Forbearance Domain
Granted Power Once per day as an immediate action, when you fail a saving throw against an attack that would have a partial effect on a successful save, you may suffer the partial effect in place of the full effect, as though you had succeeded on your saving throw (this does not actually count as succeeding on a saving throw). You may use this ability an additional time per day for every five levels of cleric you possess, rounded down.
1st - sanctuary
2nd - soul wardCC
3rd - body wardCC
4th - delay deathSC
5th - stalwart pactSC
6th - superior resistanceSC
7th - renewal pactSC
8th - ironguardSC
9th - mass heal

Forest Domain
Granted Power Gain Self-Sufficient as a bonus feat. Add Survival to your list of class skills.
1st - sanctuary
2nd - soul wardCC
3rd - body wardCC
4th - delay deathSC
5th - stalwart pactSC
6th - superior resistanceSC
7th - renewal pactSC
8th - ironguardSC
9th - mass heal

Fungus Domain
Granted Power You possess the power of fungal spread. Once per day per cleric level, you may make a melee touch attack against a living creature. On a successful hit, you deal 1 point of Constitution damage as spores transfer from your hand into that creature's body. A Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your Con modifier) negates this Constitution damage. When a creature contaminated with these spores falls below 1 hit point while within 120 ft. of you, that creature immediately suffers 1d4 damage and you heal an amount of damage equal to 1d4 + your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). Any excess hit points gained in this way are gained as temporary hit points and last for 1 hour. Fungal spread is a poison effect; creatures immune to poison are immune to this ability.
1st - spore fieldCS
2nd - decompositionSC
3rd - mold touchPGtF
4th - liferotDR347
5th - memory rotSC
6th - transport via plants
7th - fungal doom*
8th - march of mold*
9th - shambler

Star Domain
Granted Power You gain low-light vision. You may spontaneously convert prepared spells to dancing lights. You gain the StartouchedDR340 feat.
1st - guiding starDR340
2nd - glitterdust
3rd - astrology*
4th - shooting starDR340
5th - blistering radianceSC
6th - starmantleBoED
7th - holy starSC
8th - star body*
9th - black blade of disasterSC

Ally of Beasts
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Beast 8, Druid 8, Favored Soul 8, Ranger 4, Wu Jen 8
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 round or 10 minutes
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more summoned creatures
Duration: 1 round/level or 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Reaching out to the land, you call upon great beasts to come forth and join your cause for a time. This spell functions as summon monster I with exceptions as noted below. You can summon any of the below groups of creatures provided your alignment is within one step of theirs (neutral creatures can be summoned by any caster).




Creature
Number
AL
Favored Terrain
Source




Ankheg
2d3
N
Warm plains
Monster Manual


Aranea
1d4+1
N
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Ash Rat
2d3
CN
Any warm land
Monster Manual II


Ashworm
2d3
N
Warm plains and deserts
Sandstorm


Asperi
1d4+1
NG
Any mountains
Monster Manual II


Avalancher
1d3
N
Cold mountains
Monster Manual III


Basilisk
1d3
N
Warm deserts
Monster Manual


Bearhound
1
NG
Temperate forests
Monster Manual III


Behir
1
N
Warm hills
Monster Manual


Blink Dog
2d3
LG
Temperate plains
Monster Manual


Blood Ape
1d3
N
Warm forests and mountains
Monster Manual II


Blood Hawk
2d3
N
Any forest, plains, hills, and mountains
Fiend Folio


Branta
2d3
N
Cold forests
Frostburn


Bulette
1
N
Temperate hills
Monster Manual


Camelopardel
1d4+1
NG
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Canisphinx
1d3
NE
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Chekryan
1d4+1
N
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Chimera
1
CE
Temperate hills
Monster Manual


Cloaked Ape
2d3
N
Warm forests
Monster Manual II


Cockatrice
2d3
N
Temperate plains
Monster Manual


Corollax
2d3
N
Warm forests
Monster Manual II


Criosphinx
1
N
Warm deserts
Monster Manual


Cryohydra (6 heads)
1
N
Cold marshes
Monster Manual


Darkmantle
2d3
N
Underground
Monster Manual


Death Dog
2d3
NE
Any desert, hill, plains, mountains, or underground
Fiend Folio


Digester
1
N
Warm forests
Monster Manual


Displacer Beast
1d4+1
LE
Temperate hills
Monster Manual


Dragonne
1
N
Temperate deserts
Monster Manual


Feral Yowler
1d3
CE
Temperate mountains
Monster Manual III


Frost Salamander
1
CE
Any cold and underground
Monster Manual II


Gambol
1d3
CN
Warm forests
Monster Manual II


Giant Eagle
2d3
NG
Temperate mountains
Monster Manual


Giant Owl
2d3
NG
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Giant Raven
2d3
N
Cold mountains
Frostburn


Girallon
1d3
N
Warm forests
Monster Manual


Gorgon
1
N
Temperate plains
Monster Manual


Gravorg
1
N
Underground
Monster Manual II


Gray Render
1
N
Temperate marshes
Monster Manual


Griffon
1d4+1
N
Temperate hills
Monster Manual


Grimalkin
2d3
N
Temperate plains
Monster Manual II


Hammerclaw
1d4+1
NE
Temperate aquatic
Stormwrack


Hieracosphinx
1d3
CE
Warm deserts
Monster Manual


Hippocampus
2d3
N
Temperate aquatic
Stormwrack


Hippogriff
2d3
N
Temperate hills
Monster Manual


Hydra (8 heads)
1
N
Temperate marshes
Monster Manual


Ice Toad
1d4+1
N
Cold marshes
Frostburn


Jackalwere
2d3
CE
Any temperate land
Fiend Folio


Krenshar
2d3
N
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Lamia
1d3
CE
Temperate deserts
Monster Manual


Lammasu
1
LG
Temperate deserts
Monster Manual


Leucrotta
1d4+1
CE
Temperate hills or mountains
Monsters of Faerûn


Manticore
1d3
LE
Warm marshes
Monster Manual


Mudmaw
1
N
Warm marshes
Monster Manual II


Nethersight Mastiff
1
N
Any cold or temperate land
Monster Manual II


Owlbear
1d4+1
N
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Pegasus
2d3
CG
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Phase Spider
1d3
N
Warm hills
Monster Manual


Phase Wasp
2d3
N
Any temperate or warm land
Monster Manual II


Peryton
1d3
CE
Temperate forests, hills, or mountains
Monsters of Faerûn


Pyrohydra (6 heads)
1
N
Warm marshes
Monster Manual


Ramfish
1
N
Temperate aquatic
Stormwrack


Remorhaz
1
N
Cold deserts
Monster Manual


Sand Hunter
2d3
NG
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Saurosphinx
1d3
N
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Sea Cat
1d4+1
N
Temperate aquatic
Monster Manual


Seawolf
1d4+1
CE
Temperate aquatic
Stormwrack


Senmurv
1d4+1
LG
Any forests and mountains
Fiend Folio


Shadow Asp
2d3
N
Underground
Fiend Folio


Shocker Lizard
2d3
N
Warm marshes
Monster Manual


Sisiutl
1
LN
Temperate aquatic
Stormwrack


Spider Eater
1d3
N
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Stirge
2d3
N
Warm marshes
Monster Manual


Swamplight Lynx
1
N
Any marshes
Monster Manual II


Threskisphinx
1
NG
Warm deserts
Sandstorm


Unicorn
2d3
CG
Temperate forests
Monster Manual


Urskan
1d3
N
Cold hills
Frostburn


Winter Wolf
1d3
NE
Cold forests
Monster Manual


Worg
2d3
NE
Temperate plains
Monster Manual


Zezir
1d3
CE
Warm deserts
Monster Manual III




You may instead use this spell as though it were summon nature's ally VII, except that you may only summon animals or vermin with it when used in this way. When used to summon magical beasts, if you are within the favored terrain of your summoned beast at the time this spell is cast, the creatures you summon with this spell gain a +2 bonus to their attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, saving throws, AC, and damage rolls. When used to summon magical beasts, if the material component is provided and the casting time is increased to 10 minutes, the duration of the spell is extended to 1 hour per level and begins after the summoned creatures have eaten their fill. Note that using any method to elide the material component (e.g. Eschew Materials) invalidates this method of casting the spell.

Material Component: You may optionally provide, as an additional material component, fresh food of sufficient volume to satiate the creatures you intend to summon. As noted above, providing this component along with extending the casting time results in extending the duration of the spell.

Focus: A wooden staff, wood-hafted polearm, or quarterstaff.

Astrology
Divination
Level: Druid 3, Hexblade 2, Ranger 3, Shaman 3, Star 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous

As divination, with the restriction that it can only be cast at night. If not cast beneath a clear and starry sky (for example, inside a building with an opaque ceiling, underground, or when the sky is cloudy), the chance of an accurate answer is decreased by 10%. Unlike divination, astrology may be retried regarding the same question and produce a potentially different response - however, the caster must wait until the following night before making such an attempt. Under any conditions that severely alter the night skies or the patterns of the stars (such as the alien skies signEE), astrology may simply fail entirely.

Material component: A diamond worth at least 50 gp

Discern Danger
Divination
Level: Assassin 2, Danger 4, Trapsmith 2, Ranger 2, Vigilante 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

As the psionic power danger sense. You gain uncanny dodge while under the effects of discern danger (or improved uncanny dodge if you already possessed uncanny dodge). You also benefit from a +2 insight bonus to initiative for the duration of this spell.

Material component: A piece of red cloth

Fungal Doom
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Druid 7, Fungus 7
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create fast-growing spores within the body of a living creature that rapidly take root, spread, and grow into toxic fungal masses. The afflicted creature is immediately sickened for the duration of the spell and must make a Fortitude save each round after the first. On the first subsequent failed save, the afflicted creature becomes nauseated for the duration of the spell; every failed save against this spell from that point on deals 1d4 points of Constitution drain as the fungus spreads within its body. When the afflicted creature is reduced to 0 Constitution, it dies and a phycomidDR337 with maximum HD for the target creature's size (3 for Small, 6 for Medium, 9 for Large) emerges from its body along with 1d3+1 violet fungi that grow in squares adjacent to the phycomid. These fungi also spawn if the afflicted creature is killed while under the effects of this spell, though it takes 1d4 rounds before they emerge. Fungi created in this manner are not under the control of the caster and do not vanish at the end of the spell's duration.

Fungal doom is a disease and poison effect and is incapable of afflicting creatures with any elemental subtype (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) as their biology is inimical to the spores. Creatures immune to poison and/or disease suffer no effects from fungal doom. Delay diseaseSC and delay poison both pause the duration of the spell, preventing the need for further saves while they are in effect, though they do not remove any of the effects that have already begun. Neutralize poison, remove disease, or at least 10 points of fire or cold damage dealt to the target while this spell is in effect will all end its duration and effects immediately, though any Constitution that has been drained is still lost.

Material component: Violet fungus tentacles and tree resin

Greater Discern Danger
Divination
Level: Assassin 4, Danger 6, Trapsmith 3, Ranger 4, Vigilante 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Up to one creature/2 levels, no two of which can be any further than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

As the psionic power danger sense. Those under the effects of greater discern danger gain improved uncanny dodge and benefit from a +2 insight bonus to initiative. The duration of this spell is divided evenly among all targets, rounded down to the nearest full hour.

Material component: A piece of red cloth

March of Mold
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Druid 8, Fungus 8, Ranger 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more summoned fungus creatures
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

As summon nature's ally I, except you can choose to summon any two of the groups on the below table. All creatures and hazards so summoned are of neutral alignment regardless of their normal alignment and will obey the caster's simple instructions even if they would normally be unable to understand directions, insofar as they are able (so an immobile patch of mold will not move toward a target). Creatures and hazards summoned via this spell do not trigger the effects of one another based on proximity, though other methods (e.g. piercing a gas spore, bringing fire near a patch of brown mold) can be employed normally even by summoned creatures if they are able. A creature can be summoned into the same space as a hazard, but a hazard must be summoned into a space that is not occupied prior to the casting of the spell. For hazards, the numbers below refer to the number of 5 ft. square patches summoned.




Creature or Hazard
Number
Source




Ascomoid
1d4+1
Dungeonscape


Basidirond
1d3
Dragon 337


Black Mold
1d4+1
Cityscape


Bone Fungus
1d3
Dungeonscape


Brown Mold
2d3
Dungeon Master's Guide


Choke Mold
2d3
Dragon 347


Concussion Fungus
1d4+1
Dragon 316


Fetid Fungus
2d3
Monster Manual V


Floatbloat
1d4+1
Dungeon 136


Frenzy Fungus
1d3
Dragon 316


Gas Spore
1d4+1
Lords of Madness


Obliviax
2d3
Dragon 355


Phantom Fungus
1d4+1
Monster Manual


Phycomid
1d4+1
Dragon 337


Scarlet Heart Mushroom
1d3
Dungeon 126


Shrieker
2d3
Monster Manual


Sluggard Fungus
1d4+1
Dragon 316


Spirit Moss
1
Dungeon 126


Stealstool
1d3
Dungeon 136


Torment Toadstool
2d3
Dungeon 126


Violet Fungus
1d4+1
Monster Manual


Yellow Mold
1d3
Dungeon Master's Guide




Menacing Mirage
Illusion (Glamer, Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Beguiler 7, Danger 7, Jester 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: One 30 ft. cube/level
Duration: Concentration + 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No

As mirage arcana, but creatures within the affected area are subject to a mind-affecting phantasm that makes them perceive threats out of the corner of their eye, noises that aren't there but sound hostile, scents reminiscent of lurking predators, and other such distractions. While the main effect of the spell is a glamer and is not mind-affecting, the phantasm effect causes afflicted creatures to be flanked at all times and to suffer a -2 penalty to initiative checks as they struggle to distinguish real dangers from imagined ones.

Creatures that interact with the glamer are entitled to a Will save to disbelieve as normal; however, only creatures who have already saved against the glamer effect are permitted to save to negate the phantasm effect. Such an attempt can be made as a move action at any time after successfully disbelieving the glamer. If it fails, the creature attempting the save is not permitted to try again unless presented with substantial evidence that there is no meaningful threat to be found around them.

At the time of casting, the caster may select one target per 3 levels to be exempt from the phantasm effect of this spell.

Star Body
Transmutation [Fire, Light]
Level: Paladin 4, Shaman 8, Star 8
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

Infusing yourself with the essence of quasi-elemental radiance, you gain the benefits of elemental bodySC cast as a fire spell, with the following additional features:

• You are immune to brilliant energy weapons.
• Your natural attacks possess the brilliant energy property.
• You gain the benefits of avoid planar effectsSC with respect to positive energy (you cannot be forced to gain hit points over your maximum via a positive energy effect)
• Sighted creatures within 60 ft. of you are dazzled (no save)
• Any sighted creature that comes within 30 ft. of you is permanently blinded (Fortitude negates). A creature that successfully saves against this effect does not need to make further saves against it for the duration of the spell.
• You shed light around you as a daylight spell.
• You are immune to being blinded, being dazzled, and any other penalties based on exposure to bright light (e.g. light sensitivity).

Focus: A diamond worth at least 1000 gp.

[Alea]

I really like this pantheon. I really like the mbargu as a whole, really. Big shame about that LA +2, though—not saying it’s wrong on them, just saying it’s not fun to play. Are there any other peoples who might worship this pantheon?

[Metastachydium]

March of Mold
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Druid 8, Fungus 8, Ranger 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more summoned fungus creatures
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

As summon nature's ally I, except you can choose to summon any two of the groups on the below table. All creatures and hazards so summoned are of neutral alignment regardless of their normal alignment and will obey the caster's simple instructions even if they would normally be unable to understand directions, insofar as they are able (so an immobile patch of mold will not move toward a target). Creatures and hazards summoned via this spell do not trigger the effects of one another based on proximity, though other methods (e.g. piercing a gas spore, bringing fire near a patch of brown mold) can be employed normally even by summoned creatures if they are able. A creature can be summoned into the same space as a hazard, but a hazard must be summoned into a space that is not occupied prior to the casting of the spell. For hazards, the numbers below refer to the number of 5 ft. square patches summoned.




Creature or Hazard
Number
Source




Ascomoid
1d4+1
Dungeonscape


Basidirond
1d3
Dragon 337


Black Mold
1d4+1
Cityscape


Bone Fungus
1d3
Dungeonscape


Brown Mold
2d3
Dungeon Master's Guide


Choke Mold
2d3
Dragon 347


Concussion Fungus
1d4+1
Dragon 316


Fetid Fungus
2d3
Monster Manual V


Floatbloat
1d4+1
Dungeon 136


Frenzy Fungus
1d3
Dragon 316


Gas Spore
1d4+1
Lords of Madness


Obliviax
2d3
Dragon 355


Phantom Fungus
1d4+1
Monster Manual


Phycomid
1d4+1
Dragon 337


Scarlet Heart Mushroom
1d3
Dungeon 126


Shrieker
2d3
Monster Manual


Sluggard Fungus
1d4+1
Dragon 316


Spirit Moss
1
Dungeon 126


Stealstool
1d3
Dungeon 136


Torment Toadstool
2d3
Dungeon 126


Violet Fungus
1d4+1
Monster Manual


Yellow Mold
1d3
Dungeon Master's Guide





Am I missing something here? A lot of stuff on the list is CR 3 or lower. Yellow Mold is almost an outlier with its 6. And then there are the shriekers. Why is this spell 8th level?

[afroakuma]

I really like this pantheon. I really like the mbargu as a whole, really. Big shame about that LA +2, though—not saying it’s wrong on them, just saying it’s not fun to play. Are there any other peoples who might worship this pantheon?

Not in its entirety, but in part at least yes. If you'd like we could try to design some kind of "lesser mbarg" that doesn't have that +2.


Am I missing something here? A lot of stuff on the list is CR 3 or lower. Yellow Mold is almost an outlier with its 6. And then there are the shriekers. Why is this spell 8th level?

It's predicated on summon monster spells, and in particular such spells allow you to get one creature from their own list, 1d3 from the next-lower, or 1d4+1 from any level below that. This list is just to facilitate rattling off all eligible forms of fungus creature to help players out. Also note that it summons two groups from that list, allowing you to set up obnoxious pairings. It's not intended to have the full combat utility of, say, planar ally.

[Metastachydium]

It's predicated on summon monster spells, and in particular such spells allow you to get one creature from their own list, 1d3 from the next-lower, or 1d4+1 from any level below that. This list is just to facilitate rattling off all eligible forms of fungus creature to help players out. Also note that it summons two groups from that list, allowing you to set up obnoxious pairings. It's not intended to have the full combat utility of, say, planar ally.

Yes, but… SM6 gives you 1d4+1 CR 6–8 creatures; the only core outliers are Janni and Large Elementals. This list has, like… Shriekers and brown mold. And shriekers, did I mention shriekers? Not even yellow mold is super useful at that level.

[afroakuma]

Yes, but… SM6 gives you 1d4+1 CR 6–8 creatures; the only core outliers are Janni and Large Elementals. This list has, like… Shriekers and brown mold. And shriekers, did I mention shriekers? Not even yellow mold is super useful at that level.

No, summon monster VI can get you one CR 4-8 creature, ranging from janni to Gargantuan fiendish centipedes. Summon monster VIII can get you one CR 7-11 creature, 1d3 creatures from the next lower list, or 1d4+1 creatures from any list lower than that. Including summon monster I, which would let you get 1d4+1 fiendish ravens if you wanted to. At CR 1/6 apiece. Likewise, you can get shriekers using this spell... but do you want to? Almost certainly not - but that doesn't make it not an option. This spell provides volume and flexibility, allowing you to summon two groups of fungi with a variety of possible applications, including meat shields (...figuratively), terrain hazards, alarms, and just general obstacular purposes. It's not intended to be particularly effective against 15th level characters, any more than summoning a hellcat would be.

[Metastachydium]

No, summon monster VI can get you one CR 4-8 creature, ranging from janni to Gargantuan fiendish centipedes. Summon monster VIII can get you one CR 7-11 creature, 1d3 creatures from the next lower list, or 1d4+1 creatures from any list lower than that.

I misspoketyped and meant exactly that: a sensibly cast SM8 provides a minimum of 1d4+1 (mostly, i.e. with two exceptions) CR 6–8 critters.


Including summon monster I, which would let you get 1d4+1 fiendish ravens if you wanted to. At CR 1/6 apiece. Likewise, you can get shriekers using this spell... but do you want to? Almost certainly not - but that doesn't make it not an option. This spell provides volume and flexibility,

But that's my gripe. That one can use SM8 suboptimally is a thing, but it's only a thing because there's a whole line of SM spells. The desire to make the list of fungi quasi-comprehensible for a given (I'd say fairly low) CR range is respectable, but I absolutely can't imagine how a great many things on the list can be useful in any way or combination. Shriekers are just the poster mushrooms for that. Explicitly possible trap options are not a good things to bake into any design, and in its current form, the spell offers a lot of these. I mean,


It's not intended to be particularly effective against 15th level characters, any more than summoning a hellcat would be.

that is fair, of course, but a hellcat or air elemental has its uses; a duo of largely (or completely) harmless, stationary CR 1–3 terrain elements… Really doesn't. You're better off using low-level stuff like Alarm or Blockade instead.

(Edit: Please note that I'm this insistent with constructive intent and while fully aware that you, as a more experienced and knowledgeable brewer, can and will ignore my concerns as you see fit.)

[afroakuma]

a hellcat or air elemental has its uses; a duo of largely (or completely) harmless, stationary CR 1–3 terrain elements… Really doesn't. You're better off using low-level stuff like Alarm or Blockade instead.

Is it your intent, then, that I simply strip down the table? Remove the shriekers and their kindred? I'm not of a mind to change the spell level except as a last resort, and if I did I wouldn't pull it below 6th.

[Metastachydium]

Is it your intent, then, that I simply strip down the table? Remove the shriekers and their kindred?

Yes, I think that could solve the issue. Many of the low CR options would make interesting additions to the SNA-line that incentivize creative applications of the spell, but an 8th level spell is no place for them.

[Alea]

That seems completely wrong-headed to me. The spell is too powerful to summon these creatures? That makes no sense. Summon nature’s ally VIII can summon 1d4+1 CR-⅙ monkeys; why shouldn’t this be able to summon 1d4+1 or 2d3 of some other low-CR thing?

This seems—at worst—like a communication issue, like maybe the spell should warn players that those options are very weak and not leveraging the full power of the spell. Though that seems pretty awkward, not to mention something of a judgment call for which to call out and which to not. I think it’s fine as is, personally.

Well, fine for a summoning spell. 3.5e summoning sucks. This spell compares favorably to, say, twinned summon nature’s ally IV, which is probably the closest official comparison. Is twinned summon nature’s ally IV a good spell? No, no it is not. But that’s 3.5e summoning for you.

[Metastachydium]

That seems completely wrong-headed to me. The spell is too powerful to summon these creatures? That makes no sense. Summon nature’s ally VIII can summon 1d4+1 CR-⅙ monkeys; why shouldn’t this be able to summon 1d4+1 or 2d3 of some other low-CR thing?

I think I've addressed this above; such a use of SM/SNA is possible, but not RAI, nor is it the same as if the list for SM/SNA6/7/8 explicitly contained half a dozen trap options for the sake of completeness.


Well, fine for a summoning spell. 3.5e summoning sucks. This spell compares favorably to, say, twinned summon nature’s ally IV, which is probably the closest official comparison. Is twinned summon nature’s ally IV a good spell? No, no it is not. But that’s 3.5e summoning for you.

I don't think that is a very good comparison, but even then, 2d4+2 hippogriffs/dire bats/small air elementals or 2 unicorns (i.e. creatures from the SNA 2–4 range) sound a tad bit more useful and versatile than 1–3 patches of yellow mold (itself a stronger option from the fungal list) and 2–6 shriekers.

[Alea]

I had a response, but it’s nothing that fro didn’t already say, so I’m just going to drop it. You seem, to me, to be hyper-fixated on “what if this poor 15th-level cleric is really stupid and doesn’t realize that some of these options are extremely niche, and chooses their summons completely at random?” which I just don’t find to be a compelling concern. In a different game system, where your options were carefully tailored and “trap options” completely avoided, maybe you’d have a point, but that’s not the system this brew is for. For better or worse, in this system, the player of a 15th-level cleric is expected to handle monumental complexity and studiously evaluate options to avoid traps. This is a drop in the ocean. And if some weird niche case could really be improved by having a bunch of shriekers, a 15th-level fungal cleric should have that option.

[Metastachydium]

I had a response, but it’s nothing that fro didn’t already say, so I’m just going to drop it. You seem, to me, to be hyper-fixated on “what if this poor 15th-level cleric is really stupid and doesn’t realize that some of these options are extremely niche, and chooses their summons completely at random?” which I just don’t find to be a compelling concern. In a different game system, where your options were carefully tailored and “trap options” completely avoided, maybe you’d have a point, but that’s not the system this brew is for. For better or worse, in this system, the player of a 15th-level cleric is expected to handle monumental complexity and studiously evaluate options to avoid traps. This is a drop in the ocean. And if some weird niche case could really be improved by having a bunch of shriekers, a 15th-level fungal cleric should have that option.

That a system has bugs and trap options is no reason to make more bugs and trap options and include them in 'brew, as far as I'm concerned. That there is already monumental complexity in the system is a blessing (I absolutely love 3.5 with its endless field of strange and counterintuitive possibilities) and a curse, but I don't think the only way to make a 'brew fit in is to asssure that players are given more rope to hang themselves with.

[Alea]

A reason on its own? Of course not; no one is advocating for the inclusion of trap options for the sake of trapping players. Those “trap options” are included because if it ever came up that for some reason a fungal cleric genuinely wanted those things, they ought to have the ability to summon them. That they would be “traps” in most cases is not that compelling a reason to deny them that ability. They never would have gotten to 15th level if they didn’t know how to navigate trap options.

[Metastachydium]

Well, indeed, I agree that if a fungal priest wanted to summon shriekers and smalltime molds, they should be able to do so. But an 8th level spell is hardly the right tool for that. To illustrate the notion: would Limited Wish be a better spell if one of its explicitly stated functions were gaining the ability to summon 1d3+7 nonmagical clubs that appear on the ground in a square adjacent to the caster?

As for 15th level and knowing better, well, in-game experience and player experience are two discrete things. But that isn't the gist of the thing, really. I'm not saying one should treat prospective end users as if they were stupid; what I'm advocating is tweaking the spell so that all of it make equal sense for a reasonable player.

[afroakuma]

Gree
Large Magical Beast
HD 3d10+12 (28 hp)
Speed 70 ft. (14 squares)
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 11; flat-footed 13 (+4 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +3; Grp +11
Attack Hoof +6 melee (1d6+4) or bite +6 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d6+6, 19-20/x2)
Space 10 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Breath weapon, superior equine
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, slothful beast
Saves Fort +6 Ref +5 Will +3
Abilities Str 18, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 18
Skills Bluff +5 (+9 when pretending to be a horse), Disguise +5 (+9 to pose as horse), Jump +5, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1
Feats Iron WillB, Run, Toughness
Environment Any plains
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Usually neutral evil
Advancement 4-6 HD (Large)

An odious beastie is the gree
Its heart but pure mendacity
In shape describes the noble steed
But spur nor rein will e'er give heed
Swift pace and silken mane admire
Though ware the breath of ash and fire
That height of otiosity
An odious beastie is the gree

Long considered a myth among grooms due to their rarity, grees are an obnoxious nuisance at the best of times and a dangerous, entitled pest more often than not. Their shape invites an immediate understanding of the troubles they pose, for the gree is nearly identical to a heavy horse - save that it is by far more handsome, more hale, more hearty, with a soft and silky mane and tail, strong fine hooves, and incredible running speed. In most respects, a gree appears to be the perfect horse - except that it is slothful, entitled, cruel, and ill-tempered. A cold simmering malice runs within the mind of a gree, a nasty superiority complex not borne out by anything it has done or will do. Grees almost universally share palomino or chestnut coloration with ordinary horses and are never black; even still, some sages link them (incorrectly) to the Lower Planar steeds called nightmares, when in truth grees have far closer ties to the Plane of Faerie.

Legend has it that the first gree was a horse so exceptional that a great deity sought it out for a steed; the gree demanded many gifts from this god in exchange for serving as mount, including that it be foremost among all other steeds, that its hair be made as the finest silk, that it should have the wind itself in its pace. All these and more were granted, but when the hour came for the god to take the saddle before his fellows, the gree, by now quite full of itself due to all of its wondrous gifts, decided that it should have pride of place. In its hubris, it demanded that the god beg to be allowed to mount it - not ask, beg, and before all of his court. Angered at the beast's insulting demand, the god laid a curse upon it then and there, that if it would not take him as a rider then surely it would take none other. The truth of this legend is unknown, as is the identity of the god in question (though many believe it to have been Oberon). Regardless, as the myth indicates, grees despise being ridden and make notoriously poor mounts. They also hate being used to draw carriages, pull loads, or really do anything except get fed and groomed and allowed to roam free as they will. In part this is to do with their diet, for unlike true horses grees are omnivorous. Small rodents, birds, and most especially gnomes and fey (when they think they can get away with it) are a gree's favorite foods, and while it will sullenly make do with apples and carrots and sugar, a gree fed only on hay and grasses will plot vicious murder in retaliation.

Grees have fine flat teeth that are strong enough to snap bone, and their eyes belie a nictitating membrane in the right light conditions that can be noticed by an experienced eye. The average gree is also noticeably more inattentive than an ordinary horse, neither seeing nor hearing as well. They understand Common and one other language (typically Elven or Sylvan) though they cannot speak or read, and are skilled at imitating true horses, at least until their bad tempers invariably get the better of them. Grees think little of horses but will mate with them for pleasure or out of boredom; the resultant offspring are 25% likely to be grees themselves, though the parent cares nothing for the foal. Grees raised without exposure to other grees or horses are less likely to pick up the prideful and malevolent personality traits endemic to those that find themselves "superior" due to their speed and the fineness of their hair, but they maintain the qualities of being slothful and poor steeds. As such, there is no market for gree foals, save for those unsavory individuals who seek to turn a profit by selling "the finest horse ever seen" and hightailing it out of reach before their customers can discover the truth.

Breath Weapon (Su) 30 ft. line or 15 ft. cone of fire once every 1d4 rounds (but no more than three times per day), 2d8 fire damage, Reflex DC 14 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Slothful Beast (Ex) A gree may have the physique of a horse, but its superior musculature belies how easily it fatigues when asked to take on any kind of labor. A gree's carrying capacity is that of a bipedal creature one size category smaller than itself. Grees suffer a -4 penalty to saving throws to resist becoming fatigued or exhausted, to Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold their breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation.

Superior Equine (Su) Horses, unicorns, pegasi, nightmares, and other equine creatures within 60 ft. of a gree seem to weaken while within its presence, taking a -2 profane penalty to all ability scores for as long as they remain in the radius and for 24 hours thereafter (the duration resets if they leave and return). A Will save (DC 15) negates this effect for 24 hours, and any equine so affected may make a new save once every 24 hours to end the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Skills A gree has a +4 racial bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks to pretend to be a horse. The Ride DC for anyone attempting to use a gree as a mount is modified by the gree's Charisma modifier. Elves, half-elves, and fey receive a +2 bonus to opposed Sense Motive and Spot checks to identify that a gree is not a horse.

[afroakuma]

Ertoch

Bastard offspring of a mortal being and one of the Dukes of Hell, the nobility of Baator, ertochs are rare but powerful, almost always resembling lesser versions of their infernal sire and possessed of dark magical abilities, supernatural strength and force of personality, and profane "blessings" born in the depths of the Lower Planes. Many ertochs serve their sires, a member of the Dark Eight, or even a Lord of the Nine as powerful agents more easily able to reach and operate on the Prime Material Plane due to their heritage; some, however, remain lowly pawns of the Hells, their powerful bloodline conveying none of their sire's cruel ambitions. A few, of whom little is spoken save to shame a Duke, have turned aside from the path of evil. These failures remain nonetheless fully endowed with their birthright, which might cast a long enough shadow to deny them the mantle of a saint but still represents a tremendous boon for all those who oppose the baatezu.

Ertochs are seldom born on the Planes, where a myriad of less trifling pursuits present themselves to the many appetites of Baator's aristocracy; more commonly, they are born from a tryst between a favored cultist of a Lord of the Nine and a Duke responding to a temporary summons. Superior to a mere half-fiend (indeed, the child of an ertoch and a mortal will be a half-fiend), ertochs are considered true baatezu, and their plotting and malice rarely fail to live down to the darkest ideals of the Pit.

The heritage of an ertoch is paramount in determining its nature, form, and abilities; just as the Dukes of Hell themselves are endowed with unique forms, so too do these forms reflect in their offspring. Most ertochs demonstrate at least two of the sire's eye appearance, skin appearance, and other prominent features such as horns, tail, or fangs; all ertochs reflect at least one of these, in addition to having hooves, talons, or other bestial appendages in place of feet, rendering them unable to wear footwear. Most would be considered strikingly handsome or beautiful examples of a member of their mortal bloodline, were it not for the often vividly apparent signs of their infernal heritage.

While ertochs are imbued with the mark of their sire's avowed Hell, they are under no obligation to espouse loyalty to that layer's Lord, though in general it is simply easier for an ertoch to fit the existing power structure into which it was born. It is considered exceedingly insulting, and is thus commensurately rare, for an ertoch born into one of Baator's political camps (headed by Baalzebul and Mephistopheles, respectively) to defect to the other. Those sired by a Duke of Nessus almost never leave the service of Asmodeus, and few would trust those that have, for it is likely that they will always maintain their first allegiance to the Lord Below.

Malheri of the Iron March
Medium Outsider (Baatezu, Evil, Extraplanar, Human, Lawful)
Human Ertoch (Merodach) 1st-level Warrior
HD 1d8+12 (16 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +5
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +5
Attack Glaive +6 melee (1d10+6 and 1 vile, x3) or claw +5 melee (1d4+4)
Full Attack Glaive +6 melee (1d10+6 and 1 vile, x3) or 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+4)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with glaive)
Special Attacks Domain abilities, duke's eye (pain), spell-like abilities
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/good or silver, immunity to fire and poison, infernal vitality, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, SR 13, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves Fort +6 Ref +1 Will +2
Abilities Str 19, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (the planes) +5, Use Magic Device +7
Feats Devil's FavorB, FCII, Evil BrandB, BoVD, Evil's BlessingB, EE, Improved Initiative, Mark of DisB, FCII, Vile Martial StrikeB, BoVD (glaive), Weapon Focus (glaive)
Environment Any (Nine Hells of Baator)
Organization Solitary, may be accompanied by two spinagonsFCII and/or 2d3 1st-level human warriors.
Challenge Rating 4
Treasure Double standard (including glaive and chain shirt)
Alignment Lawful evil
Advancement by class Favored Class Any

A minor by-blow of Duke Merodach, Malheri serves as an undercaptain of a section of Dis known as the Iron March, a baleful region outside the city proper where mortal "recruits" who have been impressed into Hell's service are trained. Delegated to the role in place of devils with better things to be doing, Malheri is suspicious of the handful of spinagons under his ostensible command and quick to torment the lemures and mortal prisoners for his bitter and petty amusement. Threats to use his pain gaze are sufficient to intimidate weaker minds, while his death touch is a suitable weapon of terror to remind his charges that Malheri is not to be trifled with. Despite his intimidating appearance, however, Malheri has put his time to ill use, not even training as a proper fighter. His slothfulness stems from the ease of his position and the sheer utility of his inherent abilities in enforcing his rule. Malheri likes to style himself "the Iron Wolf," an epithet more commonly used for his half-brother Turagh-eret, but behind his back both his followers and his prisoners call him "the Iron Goat" for his ungainly gait, hooved feet, and disproportionately long horns.

Born to a cultist of Dispater, Malheri has recently been charged by his superior with leading a "recruiting mission" to his mother's home world on the Prime Material Plane. Having taken up residence in a ruined keep overlooking a forsaken city that fell to infernal cults, he and his associates believe themselves to be more than up to the task of dragging witless mortals to serve in the Blood War.

Domain Abilities Malheri has access to the granted powers of the Death, Evil, and Strength domains.

Death Domain Granted Power (Su) Once per day, Malheri may make a melee touch attack against a living creature. If the attack succeeds, Malheri rolls 1d6 and compares it to the touched creature's hit points. If the result is at least equivalent to the touched creature's current hit points, that creature dies immediately (no save). This is a death effect.

Evil Domain Granted Power Malheri uses his spell-like abilities with the Evil descriptor at +1 caster level.

Strength Domain Granted Power (Su) Once per day as a free action, Malheri may grant himself a +1 enhancement bonus to Strength for 1 round.

Duke's Eye (Su) Once per day as a swift action, Malheri may grant himself a gaze attack that affects creatures within 30 ft. who meet his gaze. Such creatures suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 round (Will negates) as they suffer from wracking pain. A creature immune to pain is unaffected by this ability.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 15); 1/day - cause fear (DC 14), enlarge person, protection from good. Caster level 1st (2nd for Evil spells), save DCs Charisma-based.

Achtialon, Gift of Night
Medium Outsider (Baatezu, Evil, Extraplanar, Goblinoid, Lawful)
Hobgoblin Ertoch (Zepar) 4th-level Rogue/5th level Paladin (Sword of CelestiaDR349)
HD 4d6+5d10+64 (98 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +3
AC 21; touch 13; flat-footed 19 (+4 armor, +4 natural, +3 Dex, +1 deflection)
BAB +8; Grp +14
Attack +1 keen longsword of Celestia +16 melee (1d8+10, 17-20/x2) or Lyliax +13 melee (1d6+7 + 1 vile) or claw +14 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack +1 keen longsword of Celestia +16/+11 melee (1d8+10, 17-20/x2) or Lyliax +13/+8 melee (1d6+7 + 1 vile) or 2 claws +14 melee (1d4+6)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Domain abilities, duke's eye (insanity) 2/day, smite evil 2/day (+8 to attack, +5 damage), sneak attack +2d6, spell-like abilities, sword of Celestia 6/day, turn undead
Special Qualities Aura of courage, aura of good, darkvision 60 ft., divine grace, divine health, DR 5/good or silver, evasion, immunity to fire and poison, infernal vitality, lay on hands (40 hp), resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness, SR 21, telepathy 100 ft., trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
Saves Fort +19 Ref +16 Will +15
Abilities Str 22, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 26
Skills Bluff +13, Climb +13, Concentration +11, Hide +15, Jump +13, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +12, Move Silently +19, Search +9, Sense Motive +10, Spot +12, Tumble +9
Feats Devil's AuraFCII (DC 22, 2/day), Devil's FavorB, FCII, Devoted InquisitorCAdv (DC 22), Evil BrandB, BoVD, Evil's BlessingB, EE, Mark of MaladominiB, FCII, Telling BlowPHBII, Vile Martial StrikeB, BoVD (short sword), Weapon Focus (longsword)
Environment Any (Nine Hells of Baator)
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 13
Treasure Half standard plus 3 potions of cure serious wounds, +2 blurringMIC leather armor of silent movesMIC imbued with lesser iron ward diamondMIC, Lyliax, ghost shroudMIC, devastation gauntletsMIC, ring of the darkhiddenMIC, cloak of elvenkind, mask of masteryMIC, vest of escape, +2 belt of magnificenceMini)
Alignment Lawful good
Advancement by class Favored Class Any

The whiff of fetid sulfur is often the first and only warning that Achtialon is near; ambushing from above, his vision of justice is swift, cold, and lacking in mercy for those of an evil bent. The lucky ones end up insane; the less fortunate may end up with wounds that will not heal, assuming they are permitted to walk away with their lives at all. Born into a hobgoblin tribe devoted to extinguishing a holy order and delivering the souls of the populace to Baalzebul, Achtialon was kidnapped shortly after his birth by a man known only as the Gray Sage and brought to the undercity, where he was left to his own devices and became a talented rogue. With an easy charm that allowed him to persuade others to overlook his heritage, the young rogue became prominent in the criminal underworld. He was eventually manipulated into stealing Lyliax, the Sibilant Sword, from Lord Atheris, a cultist of Baalzebul who had helped the hobgoblins call forth Duke Zepar to "bless" the tribe with an ertoch. This weapon, his dark birthright, was a gift from Zepar; however, upon seizing it, Achtialon was filled not with wicked exultation as his sire had hoped, but rather with a disquiet that grew into revulsion. The song of the Sibilant Sword presented a threat to the young ertoch's way of life, and when the Gray Sage reappeared to counsel him that it could only be destroyed in the holy font of the cathedral, he broke in, hoping to rid himself of the temptation it offered and the menace it suggested.

Achtialon was captured by the knights of the cathedral, who intended to slay him for his transgressions but found through magical means that while the young rogue had few principles, he did not mean ill. Sentenced to duty in their monastery, he found that the idea of true justice - not merely law and order, but purposeful recognition of wrongdoing and efforts to seek redress - resonated with him. He sought to take the vows of a paladin, and after many years and many trials, was invited to their ranks. However, peace was not to follow - the cursed blade could not be destroyed in the holy font without annihilating the holy protections of the cathedral, and even keeping it in the building was enough for its insidious influence to stir discord, deception, and suspicion. For the sake of his fellow faithful, Achtialon knew what he had to do - the blade called for him, and he would silence its song by taking possession of it once more. Sneaking into the strongroom in the dead of night, the ertoch stole away with his despised birthright and fled the city, vowing that the wicked blade would only henceforth be drawn to strike against evildoers, and seeking atonement for this act as well as what would follow. Now separated from his holy order by necessity, Achtialon has maintained his vows but works alone, an infernal shadow prowling the rooftops of another city in the dead of night, hunting those who would despoil the peace. Stealth, terror, and surprise are his allies, and he is ever vigilant against the aggression of the Nine Hells.

Achtialon is a nearly-black hobgoblin with taloned feet like those of a bird, cloaked in a ghostly shroud that seems to slightly bend the light around him. Using a repertoire of magical items stolen from evildoers as well as his sacred sword of Celestia and (when necessary) the accursed sword Lyliax, he serves as an adversary of evil and a bringer of a kind of dark but fair justice. His sire is livid about the "failure" and greatly desires to wipe the slate clean, to say nothing of recovering the dark blade he gifted from his personal treasury. Baalzebul's court continuously mock the Dwarf Duke for his failings, adding to his inherent viciousness.

Lyliax
Also known as the Sibilant Sword, Lyliax is an intelligent +1 bloodfeedingBoVD short sword forged in the Nine Hells. To a cursory examination, it appears to be a sword of good steel with a fiendish bat-like face carved into the crossguard and a twisted clawed leg for a hilt; however, when seen out of the corner of the eye, the blade appears dark and shadowy. Its alignment is lawful evil, and it possesses Int 14, Wis 18, and Cha 18, with an Ego of 24. Lyliax cannot speak but can communicate telepathically, always in a hypnotic and musical voice that wielders refer to as its "song." The sword can see out to 120 ft. with darkvision and can detect good, though it does not confer this ability on the wielder. It can also detect thoughts, though it is limited to thoughts associated with negative emotions - self-doubt, suspicion, spite, resentment, frustration, and so on. Once per day, the sword may broadcast a suggestion to anyone whose thoughts it has read in this way, encouraging them to act in some minor way on their feelings; for example, a man suspicious of his wife might be tempted to follow her when she goes out, or an initiate struggling to understand a holy text might be tempted to take a night off and indulge in a bit of wine. The wielder is immune to these abilities.

The sword craves to be brought to bear against those of good intention, and has been known to defy even a paragon of evil to wreak its particular brand of seductive and petty malison, resulting in it being less than ideal as a tool for the subtle and calculating. Lyliax believes its sowing of discord to be in support of an ambitious master who can bring a new and tyrannical order to the ruin that it strews, and certainly it is inarguable that it makes those around it act in a more diabolical fashion.

The wielder can use the sword's spell-like abilities as a standard action; these include critical strikeSC 3/day, doom 3/day, veil of shadowSC 3/day, and once per day the sword may be struck against a solid surface to produce an infernal threnodySC, the bat's mouth on the crossguard opening in a wordless shriek; doing so, however, renders the sword unable to employ its telepathy or other inherent abilities while the infernal threnody is active, nor can any of its other spell-like abilities be used for the duration. While the infernal threnody is active, attacks with Lyliax do an additional 1d6 sonic damage and 1 vile damage, but decrease the remaining duration by 1 round. The caster level for any of Lyliax's spell-like abilities is equal to the wielder's character level, while save DCs are based on the better of the sword's Charisma modifier (+4) or the wielder's.

Lyliax is much harder to destroy than an ordinary magical weapon; to be destroyed, it must be immersed in at least 20 pints of holy water prepared by a good-aligned spellcaster of at least 10th level, in a font located within the effects of a hallow spell. Doing so causes the blade to screech, piercing any kind of silence effect and permanently deafening all within 60 ft., and it ejects itself from the water unharmed unless held down by the hilt for a full two minutes, during which one pint of holy water boils away each round. Whosoever holds it in the water suffers 2 points of Strength drain as a horrible withering darkness crawls up their arm and permanently loses 1 hit point (this cannot be regained by any means). Upon completion of this procedure, all of the holy water will have boiled away and the hallow effect around the area is dispelled. If this ritual is disrupted before the sword is destroyed, the resultant shriek from the sword pierces through the planes and alerts the infernal Duke Zepar to its location.

Domain Abilities Achtialon has access to the granted powers of the Charm, Death, and Evil domains.

Charm Domain Granted Power (Su) Once per day as a free action, Achtialon may increase his Charisma by 4 for 1 minute.

Death Domain Granted Power (Su) Once per day, Achtialon may make a melee touch attack against a living creature. If the attack succeeds, Achtialon rolls 9d6 and compares it to the touched creature's hit points. If the result is at least equivalent to the touched creature's current hit points, that creature dies immediately (no save). This is a death effect.

Evil Domain Granted Power Achtialon uses his spell-like abilities with the Evil descriptor at +1 caster level.

Duke's Eye (Su) Once per day as a swift action, Achtialon may grant himself a gaze attack that affects creatures within 30 ft. who meet his gaze. Such creatures suffer the effects of the confusion spell (Will DC 22 negates).

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 20); 1/day - animate dead, calm emotions (DC 20), cause fear (DC 19), charm person (DC 19), death knell (DC 20), death ward, desecrate, good hope, magic circle against good, protection from good, suggestion (DC 21), unholy blight (DC 22). Caster level 9th (10th for Evil spells), save DCs Charisma-based.

Creating an Ertoch
"Ertoch" is an inherited template that can be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, magical beast, fey, giant, or dragon of size between Small and Huge (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Each ertoch was sired by a Duke of Hell (referred to as the sire) and possesses certain characteristics based on this sire.




Duke
Eyes
Skin
Other Features
Domain
Gaze
Weapon
Layer




Amduscias
Fire red
Yellow
Purple horn
Trickery
Stunning
Claws
Avernus


Malphas
Black
Dark
Black feathers in hair
Mentalism
Pain
Longsword
Avernus


Alocer
Fire red
Red-gold
Lion's mane and fangs
War
Blindness
Longsword
Dis


Arioch
Reptilian
Wine-red
Forked tail
Retribution
Death
Halberd
Dis


Biffant
Blue-green
Blood-red
Small hooked horns
Planning
Despair
Morningstar
Dis


Merodach
Wolflike
Fur
Long wide-set horns
Strength
Pain
Glaive
Dis


Titivilus
Any
Pale
Satyrlike horns
Trickery
Sleep
Bastard sword
Dis


Bael
Watery gold
Golden
Red hair, round eyes, bovine features
War
Stunning
Morningstar
Minauros


Caarcrinolas
Glittering yellow
Gray/brown fur
Three scarlet horns
Law
Pain
Scythe
Minauros


Focalor
Any
Pale pink-green
Fish scales on thighs and underarms
Ocean
Stunning
Quarterstaff
Minauros


Melchon
Any
Fire red
Bull-like horns
Poison*
Despair
Greataxe
Minauros


Chamo
Brown
Scarlet
Small horns
Liberation
Stunning
Quarterstaff
Phlegethos


Balan
Fire red
Yellow
Lower body darkens to scarlet
Death
Pain
Battleaxe
Phlegethos


Bathym
Black
Fishbelly white
Hissing voice
Inquisition
Sleep
Mace
Phlegethos


Gaziel
None
Brown-red
Skeletal appearance
Death
Despair
Ranseur
Phlegethos


Agares
Watery red
Scarlet
Knotted ribs
Sky
Pain
Quarterstaff
Stygia


Amon§
Any
Any
Wolf's head
Winter
Despair
Mace
Stygia


Gorson†
Black
Yellow
Lion's tail
Knowledge
Stunning
Scimitar
Stygia


Herodias§
Any
Scarlet
Goat-like horns
Pride
Despair
Claw
Stygia


Machalas
White
Black
Batlike features
Charm
Stunning
Axe
Stygia


Tartach
Any
Fire orange
Leonine feet
Suffering
Stunning
Longsword
Malbolge


Abigor
Any
Ochre
Loud voice, small horns
War
Stunning
Battleaxe
Maladomini


Barbatos
Green
Crimson
Horns, rich persuasive voice
Exploration*
Sleep
Ranseur
Maladomini


Bileth
Fire red
Crimson
Nonfunctional bat wings
Tyranny
Fear
Unarmed strike
Maladomini


Neabaz
Any
Any
Nonfunctional insect wings
Harbinger*
Fear
Longsword
Maladomini


Zepar
Any
Dark
Twisted or clawed feet
Charm
Insanity
Short sword
Maladomini


Adonides
Glittering black
Any
Scarlet skin below the waist
Inquisition
Stunning
Quarterstaff
Cania


Barbas
Any
Crimson
Significant body fat
Wealth
Insanity
GoadFrost
Cania


Bele
Hollow
Ivory
Crimson skin below the waist
Retribution
Fear
Mace
Cania


Bifrons
White
Gray
Serpentine lower body
Cold
Stunning
Scimitar
Cania


Hutijin
Fire red
Dark rust-red
Fiendish visage
Law
Persuasion
Trident
Cania


Buer
Red
Silver
Centaurlike lower body
Knowledge
Despair
Longbow
Nessus


Bune
Black
Green
Griffonlike beak
Greed
Death
Ranseur
Nessus


Morax
Scarlet
Dark brown
Massive curling horns
Strength
Stunning
Throwing axe
Nessus


Rimmon
Any
Blue-white chitin
Chitinous skin
Cold
Pain
Trident
Nessus


Zagum
Yellow with black pupils
Crimson
Bony collar of spikes around the head
Community
Pain
Claw
Nessus




* indicates a new domain found in this thread
† indicates a dead duke; new ertochs will not descend from this duke
§ indicates an exiled duke who no longer holds position in an archdevil's court

An ertoch uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type
The creature’s type changes to outsider (augmented base creature's type) and it gains the baatezu, evil, extraplanar (when not in the Nine Hells of Baator), and lawful subtypes. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice
The creature's racial hit dice, if any, change to d8s. Hit dice from class levels remain unchanged.

Speed
Regardless of the configuration of its lower body (some ertochs are serpentine below the waste, some centaurlike, most relatively humanoid and bipedal), all ertochs have a ground speed of 40 ft. or the base creature's ground speed, whichever is better. An ertoch retains all the other movement speeds of the base creature but gains no new movement types.

Armor Class
Increase the base creature's natural armor bonus by 2. At character level 5th, increase the base creature's natural armor bonus by a further 2, and increase it a final time by 2 at character level 10th.

Attack
An ertoch retains all the attacks of the base creature and gains two claw attacks as natural weapons. If the base creature can use weapons, the ertoch retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons.

Full Attack
An ertoch fighting without weapons uses its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack. Unarmed, an ertoch uses its two claws as well as any other natural weapons to attack.

Damage
An ertoch's claw attack deals damage based on its size or uses the original claw's damage, if the base creature possessed claw attacks already, whichever is better.




Size
Damage




Small
1d3


Medium
1d4


Large
1d6


Huge
1d8




Special Attacks
An ertoch retains the base creature's special attacks and gains the following:

Domain Abilities An ertoch possesses the granted powers of the Death domain, the Evil domain (including its spell-like abilities), and one other domain based on the ertoch's sire (if the sire's domain is Death, the ertoch gains a second daily use of that domain's ability). An ertoch uses these abilities as a cleric of its character level.

Duke's Eye (Su) Once per day as a swift action, plus once per day for each five character levels the ertoch possesses, it may unleash a gaze attack that lasts for one round. The gaze has a range of 30 ft. and the save DC is 10 + 1/2 the ertoch's HD + the ertoch's Charisma modifier. The effects of the ertoch's gaze are based on its sire, and may manifest as any of the following:




Gaze
Effect




Blindness
Permanently blinded (Fort negates)


Death
Cursed (Fort negates) to die in 1d3+1 rounds. Can be removed with remove curse. Cannot affect creatures with more HD than the ertoch.


Despair
As crushing despair; affected creatures have a 1 in 4 chance of taking no action on their turn (Will negates)


Fear
As fear (Will partial)


Insanity
As confusion (Will negates)


Pain
-4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks from wracking pains (Will negates)


Persuasion
As charm monster (Will negates)


Sleep
Unconsciousness (Will negates). Cannot affect creatures with more HD than the ertoch.


Stunning
Stunned for 1d4 rounds, or dazed 1d4 rounds if immune to stun (Will negates). Cannot affect creatures with more HD than the ertoch.




Unless otherwise specified, the duration of the gaze effect is a number of rounds equal to the ertoch's character level. An ertoch gains an additional daily use of this ability at character level 6th and every five character levels thereafter (11th, 16th, etc.)

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) An ertoch possesses the ability to use produce flame and pyrotechnics at will as a sorcerer of its character level. Additionally, an ertoch possesses the ability to use the spells of the Death and Evil domains, and one other domain based on its sire, once per day (if the sire's domain is the Death domain, such spells may be used a second time per day) as a cleric of its character level. An ertoch may use spells from these domains based on its character level - the 1st-level spell in each domain is always available; the 2nd-level spell at character level 3rd; the 3rd-level spell at character level 5th; the 4th-level spell at character level 7th; the 5th-level spell at character level 9th; the 6th-level spell at character level 11th; the 7th-level spell at character level 13th; the 8th-level spell at character level 15th; the 9th-level spell at character level 17th.

Special Qualities
An ertoch retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains the following:

Darkvision (Ex) An ertoch has darkvision out to 60 ft.

Damage Reduction (Ex) An ertoch has damage reduction 5/good or silver. At character level 11th and above, this changes to damage reduction 10/good and silver.

Immunities (Ex) An ertoch is immune to fire and poison.

Infernal Vitality (Ex) An ertoch gains 2 hp for each Devil-Touched, Divine, Incarnum, or Vile feat it possesses (including any it possesses as bonus feats).

Resistances (Ex) An ertoch gains resistance to acid 10 and cold 10.

Spell Resistance (Ex) An ertoch possesses spell resistance equal to 12 + its character level.

Telepathy (Su) An ertoch possesses telepathy out to 100 ft.

Abilities
Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +2, Con +6, Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +8.

Skills
Ertochs always treat Intimidate, Knowledge (the planes), and Use Magic Device as class skills.

Feats
Same as base creature; in addition, the ertoch gains Devil's FavorFCII, Evil BrandBoVD, Evil's BlessingEE, and Vile Martial StrikeBoVD (corresponding to the sire's favored armament; replace with Vile Natural Attack if the sire's favored weapon is claw) as bonus feats, as well as the Mark featFCII (e.g. Mark of Avernus) corresponding with the sire's home layer as a bonus feat.

Languages
As base creature, plus Infernal.

Environment
Any (Nine Hells of Baator)

Challenge Rating
HD 5 or less, same as the base creature +3; 6-10, same as the base creature +4; 11+, same as the base creature +5.

Alignment
The vast majority of ertochs are lawful evil from birth to grave, though some have had experiences that have allowed their alignment to change over time.

Level Adjustment
While it is estimated that the ertoch template confers a level adjustment roughly equivalent to +6, this template is not recommended for player characters.

~~~

New Domains

Exploration Domain
Granted Power You gain Track or Urban TrackingECS as a bonus feat. Add Survival to your list of class skills.
1st - pass without trace
2nd - knock
3rd - locate object
4th - evacuation runeSC
5th - nightstalker's transformationSC
6th - find the path
7th - passwall
8th - ethereal jaunt
9th - astral projection

Harbinger Domain
Granted Power Add Intimidate to your list of class skills. For every three cleric levels you possess, you may use divine presenceCC as a spell-like ability once per day (minimum 1/day).
1st - comprehend languages
2nd - enthrall
3rd - tongues
4th - sending
5th - greater command
6th - visage of the deitySC
7th - bestow greater curseSC
8th - moment of prescience
9th - greater visage of the deitySC

[afroakuma]

Mousewolf
Diminutive Animal
HD ¼d8 (1 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Init: +2
AC 16; touch 16; flat-footed 14 (+4 size, +2 Dex)
BAB +0; Grp -15
Attack Bite +6 melee (1d2-3)
Full Attack Bite +6 melee (1d2-3)
Space 0 ft. Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Low-light vision, scent
Saves Fort +2 Ref +4 Will +3
Abilities Str 4, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills Climb +2*, Hide +16, Jump +2*, Listen +9*, Move Silently +8*, Spot +5, Survival +5*, Swim +2*
Feats Alertness, TrackB, StealthyB, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Any plains, hills, and forests
Organization Solitary, pair, or pack (7-48)
Challenge Rating 1/6
Treasure None
Alignment Always true neutral
Advancement -

Social animals who operate in close-knit packs, mousewolves are aptly named - small enough to be held in the palm of a human hand, they resemble husky puppies or wolf cubs, always with at least two tones of fur (white & black, brown & black, grey & white being common) and disproportionately large, triangular ears that twitch and swivel to pick up the sounds of prey. Facultative carnivores, their favored prey are mice, though any rodent is fair game. Larger rodents such as rats or rabbits may require the assistance of another packmate to take down safely, and the most ambitious will attempt to go after tiny reptiles or birds, though creatures of Small or larger size are too intimidating to consider as prey. When warm-blooded food is not available, mousewolves are willing to dig for worms or slurp up ants and other insects, albeit reluctantly. Mousewolves are fierce and as territorial as creatures of their size can be, but if raised from their first week of life can be semi-domesticated, always retaining their wild side but willing to form bonds with and show affection (in their own way) to humanoids. Their voice is a tiny yip, almost a chirp in tone, and their "growl" could better be described as a purr or quiet buzz, while their "howl" is more of a whistle or loud coo in pitch. Cats and mousewolves get along famously, each thinking it is the predator in the equation and merely toying with the other, though as cats are larger they will take on whole packs of mousewolves. Larger birds, foxes, and wolves may occasionally pursue a mousewolf as food, but only owls consider them to be preferable prey. On worlds where the two share territory, mousewolves are favored pets of halflings and may be found with wild fey.

In every other way, the behavior of a mousewolf is akin to that of a very young puppy. Mousewolves form their social bonds from a very young age and are rarely found alone. Trainers find that cupping them in a hand and holding them close to their hearts to allow the mousewolf to acclimate to the breathing rhythms of a humanoid is a particularly effective method.

Skills Mousewolves have a +4 racial bonus to Listen, Move Silently, and Survival checks. Mousewolves use the better of their Strength or Dexterity modifier on Climb, Jump, and Swim checks.

As a Familiar

Mousewolves may be selected as familiars. They confer a +3 bonus to their master's Survival checks.

[afroakuma]

Glypper
Large Animal
HD 5d8+10 (32 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +2
AC 15; touch 11; flat-footed 13 (+4 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +3; Grp +10
Attack Beak +6 melee (1d8+4, x4)
Full Attack Beak +6 melee (1d8+4, x4)
Space 10 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Exhume
Special Qualities Glyph tracks, low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +1
Abilities Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills Balance +6*, Jump +7*, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +5
Feats Alertness, RunB, Weapon Focus (beak)
Environment Temperate and cold hills
Organization Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating 2
Treasure None
Alignment Always true neutral
Advancement -

Truly odd-looking creatures, glyppers are perhaps best described as a cross between a crane and a deer; a tawny brown mammalian body with a flexible neck that can rotate 180 degrees, a bony plate fused to a long spearlike beak, and its feet - its most infamous feature, resembling a bird's talons fused with a broken whisk, all flattened digits sprawled in a "basket" with each able to shift, adjust, and rotate nearly 360 degrees, resulting in a bizarre pattern of glyphlike tracks as the beast stalks across the land, adjusting its gait to try and feel out prey digging through the ground. Its body hair is slightly curly and fuzzy and it lacks a tail, but none can mistake the bizarre slow-blinking black eyes set into its ivory-plated head, which is almost always kept such that its beak is angled parallel with the ground. Not only are the tracks of no two glyppers alike, but no two steps from the same glypper leave the same track.

Glyppers prefer moles, rodents, and terrestrial amphibians, reptiles, and loose eggs. They also have a fondness for apples and have been known to use their beaks to "spear" the fruit down from a tree. The only vocalization a glypper is known to make is a kind of "aak," which can sound either short and officious or drawn out and interrogative. Glyppers dislike using their talons to attack as it reduces their field of tremorsense and diminishes their overall balance. The piercing damage of their beak is generally quite sufficient to meet their needs, such as they are. Some gnomes have tried using glyppers as mounts, but results have never been particularly positive - at best, the glypper will bend its head around and stare silently at the offending would-be rider until they get the point, while at worst, the spearing beak is headed for the rider's tender bits. Glyppers can and do use their beaks to scratch themselves, and mated pairs have been noted to groom one another.

Exhume (Ex) A glypper can attack a burrowed creature as long as it is no further than 5 ft. underground. If it does so, it may start a grapple check as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity to drag the burrowed creature above ground. This grapple can only be performed on creatures at least two size categories smaller than the glypper.

Glyph Tracks (Ex) Glypper tracks can be mistaken for strange glyphs or complex runes, though they have no magical properties. The Survival DC to track a glypper moving at ordinary speed is reduced by 4 - these tracks are unmistakable. However, when a glypper runs, it folds its talons together to create a stronger and more concise striking surface to propel it further and faster; a running glypper is considerably more difficult to track (+8 to the Survival DC) as the tracks become extremely sparse and can be mistaken for a number of other unusual prints, divots, or scratches in the earth.

Skills Glyppers have a +4 racial bonus to Balance and Jump checks.

[afroakuma]

Clog Treoir
Medium Fey
HD 6d6+6 (27 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +3
AC 16; touch 13; flat-footed 13 (+3 natural, +3 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +5
Attack +1 flaming quarterstaff +7 melee (1d6+3 + 1d6 fire)
Full Attack +1 flaming quarterstaff +7 melee (1d6+3 + 1d6 fire)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Knocking bell, spell-like abilities, torch of the treoir
Special Qualities DR 5/cold iron, find the path, low-light vision, see invisibility
Saves Fort +3 Ref +8 Will +7
Abilities Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills Bluff +11, Concentration +10, Knowledge (geography) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Survival +11
Feats Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)
Environment Any aboveground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure Standard
Alignment Usually chaotic (any)
Advancement by class Favored Class ScoutCAdv

Thy guttered brand hath heard the knock
Ahead along the shadow'd walk
It burns alone, the guide-man's light
Sole candle in the misty night
He wordless leads, who knows the way
But ware his path, for none can say
If any man this earth hath trode
Who home hath reached, from clog treoir's road

A kind of guide-spirit, the clog treoir is a nocturnal fey creature that lurks in poorly-traveled areas, silently watching for those who are lost in the dark. Resembling a stooped bald man with long pointed ears that form a "Y" shape, no mouth, and cloudy white eyes, the clog treoir sports a well-worn coarse cloak and is always found with a wooden bell on a cord around its waist and a long staff of wood whose top burns with a soft flame. The motives of clog treoirs are guessed at, at best; they do not speak, and telepathic conversation with them has yielded little more than thought versions of the same basic ideas they communicate by gesture - "follow," "this way," "come," "wait," and so forth. A single sage believes she has sussed out the truth of them, though she had to buy the information from a powerful baron of Faerie and the price was steep; in her words, the clog treoir feeds on uncertainty, trepidation, and "dim hope". In theory, this motivates them to deliver their charges back to the proper path before curiosity and need give way to skepticism or anger; in practice, however, it's a roll of the dice as to whether a clog treoir will lead its followers to their destination, to a perilous end, or into the deeps of the night to be lost. Clog treoirs are inactive during the day, finding hiding places or slipping across a boundary to Faerie until evening comes.

Clog treoirs have been found serving both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, though they appear to have few friends in either; fey crossroads are their preferred haunts but they will lurk in out-of-the-way ruins, abandoned roads, lonely moors, solitary hills... anywhere a traveler might find themselves lost and in need of a guide, a clog treoir might take as its temporary residence. They have been known to show limited deference to followers of deities of travel such as Shaundakul and Fharlanghn, but even clerics of these powers rarely turn to a clog treoir except in great need. Victims of a clog treoir have sometimes been found, led far astray from their destinations but always returning with tales of adventure, peril, and some amount of treasure found. Of course, those are just the ones who came back - it is well known that some who follow the lonely torch of the clog treoir have never returned to lands of the mortal realm, though whether they are dead or lost in the Plane of Faerie is hard to say.

Find The Path (Sp) A clog treoir can use find the path at will as a 12th-level cleric, but can only target itself. It can use a location described to it as the basis for this spell, rather than needing to know the destination itself.

Knocking Bell (Sp) A clog treoir carries a wooden bell on his person at all times, which it can mute or unmute as a swift action. While the bell is capable of producing sound, it reduces the DC to hear a clog treoir at any distance by 8 - this despite not seeming to be any louder than a soft wooden "tock" sound, no matter how far away the listener is. The sound of the bell, a kind of knock or clack, seems to permeate the night air. As a standard action, a clog treoir can deliberately "ring" the bell, creating a loud knock that affects a single target within 60 ft. as hold person (Will DC 15 negates). The clog treoir can attempt this without being able to perceive a specific target, but if this is done, the bell's knock randomly affects an eligible target without the clog treoir being able to discriminate between friend or foe.

See Invisibility (Su) A clog treoir constantly sees invisibility as the spell cast by a 3rd-level sorcerer.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - longstrider, obscuring mist; 3/day - faerie fire, goodberry, hide from animals, produce flame; 1/day - gaseous form (self only), invisibility (self only); 1/week - dimension door. Caster level 6th, save DCs Charisma-based.

Torch of the Treoir (Sp) A clog treoir carries a branch of wood at all times that functions as a quarterstaff. While wielded by the clog treoir, such a branch is treated as a +1 flaming weapon (on one end only, if used as a double weapon). Other nonmagical sources of flame within 120 ft. of the clog treoir's quarterstaff are extinguished unless the flame they would produce would occupy a space greater than a 5 ft. square. Magical flames and creatures of living fire (such as fire elementals) are unaffected, and a clog treoir will usually go out of its way to avoid such fires.

[afroakuma]

As ever, if anyone has any requests, I'm all ears.

[Tzardok]

Ertoch


The ertoch is interesting. For too long demonkind got all the special crossbreeds (like cambions). Finally it's devilkind's time. (Do the 'loth next. :smalltongue:) Also, I don't think I've ever seen before anything that went this in-depth into the dukes, so thanks for that.
By the way, the Harbinger domain... something about it feels strange. It feels like it's a slightly changed version of the Herald domain.


Mousewolf


These are the cutest thing you've ever made. Maybe the cutest thing I've ever seen on this forum. I suggest Challenge Rating: Awww!


Glypper


This is weird stuff. I approve.


Clog Treoir


Those are weird. Is this another take on the Will-o-wisp? Are they based on specific folklore?


As ever, if anyone has any requests, I'm all ears.

Could you convert the ruvoka as a playable race? Or do that fleshing out of the demons' evolving you mentioned in the Questions Thread? (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?616081-afroakuma-s-Planar-And-Other-Oddities-Questions-Thread-VIII&p=25484021#post25484021)

Edit: Or maybe an altraloth template?

[afroakuma]

The ertoch is interesting. For too long demonkind got all the special crossbreeds (like cambions). Finally it's devilkind's time. (Do the 'loth next. :smalltongue:) Also, I don't think I've ever seen before anything that went this in-depth into the dukes, so thanks for that.

Always nice to cover them again, they do get insufficient love.


By the way, the Harbinger domain... something about it feels strange. It feels like it's a slightly changed version of the Herald domain.

I mean, it is, so... good? :smallbiggrin:


Those are weird. Is this another take on the Will-o-wisp? Are they based on specific folklore?

I suppose technically they could be considered another take on a will-o'-wisp, but they were not planned that way and are not based on specific folklore.


Could you convert the ruvoka as a playable race?

Still planning to, just a lot going into that.


Or do that fleshing out of the demons' evolving you mentioned in the Questions Thread? (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?616081-afroakuma-s-Planar-And-Other-Oddities-Questions-Thread-VIII&p=25484021#post25484021)

Edit: Or maybe an altraloth template?

Those are definitely coming in the future.

[afroakuma]

Ice Paraelemental

Ice Paraelemental, Small
Small Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 2d8 (9 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +1
AC 17; touch 12; flat-footed 16 (+5 natural, +1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Icicle +3 melee (1d4 and 1d4 cold, x3) or icicle +3 ranged (1d4 and 1d4 cold, x3)
Full Attack Icicle +3 melee (1d4 and 1d4 cold, x3) or icicle +3 ranged (1d4 and 1d4 cold, x3)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 11, 5 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +3 Ref +4 Will +0
Abilities Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +9*, Listen +3, Spot +2
Feats Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)
Ice Paraelemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +3
AC 18; touch 13; flat-footed 15 (+5 natural, +3 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +4
Attack Icicle +7 melee (1d6+1 and 1d6 cold, x3) or icicle +7 ranged (1d6+1 and 1d6 cold, x3)
Full Attack Icicle +7 melee (1d6+1 and 1d6 cold, x3) or icicle +7 ranged (1d6+1 and 1d6 cold, x3)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 14, 10 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +6 Ref +7 Will +1
Abilities Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +11*, Listen +4, Spot +3
Feats Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B, Weapon Focus (icicle)
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)
Ice Paraelemental, Large
Large Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 8d8+32 (68 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +5
AC 18; touch 13; flat-footed 15 (+6 natural, +5 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +12
Attack Icicle +11 melee (2d6+2 and 2d6 cold, x3) or icicle +11 ranged (2d6+2 and 2d6 cold, x3)
Full Attack 2 icicles +11 melee (2d6+2 and 2d6 cold) or 2 icicles +11 ranged (2d6+2 and 2d6 cold, x3)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 17, 15 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +8 Ref +11 Will +2
Abilities Str 14, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +13*, Listen +6, Spot +5
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B, Weapon Focus (icicle)
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)
Ice Paraelemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 16d8+80 (152 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +7
AC 21; touch 15; flat-footed 14 (+7 Dex, +6 natural, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +24
Attack Icicle +18 melee (2d8+4 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or icicle +18 ranged (2d8+4 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Full Attack 2 icicles +18 melee (2d8+4 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or 2 icicles +18 ranged (2d8+4 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 24, 20 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +14 Ref +17 Will +5
Abilities Str 18, Dex 25, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +15*, Listen +10, Spot +9
Feats Ability Focus (chill metal), Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (icicle), Improved ToughnessMMIII, Polar ChillUA, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B, Weapon Focus (icicle)
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)
Ice Paraelemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 21d8+105 (199 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +8
AC 26; touch 16; flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, +8 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +28
Attack Icicle +22 melee (2d8+5 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or icicle +22 ranged (2d8+5 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Full Attack 2 icicles +22 melee (2d8+5 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or 2 icicles +22 ranged (2d8+5 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 26, 25 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +16 Ref +20 Will +7
Abilities Str 20, Dex 27, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +16*, Listen +12, Spot +12
Feats Ability Focus (chill metal), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (icicle), Improved ToughnessMMIII, Mobility, Polar ChillUA, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B, Weapon Focus (icicle)
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)
Ice Paraelemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Air, Cold, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 24d8+? (199 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +9
AC 27; touch 17; flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, +9 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +32
Attack Icicle +26 melee (2d8+6 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or icicle +26 ranged (2d8+6 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Full Attack 2 icicles +26 melee (2d8+6 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3) or 2 icicles +26 ranged (2d8+6 and 2d8 cold, 19-20/x3)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Chill metal (DC 28, 30 ft.)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, ice affinity, immunity to cold, resistance to fire 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +18 Ref +23 Will +8
Abilities Str 22, Dex 29, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +17*, Listen +27, Spot +27
Feats Ability Focus (chill metal), Combat Reflexes, Energy Resistance (fire)E, Dodge, Improved Critical (icicle), Improved ToughnessMMIII, Mobility, Polar ChillUA, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse (icicle)B, Weapon Focus (icicle)
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ice
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Hailing (no pun intended) from the Paraelemental Plane of Ice, ice paraelementals are cognate to the elementals of the greater Inner Planes, living embodiments of cold and frost that spear adversaries with deadly piercing icicles emerging from their bodies. Crystalline and roughly humanoid in shape, ice paraelementals enjoy absorbing heat insofar as it does not damage them, spreading the chill of their home plane and demonstrating the supremacy of ice over all things. They are not as a general rule given to malevolence, though some have fallen in with a fiendish entity calling itself Cryonax, a dark and foreboding beast with resemblance to the demon prince Demogorgon. This vile creature plots to supplant one of the Elemental Planes with the Paraelemental Plane of Ice, a scheme which seems to have no chance of success but which would threaten massive cosmic upheaval should Cryonax somehow triumph. Ice paraelementals' icicles deal piercing damage and can be thrown with a range increment of 10 ft.

Chill Metal (Su) All metal that enters the given radius around an ice paraelemental must save or be affected as by chill metal; unlike the spell, once the metal reaches the freezing stage, it remains there as though in the third round of the spell effect, only progressing along the normal effects and warming up again once it has spent at least one full round outside the radius of the ice paraelemental. An ice paraelemental has no ability to restrain or direct this effect, it is automatic. Metal that saves against an ice paraelemental's chill metal ability cannot be affected by that same ice elemental's chill metal ability for 24 hours.

Ice Affinity (Ex) Ice paraelementals never need to make Balance checks when moving on ice or snow unless some additional factor (e.g. grease) is present to require a check. Ice paraelementals take normal damage from desiccationSand instead of double damage as other creatures with the Water subtype would. They take double damage from salt-based attacks and a handful of thrown salt deals damage to them as a flask of acid would. They take half damage from water-based attacks. In conditions of severe cold, an ice paraelemental heals 1 hit point per round as though possessing the fast healing ability.

Skills Ice paraelementals have a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks as the cold they naturally shed creates frost to anchor them to the ground.

[afroakuma]

Magma Paraelemental

Magma Paraelemental, Small
Small Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 16; touch 10; flat-footed 16 (+6 natural, +1 size, -1 Dex)
BAB +1; Grp +0
Attack Slam +5 melee (1d6+3 and 1d6 fire)
Full Attack Slam +5 melee (1d6+3 and 1d6 fire)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 12), heat 1d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +4 Ref +2 Will +0
Abilities Str 17, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +3, Spot +2
Feats Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)
Magma Paraelemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 17; touch 9; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, -1 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +8
Attack Slam +8 melee (1d8+5 and 1d6 fire)
Full Attack Slam +8 melee (1d8+3 and 1d6 fire)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 15), heat 1d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +7 Ref +3 Will +1
Abilities Str 21, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +4, Spot +3
Feats Cleave, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)
Magma Paraelemental, Large
Large Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 8d8+32 (68 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 18; touch 8; flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, -1 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +17
Attack Slam +12 melee (2d8+7 and 2d6 fire)
Full Attack 2 slams +12 melee (2d8+7 and 2d6 fire)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 18), heat 2d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +10 Ref +5 Will +2
Abilities Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +6, Spot +5
Feats Cleave, Improved Overrun, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)
Magma Paraelemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 16d8+80 (152 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 19; touch 7; flat-footed 19 (+12 natural, -1 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +29
Attack Slam +19 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 fire)
Full Attack 2 slams +19 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 fire)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 25), heat 2d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +15 Ref +9 Will +7
Abilities Str 29, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +10, Spot +9
Feats Ability Focus (burn), Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)
Magma Paraelemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 21d8+126 (220 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 21; touch 7; flat-footed 21 (+14 natural, -1 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +33
Attack Slam +23 melee (2d10+10 and 2d6 fire)
Full Attack 2 slams +23 melee (2d10+10 and 2d6 fire)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 27), heat 2d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, resistance to cold 10, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +17 Ref +11 Will +9
Abilities Str 31, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +12, Spot +12
Feats Ability Focus (burn), Cleave, Energy Resistance (cold)E, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)
Magma Paraelemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 24d8+144 (252 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: -1
AC 23; touch 7; flat-footed 23 (+16 natural, -1 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +37
Attack Slam +27 melee (3d10+11 and 2d6 fire)
Full Attack 2 slams +27 melee (3d10+11 and 2d6 fire)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Burn (DC 29), heat 2d6
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to fire, magmatic, resistance to cold 10, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +17 Ref +11 Will +9
Abilities Str 33, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +7*, Listen +27, Spot +27
Feats Ability Focus (burn), Cleave, Energy Resistance (cold)E, Great Cleave, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Improved Overrun, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Intimidating and awe-inspiring, magma paraelementals are molten blobs vaguely resembling a humanoid torso made of lava and bits of cooling crust floating on the "skin." Intensely hot but heavier and slower than a fire elemental, what a magma paraelemental lacks in wicked speed it makes up for with powerful blows, pure resilience, and dogged obstinacy. They attempt to overrun their foes like a tidal wave of flaming death, leaving a wake of lava that makes the ground around them deadly to approach. Magma paraelementals can be singleminded in their approach to handling an adversary, but generally keep to themselves if not provoked or called forth to an environment they do not enjoy. Summoners be warned - a magma paraelemental may serve while magically compelled, but they're not stupid - they are quick to pick up on why they've been brought to a cold, uncomfortable place, and unlike fire elementals they gain no satisfaction from melting things to slag to slake their need for more heat.

Burn (Ex) Those hit by a magma elemental's slam attack must succeed on a Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. The save DC varies with the elemental's size. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Heat (Ex) Merely touching or being touched by a magma paraelemental automatically deals fire damage.

Magmatic (Ex) For every 10 points of cold damage suffered by a magma paraelemental, it is slowed for 1 round. When a magma paraelemental successfully bull rushes or overruns an opponent, it automatically deals damage as though from a successful attack. Whenever a magma paraelemental exits a square, that square is treated as difficult terrain for any creature without the Fire subtype and deals 2d6 fire damage to any creature entering it for 1 round. Total immersion in water deals 10d6 damage per round to a magma paraelemental and deals 1d4 fire damage per hit die of the magma paraelemental to all creatures in a 30 ft. radius as steam erupts from the point of contact.

Skills Magma paraelementals have a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks as their slow, flowing, molten forms fuse to surfaces and melt hazards.

[Tzardok]

You accidentally wrote Huge three times in the spoiler titles.

[enderlord99]

Wait, are paraelementals not already statted, or are you just replacing them?

[Tzardok]

They are. Manual of the Planes, 3.0 But IIRC, the Ice Affinity and Magmatic abilities are new.

[afroakuma]

Ooze Paraelemental

Ooze Paraelemental, Small
Small Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +0
AC 17; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+6 natural, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp +3
Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+2 and 1d4 acid)
Full Attack Slam +4 melee (1d6+2 and 1d4 acid)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 12)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +4 Ref +0 Will +0
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +8*, Listen +2, Spot +3
Feats Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)
Ooze Paraelemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 4d8+16 (34 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +1
AC 18; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+7 natural, +1 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +10
Attack Slam +6 melee (1d8+3 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack Slam +6 melee (1d8+3 and 1d6 acid)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 15)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 10 and fire 10, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +7 Ref +2 Will +1
Abilities Str 16, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +9*, Listen +3, Spot +4
Feats Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)
Ooze Paraelemental, Large
Large Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +2
AC 19; touch 11; flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +19
Attack Slam +10 melee (2d8+5 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +10 melee (2d8+5 and 1d6 acid)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 18)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, ooze affinity, resistance to cold 15 and fire 15, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +10 Ref +4 Will +2
Abilities Str 20, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +10*, Listen +5, Spot +6
Feats Dodge, Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)
Ooze Paraelemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 16d8+96 (168 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +4
AC 21; touch 12; flat-footed 17 (+9 natural, +4 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +31
Attack Slam +17 melee (2d10+7 and 1d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +17 melee (2d10+7 and 1d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 23)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +15 Ref +9 Will +5
Abilities Str 24, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +12*, Listen +9, Spot +10
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)
Magma Paraelemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 21d8+126 (220 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +5
AC 23; touch 13; flat-footed 18 (+10 natural, +5 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +35
Attack Slam +21 melee (2d10+8 and 2d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +21 melee (2d10+8 and 2d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 27)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +17 Ref +12 Will +7
Abilities Str 26, Dex 20, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +13*, Listen +12, Spot +12
Feats Ability Focus (acid), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive TargetCWar, Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)
Ooze Paraelemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Earth, Extraplanar, Water)
HD 24d8+144 (252 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); swim 50 ft.
Init: +6
AC 25; touch 14; flat-footed 19 (+11 natural, +6 Dex, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +39
Attack Slam +25 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 acid)
Full Attack 2 slams +25 melee (2d10+9 and 2d6 acid)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Acid (DC 27)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to cold and fire, ooze affinity, resistance to electricity 10, vulnerability to electricity
Saves Fort +19 Ref +14 Will +8
Abilities Str 28, Dex 22, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Balance +14*, Listen +27, Spot +17
Feats Ability Focus (acid), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive TargetCWar, Energy Resistance (electricity)E, Improved GrappleB, Improved ToughnessMMIII, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Sometimes called "mud elementals," ooze paraelementals are foul-smelling, acrid, and dangerously corrosive puddles of slimy fluid capable of extruding pseudopods and rising up a torsolike mass at their center that forms a rudimentary "body" separate from the muck of their home plane. Ooze paraelementals enjoy slowly dissolving and crushing solid objects, serving as decontaminators (insofar as such a term can apply when removing impediments to "pure" filth) of their home environment. On the Prime, their attitudes are little different. Ooze paraelementals are dark-colored, thick, and behave similarly to non-Newtonian fluids in motion and nature, though they are still able to thin the substance of their bodies enough to slither into tiny cracks and openings (slowing them to a speed of 5 ft. while moving through such openings). Vulnerable to some of the same effects as a true ooze, they exhibit different characteristics than those they most closely resemble (such as a black pudding), but the deadly acid they secrete is similar in its wicked potency.

Acid (Ex) An ooze paraelemental secretes a corrosive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any contact with the ooze paraelemental deals acid damage, and armor and clothing dissolve and become useless immediately unless they succeed on Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes an ooze paraelemental also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

An ooze paraelemental's acidic touch deals damage each round to wooden or metal objects equal to the save DC of its acid ability, but the ooze paraelemental must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.

All ooze paraelementals are immune to the acid of other ooze paraelementals, but are not inherently immune to any other form of acid.

Ooze Affinity (Ex) An ooze paraelemental is affected by anything that would specifically affect a creature with the ooze type; if such an effect permits a saving throw, the ooze paraelemental gets a +4 bonus to such a save. An ooze paraelemental takes double damage from desiccationSand and from salt-based damage sources. If an ooze paraelemental is targeted with transmute mud to rock or a similar effect must make a Fortitude saving throw against the effect; on a failure, it becomes petrified, while if successful on its saving throw it takes 5d6 damage and is slowed for 1 minute.

Skills Ooze paraelementals have a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks as their bodies can naturally blend the best of slickness for motion and stickiness for bonding to surfaces.

While at low levels exposure to an ooze paraelemental's acid ability (or that of other creatures, most infamously other oozes) might result in the loss of a replaceable weapon, shield, or suit of armor, when magical items get involved, even with their superior saving throws, "save or be destroyed" effects can be ruthlessly unfair and significantly damage the future success potential of the victim. There is value, in my opinion, in having access to foes that present different kinds of adverse risk and thus attendant tactical considerations for the party, but a few bad d20 rolls could end up costing a player character considerably more in resources than even suffering a reversible death would.

To balance these competing needs, I propose this house rule for any magical, psionic, or otherwise "superior" piece of equipment exposed to an acid ability, whether it be the ooze paraelemental detailed above or a printed creature such as a black pudding. At the DM's discretion this might also apply to masterwork items.

For Weapons: Take the weapon's base damage dice and determine their maximum unmodified value (e.g. a weapon that deals 2d6 damage would have an MUV of 12). Each failed save against the acid ability imposes a cumulative -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls with the specified weapon. When the cumulative penalty from this exposure equals the maximum unmodified value, the weapon is ruined. Add the weapon's enhancement bonus or enhancement-equivalent value (e.g. a +1 flaming mace has a value of +2, 1 from the enhancement bonus and 1 from the effective value of the flaming property). For instance, a +3 longsword would have an MUV of 8 (1d8 base damage) plus 3 (+3 weapon enchantment) for a total of 11. Repairs may be effected on an acid-damaged weapon; with 8 hours of work, a Craft check (DC 20, penalized by the same penalty the acid has applied to the weapon), and 100 gp for materials (labor may cost extra), one increment of acid damage (one -2 penalty) is removed from the weapon.

For Armor and Shields: Each failed save against the acid ability imposes a cumulative -1 penalty to the AC value afforded by the item (e.g. a chain shirt offers +4 AC, one exposure to acid would reduce it to +3). When the consistent AC value (not temporary or conditional) of the item, reduced by the cumulative penalty from such exposure, equals 0, the item is ruined. Each "plus" of bonus the armor or shield imparts to AC is counted toward its total AC value. Repairs may be effected on an acid-damaged armor or shield; with 8 hours of work, a Craft check (DC 20, penalized by the same penalty the acid has applied to the weapon), and 100 gp for materials (labor may cost extra), one increment of acid damage (one -1 penalty) is removed from the armor or shield.

A ruined item cannot be used; it can be restored to full utility at a cost of 25% of its market price for materials and labor; the process follows the normal process for crafting an item, and whoever is doing the labor must be capable of crafting the original item.

The spell mending does not repair acid damage, which is too substantial, nor can a spell such as fabricate be used to effect repairs (fabricate can create something out of something else, but acid damage depletes the existing material).

Bookkeeping? Yes, but let's face it, if you're the kind of person who wants to use acid rules to blow up items, you already like bookkeeping and this is less mean. :smalltongue:

[afroakuma]

You accidentally wrote Huge three times in the spoiler titles.

Good catch, repaired.


Wait, are paraelementals not already statted, or are you just replacing them?

They're statted, I'm just replacing them because they suck and because I need to set up a lot of para- and quasielemental stuff to do ruvoka later.

[Tzardok]

I don't know wether it could help you, but I did some stuff (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?651594-Tzardok-s-Miscellaneous-Homebrew-Repository&p=25648068#post25648068) with mephits a while ago.

[afroakuma]

Smoke Paraelemental

Smoke Paraelemental, Small
Small Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 2d8 (9 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (good)
Init: +7
AC 17; touch 14; flat-footed 14 (+3 natural, +3 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Claws +5 melee (1d3)
Full Attack Claws +5 melee (1d3)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 11)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire, resistance to acid 5, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +0 Ref +6 Will +0
Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +2, Spot +3, Tumble +11*
Feats DodgeB, Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)
Smoke Paraelemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (good)
Init: +9
AC 18; touch 15; flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +3 natural)
BAB +3; Grp +4
Attack Claws +8 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack Claws +8 melee (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 14)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire, resistance to acid 10, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +3 Ref +9 Will +1
Abilities Str 12, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +3, Spot +4, Tumble +13*
Feats DodgeB, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)
Smoke Paraelemental, Large
Large Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (good)
Init: +11
AC 20; touch 16; flat-footed 13 (+7 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +12
Attack Claws +12 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 17)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to fire, resistance to acid 15, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +5 Ref +13 Will +2
Abilities Str 14, Dex 25, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +5, Spot +6, Tumble +13*
Feats Blind-Fight, DodgeB, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)
Smoke Paraelemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 16d8+64 (136 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Init: +13
AC 21; touch 17; flat-footed 12 (+9 Dex, +4 natural, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +24
Attack Claws +19 melee (2d6+4)
Full Attack 2 claws +19 melee (2d6+4)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 22)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, immunity to acid and fire, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +9 Ref +19 Will +5
Abilities Str 18, Dex 29, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +9, Spot +10, Tumble +17*
Feats Blind-Fight, DodgeB, Flyby Attack, Hover (DC 18), Improved FlightCAdv, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (claws), Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)
Smoke Paraelemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 21d8+84 (178 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Init: +14
AC 26; touch 18; flat-footed 16 (+10 Dex, +8 natural, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +28
Attack Claws +23 melee (2d6+5)
Full Attack 2 claws +23 melee (2d6+5)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 26)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to acid and fire, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +11 Ref +22 Will +7
Abilities Str 20, Dex 31, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +12, Spot +12, Tumble +18*
Feats Ability Focus (smoke claws), Blind-Fight, DodgeB, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved FlightCAdv, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (claws), Power Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)
Smoke Paraelemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Air, Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 24d8+96 (204 hp)
Speed Fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Init: +15
AC 27; touch 19; flat-footed 16 (+11 Dex, +8 natural, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +32
Attack Claws +27 melee (2d6+6)
Full Attack 2 claws +27 melee (2d6+6)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Smoke claws (DC 28)
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, immunity to acid and fire, resistance to cold 10, smoke affinity, vulnerability to cold
Saves Fort +12 Ref +25 Will +8
Abilities Str 22, Dex 33, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +27, Spot +27, Tumble +19*
Feats Ability Focus (smoke claws), Blind-Fight, DodgeB, Energy Resistance (cold)E, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved FlightCAdv, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (claws), Power Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Smoke
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Roiling clouds of thick smoke that form together into an extremely loose mass, smoke paraelementals are testy, contentious, and territorial. Wisps of curling smoke flicker into form as claws before vanishing anew. The appearance of a smoke paraelemental may be fairly dark, grey, ashen, or even white, but always comes across as opaque clouds with the scent of burning and a scattering of particles on the wind that sting the eyes. Two burning-hot pinpricks glare out of the swirling smoke. Smoke paraelementals delight in taking clean air and filling it with more smoke, and on their home plane they can be found congregating around pockets of elemental Air for just such a purpose; when summoned, they fight with a similar method, rushing about the battlefield attempting to fill the lungs of living creatures with smoke that can solidify to rip them apart from the inside. While not necessarily malicious, smoke paraelementals take a dim view of creatures that need to breathe.

Gaseous (Ex) Smoke paraelementals can move through even the tiniest cracks or holes at half speed. They cannot meaningfully be constrained by anything short of an airtight seal or wall of force. This renders effects such as entangle or web, substances such as a tanglefoot bag, or restraints such as ropes or nets, all futile. Attempts to secure a hold against a smoke paraelemental during a grapple suffer a -8 penalty, though no penalty is assessed against a creature defending from a smoke paraelemental's hold check during a grapple attempt.

Smoke Affinity (Ex) A smoke paraelemental is treated as being two sizes smaller for the purpose of any kind of wind effect, such as gust of wind. To pass through or make a melee attack through a wind wall, a smoke paraelemental must succeed on a Strength check against the spell's effective save DC. A smoke paraelemental takes double damage from any source of air-based damage. Smoke paraelementals are immune to desiccationSand damage and regain 1 hit point per round (as though they possessed the fast healing ability) while within 5 ft. of any smoke-producing source of heat or flame (clean fires are useless to them for this purpose). The ground smokeDR326 spell has no effect on a smoke paraelemental.

Smoke Claws (Ex) A smoke paraelemental can move into an opponent's square without provoking an attack of opportunity from that opponent (either for entering the square or for exiting an adjacent square, if threatened) and engulf them, attempting to fill their lungs with smoke. Any creature engulfed in this way that is up to one size category larger than the smoke paraelemental must succeed on a Fortitude save or breathe in some of the smoke, which solidifies into claws that automatically deal double the smoke paraelemental's claw damage, bypassing DR. Creatures so affected must continue to make Fortitude saves each round or suffer the same damage; this lasts until they succeed on a saving throw against this effect, the smoke paraelemental departs the plane (i.e. if a summon monster spell ends or it passes through a portal of some kind), or the smoke elemental is destroyed. A smoke paraelemental can voluntarily end this effect on any target as a free action. Creatures that do not breathe cannot be affected by this ability, and creatures wearing a breathing mask or apparatus get a +4 bonus to their saving throw. This effect can be eliminated and protected against with spells such as ease of breathFrost and freedom of breathSand.

Skills Smoke paraelementals have a +8 racial bonus to Tumble checks as they can roll the cloudy substance of their bodies away from hazards.

[afroakuma]

Air Elemental

The air elemental as described in the Monster Manual is statted sufficiently but would benefit from the following adjustments:

Air Affinity (Ex) Air elementals are immune to acid damage and effects. They take double damage from sources of sonic damage, which disrupt their air currents with pressures that injure them in ways physical weapons often fail to. Air elementals possess resistance to electricity 10. Vacuum-based damage sources deal double damage to an air elemental. An air elemental recovers 1 hit point per round (as though possessing fast healing) while exposed to strong or stronger wind conditions other than those generated by itself or another air elemental.

As The Wind (Ex) Air elementals ignore the effects of wind conditions unless they choose to be affected by them.

Gaseous (Ex) Air elementals can move through even the tiniest cracks or holes at half speed. They are immune to desiccationSand damage and salt-based sources of damage. They cannot meaningfully be constrained by anything short of an airtight seal or wall of force. This renders effects such as entangle or web, substances such as a tanglefoot bag, or restraints such as ropes or nets, all futile. Attempts to secure a hold against an air elemental during a grapple suffer a -8 penalty, though no penalty is assessed against a creature defending from an air elemental's hold check during a grapple attempt.

Skills Air elementals have a +8 racial bonus to Tumble checks as they can rapidly deform and twist their forms while in motion to avoid hazards.

Earth Elemental

The earth elemental as described in the Monster Manual is statted sufficiently but would benefit from the following adjustments:

Earth Affinity (Ex) Earth elementals have resistance 10 to fire and cold damage. They are immune to electricity damage. An earth elemental recovers 1 hit point per round (as though possessing fast healing) while in contact with earthen ground (soil, sand, loose rocks, unworked stone).

Home Turf (Ex) Earth elementals ignore movement penalties for difficult terrain on any earthen ground (soil, sand, loose rocks, unworked stone). Any such terrain within the earth elemental's reach is treated as difficult terrain by all creatures the earth elemental is hostile to unless those creatures possess the Earth subtype.

Rock Catching (Ex) An earth elemental of at least Large size can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, an earth elemental that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases by that amount.) Unlike a giant, the earth elemental need not be ready for and aware of the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt.

Rock Throwing (Ex) Earth elementals receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks. An earth elemental of at least Large size can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments of 60 ft. A Huge earth elemental can hurl rocks of 60 to 80 pounds (Medium objects) up to five range increments of 80 ft. As long as an earth elemental is in contact with rocky or stony earth (but not solid stone or worked stone) it is always considered to have ready access to a rock for throwing should it choose to. A Small rock deals 2d6 damage plus the earth elemental's Strength modifier; a Medium rock deals 2d8 damage plus the earth elemental's Strength modifier. A Large rock deals 3d8 damage plus the earth elemental's Strength modifier.

Feats Earth elementals of all sizes gain Improved ToughnessMMIII as a bonus feat.

Skills Earth elementals have a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks as long as they are on solid earthen ground (soil, sand, loose rocks, unworked stone).

Fire Elemental

The fire elemental as described in the Monster Manual is statted sufficiently but would benefit from the following adjustments:

Fire Affinity (Ex) Fire elementals have resistance 10 to electric and sonic damage. They are immune to acid and take double damage from any vacuum-based effect. A fire elemental recovers 1 hit point per round (as though possessing fast healing) while in contact with a sufficient source of fuel (enough to occupy a 5 ft. square), though it will consume any meaningful benefits it can gain from that source of fuel after 10 cumulative rounds of burning.

Living Flame (Ex) Being made of fire, fire elementals cannot meaningfully be bound or restrained by any kind of flammable material. Spells such as web and entangle produce effects that simply burn on contact with the fire elemental and do not impact it, nor does the substance in a tanglefoot bag, most kinds of rope, most nets, grease and similar effects, and so on. Fire elementals are immune to desiccationSand.

Skills Fire elementals have a +8 racial bonus to Tumble checks.

Water Elemental

The water elemental as described in the Monster Manual is statted sufficiently but would benefit from the following adjustments:

Living Liquid (Ex) Water elementals can move through holes up to two size categories smaller than them at half speed, or through smaller holes (as long as they would admit liquid) at a speed of 5 ft. They ignore difficult terrain and can move through low obstacles without impediment. They cannot meaningfully be constrained by anything short of a watertight seal or wall of force. This renders effects such as entangle or web, substances such as a tanglefoot bag, or restraints such as ropes or nets, all futile. Attempts to secure a hold against a water elemental during a grapple suffer a -8 penalty, though no penalty is assessed against a creature defending from a water elemental's hold check during a grapple attempt.

Water Affinity (Ex) Water elementals have resistance 10 to acid and fire damage. They are vulnerable to electricity damage.

Wave (Ex) A charging water elemental ignores difficult terrain (but not obstacles). A charging water elemental adds its Strength bonus (if any) as a bonus to damage on its attack. If a water elemental succeeds in making an attack on a charge, it is considered to have succeeded on a melee touch attack to begin a trip attempt against that opponent, and may do so; the opponent does not get to make a reactive trip attempt if the water elemental fails on its Strength check to trip them. Alternatively, if a water elemental bull rushes on a charge, and succeeds on the Strength check, it deals damage equal to its slam attack, except that it adds 1½ × its Strength bonus to its damage. If that bull rush forces the target into a wall or other solid object, it stops as normal, but the damage it takes from the bull rush is doubled.

With The Flow (Ex) A water elemental is functionally invisible underwater; this is not true invisibility and as such is not pierced by true seeing, see invisibility, or similar effects, though effects such as faerie fire that can outline its form will still work to distinguish it from its surroundings. Ink or other contaminants introduced into the water of the environment will not mix with the water elemental's body, which can also serve to identify its position; however, most such contaminants themselves impede one's own capacity to see. Certain magical items may allow the bearer to perceive water elementals underwater by visual means as part of their magic, including but not limited to a bowl of commanding water elementals, ring of water elemental command, and helm of underwater action.

Skills Water elementals have a +8 racial bonus to Tumble checks.

[afroakuma]

Ash Quasielemental

Ash Quasielemental, Small
Small Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 2d8 (9 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +5
AC 15; touch 12; flat-footed 14 (+3 natural, +1 Dex, +1 size)
BAB +1; Grp -3
Attack Slam +3 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold)
Full Attack 2 slams +3 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Detonate (DC 11), drain heat (1d4, cone 1d6, DC 11)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 5, resistance to sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +0 Ref +4 Will +0
Abilities Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +2, Spot +3, Tumble +9*
Feats Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)
Ash Quasielemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +7
AC 17; touch 13; flat-footed 14 (+4 natural, +3 Dex)
BAB +3; Grp +4
Attack Slam +6 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold)
Full Attack 2 slams +6 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Detonate (DC 14), drain heat (1d6+2, cone 2d6+2, DC 14)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 10, resistance to sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +3 Ref +7 Will +1
Abilities Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +3, Spot +4, Tumble +11*
Feats Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)
Ash Quasielemental, Large
Large Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Init: +9
AC 19; touch 14; flat-footed 14 (+5 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size)
BAB +6; Grp +12
Attack Slam +10 melee (2d6+2 plus 2d6 cold)
Full Attack 2 slams +10 melee (2d6+2 plus 2d6 cold)
Space 10 ft. Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks Detonate (DC 17), drain heat (2d6+3, cone 3d6+3, DC 17)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 15, resistance to sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +5 Ref +11 Will +2
Abilities Str 14, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +5, Spot +6, Tumble +13*
Feats Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)
Ash Quasielemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 16d8+64 (136 hp)
Speed Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: +11
AC 20; touch 15; flat-footed 13 (+7 Dex, +5 natural, -2 size)
BAB +12; Grp +24
Attack Slam +15 melee (2d8+4 plus 2d8 cold)
Full Attack 2 slams +15 melee (2d8+4 plus 2d8 cold)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Detonate (DC 22), drain heat (2d8+4, cone 6d6+4, DC 24)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/-, elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 20, resistance to sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +9 Ref +17 Will +5
Abilities Str 18, Dex 25, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +9, Spot +10, Tumble +13*
Feats Ability Focus (drain heat), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Opportunistic TacticianDR340, Spring Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 17-20 HD (Huge)
Ash Quasielemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 21d8+105 (199 hp)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: +12
AC 27; touch 18; flat-footed 19 (+9 natural, +8 Dex, +2 deflection, -2 size)
BAB +15; Grp +28
Attack Slam +21 melee (2d8+5 plus 2d8 cold plus 2d8+5 burn without flame)
Full Attack 2 slams +21 (2d8+5 plus 2d8 cold plus 2d8+5 burn without flame)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Burn without flame, detonate (DC 25), drain heat (2d8+5, cone 8d6+5, DC 27)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 25, resistance to fire 10 and sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +12 Ref +20 Will +7
Abilities Str 20, Dex 27, Con 20, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +12, Spot +12, Tumble +16*
Feats Ability Focus (drain heat), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Energy Resistance (fire)E, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Opportunistic TacticianDR340, Spring Attack, Vexing FlankerPH2, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)
Ash Quasielemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar, Fire)
HD 24d8+144 (252 hp)
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Init: +13
AC 29; touch 19; flat-footed 20 (+10 natural, +9 Dex, +2 deflection, -2 size)
BAB +18; Grp +32
Attack Slam +25 melee (2d8+6 plus 2d8 cold plus 2d8+6 burn without flame)
Full Attack 2 slams +25 melee (2d8+6 plus 2d8 cold plus 2d8+6 burn without flame)
Space 15 ft. Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks Burn without flame, detonate (DC 30), drain heat (2d8+6, cone 9d6+6, DC 30)
Special Qualities Ash affinity, darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/-, elemental traits, heatsense 120 ft., immunity to cold, negative energy tolerance 30, resistance to fire 10 and sonic 10, vulnerability to fire
Saves Fort +12 Ref +20 Will +7
Abilities Str 22, Dex 29, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills Listen +27, Spot +27, Tumble +17*
Feats Ability Focus (detonate), Ability Focus (drain heat), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Energy Resistance (fire)E, Improved InitiativeB, Mobility, Opportunistic TacticianDR340, Spring Attack, Vexing FlankerPH2, Weapon FinesseB
Environment Quasielemental Plane of Ash
Organization Solitary or crematory (3-6)
Challenge Rating 11
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 25-48 HD (Huge)

Though resembling loose piles of inert ashes when inactive, an ash quasielemental can shape itself into a very rough facsimile of various shapes - humanoid, canine, or its preferred serpentine form; regardless of how it chooses to appear, however, an ash quasielemental is largely pale and grey (with hints of black) and smells of fires long-dead. No light exists within its body - no flickering ember, no dying cinder, no mote of heat remains within it, for ash quasielementals hunt down and devour warmth, seeking to consume that which is utterly denied to them by their very nature. Ash quasielementals are some of the rare elementals that both appear in numbers regularly and are actively predatory, for with the scarcity of true heat on their home plane they rapidly converge on any available source. The greatest of their kind are true terrors infused with the strange and terrible energies of the plane, which sages continue to theorize about with both fascination and dread.

Ash Affinity (Ex) An ash quasielemental is treated as being two sizes smaller for the purpose of any kind of wind effect such as gust of wind. To pass through or make a melee attack through a wind wall, an ash quasielemental must succeed on a Strength check against the spell's effective save DC. Ash quasielementals can see normally through smoke and ashes of all kinds. An ash quasielemental takes double damage from any source of air- or water-based damage (but not ice or cold; if a water-based attack form deals cold damage, instead the quasielemental suffers half damage provided it is being impacted by some kind of fluid, rather than e.g. solid ice or snow). Ash quasielementals have resistance to sonic 10. Ash quasielementals are immune to desiccationSand damage. An ash quasielemental, despite possessing the Fire subtype, inverts the associated immunity and vulnerability of that subtype; further, any effects that would draw on, penalize, or otherwise exploit the heat or flame of a creature with the Fire subtype do not function against an ash quasielemental; other effects that care about the Fire subtype, such as the turning ability of the Water domain, function normally against them.

Burn Without Flame (Su) Greater and elder ash quasielementals contain the strange and dangerous pure energies of the Quasielemental Plane of Ash in a form so intense that it manifests at their very touch, resulting in the pain and the wounds of exposure to a great and terrible flame, without any heat or light - at most a flicker of a glassy and colorless mirage, the distortion from which also provides the quasielemental with a +2 deflection bonus to AC. Such a quasielemental's attacks deal additional damage adjusted by their Constitution modifier. This damage is not resisted or defended against by any nonmagical material, nor is it inherently resisted or defended against by any creature not native to the Quasielemental Plane of Ash with the exception of beings of divine rank 6 or higher, who possess resistance equal to 10 plus twice their divine rank to this form of damage. Beings of divine rank 16 or higher are immune to this form of damage.

Some lesser ash quasielementals also possess a mote of this pure energy; the amount of damage dealt should be equal to their normal cold damage dealt on a single melee attack before any other adjustments (including other sources of cold damage), modified by their Constitution modifier. As an example, a Small ash quasielemental would deal 1d4 additional damage in this way. Additionally, the strange glassy flickering of the energies provides a +2 deflection bonus to the quasielemental's AC. If a quasielemental possesses this ability, adjust its CR by +1 to account for the added damage and increased AC.

Detonate (Su) Ash quasielementals have a terrible and paradoxical need to consume heat, but not to consume too much heat, lest it overwhelm their innate nature as beings that exist beyond flame. Whenever an ash quasielemental suffers fire damage, it stores that damage as energy within itself for 24 hours. When an ash quasielemental is destroyed, it releases all stored energy at once in a massive blast of flame that roars out to hit all those within the quasielemental's reach for fire damage equal to the amount the ash quasielemental has stored (Reflex half).

Drain Heat (Su) Ash quasielementals naturally consume ambient heat around themselves as their nature hungers to reignite a flame that has never truly been alive. Any creature that enters or starts its turn within the ash quasielemental's reach suffers cold damage (Fort half). As a standard action, an ash quasielemental may focus this draining power into a cone three times the length of its reach (15 ft. for Small or Medium quasielementals, 30 ft. for Large quasielementals, 45 ft. for Huge quasielementals), dealing 1d6 cold damage plus the quasielemental's Constitution modifier, plus an additional 1d6 cold damage for every three hit dice the quasielemental possesses. Nonmagical flames are extinguished by this effect, while magical flames are subject to a dispel check as though exposed to greater dispel magic using the elemental's HD as its caster level.

Heatsense (Ex) Ash quasielementals can perceive any source of heat within 120 ft., including its relative temperature compared to other sources of heat, provided the source is warmer than ambient temperature (e.g. in most cases the body heat of a humanoid will be above that of the local environment, or at least the humanoid had better hope so) and there is no insulating barrier between the quasielemental and the source of heat or other effect that would substantially interfere with their ability to read a source of heat. They can "see" through non-insulating barriers in this way and discern living creatures that produce warmth with enough accuracy to target them with melee attacks without concern for concealment, invisibility, or other such methods that might elude visual detection. Ethereal sources do not generally radiate heat in a way that an ash quasielemental can perceive (their heat is physically on a different plane).

Negative Energy Tolerance (Su) Ash quasielementals can survive minor exposure to negative energy, being immune to a limited amount of negative energy damage (in the manner of protection from energy, but specific to negative energy damage such as inflict wounds, harm, etc). This protection resets after one hour without exposure to negative energy damage, and as long as it is not completely expended, the ash quasielemental benefits from a +2 bonus to saving throws against negative energy effects.

Skills Ash quasielementals have a +8 racial bonus to Tumble checks as they can shift their form to navigate over and around hazards.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Dust Quasielemental

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Lightning Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Mineral Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Radiance Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Salt Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Steam Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Reserved for Vacuum Quasielemental.

[afroakuma]

Naravash
Large Magical Beast
HD 10d10+30 (85 hp)
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares); fly 60 ft. (average)
Init: +6
AC 21; touch 11; flat-footed 19 (+10 natural armor, +2 Dex, -1 size)
BAB +10; Grp +19
Attack Bite +14 melee (2d4+7 and blood suck) or wings +11 ranged (1d8+3, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack Bite +14 melee (2d4+7 and blood suck) and two claws +9 melee (1d8+2) or wings +11/+6 ranged (1d8+3, 19-20/x2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Blood suck, death's awakening, dire shadow, spell-like abilities, wings of shadow
Special Qualities Alternate form, darkvision 120 ft., DR 10/silver, evasion, immunity to poison, necromantic resilience, resistance to cold 10 and sonic 10, weaknesses
Saves Fort +10 Ref +9 Will +5
Abilities Str 21, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills Hide +9 (+13 aboveground at night), Listen +17, Move Silently +9, Spot +8, Tumble +7
Feats Ability Focus (dire shadow), Alertness, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved InitiativeB, StealthyB
Environment Any forest, mountains, or underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 8
Treasure Standard
Alignment Always neutral evil
Advancement 11-15 HD (Large); 16-30 HD (Huge)

The scourge of vampirism is a toxin that plagues many worlds, and vampires themselves are often a locus for dark power and terrible magics to either reinforce their undead state or exert their will over the living. When such a locus of darkness is at long last destroyed, the land can recover, but some vampires have given so much of their dark will over to their territory that it refuses to release its hold on the Material Plane. When a vampire has existed for too long in one place, or forged a bond with a living animal within its lands (such as a mount, an animal companion, a familiar, etc.), the final death of that vampire may result in its animus fleeing to bind with the living soul of a creature. Over the course of three months, such an animal will retreat to a cavern, a ruin, or any other dark and foreboding place where the stain of the vampire's cruelty lingers, absorbing the necromantic energies and transforming into a thing of shadow and night and wickedness, a loathsome beast known as a naravash.

Born from wolves or bats (including their dire variants), naravashes combine the appearance of both into horrid aspect; towering dark two-legged figures with shaggy chests of coarse black hair, massive batlike wings, and a slavering mouth that opens far too widely to display elongated canine teeth used for sucking blood from prey. Seeming at once too bulky in the body for the comparatively light frames of their wings and too slender to pass for a healthy humanoid, naravashes relish their existence as nightmares come alive. Their cold cunning is married to a malicious love of playing with their food, and those who have had the displeasure to encounter both will swear that the emotional spectrum of a naravash is closer to that of a yugoloth than that of any humanoid. Thankfully rare, sages with far too much time on their hands and far too little sense have confirmed that on the unlikely occasion that two naravashes of opposite sex meet, they are capable of breeding true. Still others have discovered naravashes in places where no vampire has ever trod, suggesting that in truly foul and unhallowed places, the wicked energies that give rise to such a beast can emerge without ever having been tied to a vampire at all.

It is theorized that a naravash may in fact possess something of the personality and intellect of the vampire whose death caused it to emerge (provided it is in fact related to one). None have yet been able to confirm this, but the habits of certain naravashes give cause for alarm. If a naravash truly does possess the personality of the destroyed vampire, it is plausible that some odious ritual may exist which could be used to return the vampire to existence using the naravash as host. If it does not... it is all but certain that someone, somewhere, is attempting to devise such a ritual. Naravashes cannot speak (their anatomy does not permit it, just a sort of baying shriek) but are perfectly capable of understanding Common and at least one other language (often Undercommon) and can articulate thoughts in those languages if communicated with via telepathy or other nonverbal methods. It is not yet known whether a naravash can die of old age; the longest-lived one on record exceeded a century before going missing.

Alternate Form (Su) A naravash has two alternate forms, a swarm of bats or a black wolf with red eyes. When assuming either form, the naravash loses its blood suck, dire shadow, and spell-like abilities, while gaining all of the special attacks and special qualities of its assumed form. It takes on the natural attacks and movement speeds of its assumed form and the Swarm subtype if applicable, and gains fast healing 1 while in alternate form. All other statistics remain those of the naravash's base form. The two forms it may take are:

Bat Swarm The naravash takes the form of a bat swarm. Its swarm damage is adjusted by its Dexterity modifier, as the naravash in swarm form moves deliberately to cause harm and can coordinate its constituent bats to do so.

Black Wolf The naravash takes the form of a wolf (treat as a shadow mastiff). In this form, it does not retain its weakness to sunlight, though it suffers 1d4 damage at the start of each turn when standing on consecrated or hallowed ground.

Blood Suck (Ex) A creature bitten by a naravash suffers 1d3 points of Constitution damage. The naravash gains 5 temporary hit points for each point of Constitution damage dealt in this way.

Death's Awakening (Su) 1d6+4 rounds after a naravash dies, dark figures begin to emerge from its corpse for a further seven rounds. On each of the first six rounds, a shadow crawls forth from its corpse, with full memory of those who slew the naravash. On the seventh round, the body crumbles to a fine black ash and a wraith emerges from the remains. When this wraith would create spawn, it instead enters the body of the slain humanoid, whose skin bloats and coarsens to form a pale, leathery cocoon. 24 hours later, the cocoon tears open and the naravash returns to life. This effect can be stopped (either the initial emergence of undead, or the cocooning and revival) with a targeted casting of dispel evil, and does not happen whatsoever if the naravash died in a consecrated or hallowed area or its corpse moved into one before the undead begin to emerge.

Dire Shadow (Su) A naravash projects a shadow onto the ground near itself up to 60 ft. away, a 20 ft. diameter region of shade that is visible even in the poorest lighting conditions. This shadow exists even without light sources, and the naravash may reposition the shadow once per round as a free action. Creatures within the shadow suffer a -4 penalty to initiative checks and must make a Will save (DC 20) or become shaken for as long as they remain within the shadow and for 1d4 rounds thereafter. A creature that successfully saves against a naravash's dire shadow cannot be affected by the shaken condition from that same naravash's dire shadow for 24 hours. Within the shadow the temperature feels noticeably cooler than without, which may aid in figuring out where it is situated when light conditions are too poor to make it out clearly. If the naravash ever moves further than 60 ft. from its dire shadow, the shadow remains in place until the end of the naravash's turn and then immediately centers on the naravash itself unless placed elsewhere.

Evasion (Ex) A naravash that succeeds on a Reflex saving throw against an effect that would deal half damage on a successful save instead takes no damage from that effect. A helpless or immobilized naravash does not gain the benefits of evasion.

Necromantic Resilience (Su) A naravash has a +4 profane bonus on saving throws against death effects, mind-affecting effects, necromantic effects, and shape-changing effects (including polymorphing and petrification).

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) At will - darkness, doom (DC 14), gaseous form (self only); 3/day - consumptive fieldSC (DC 17), crushing despair (DC 17), mesmerizing glareSC (DC 16); 1/day - animate dead. Caster level 10th, save DCs Charisma-based.

Weaknesses (Su) As beings tied strongly to undeath and necromantic magic, naravashes bear several vulnerabilities that can impede or debilitate them:

Druid Circle A druid circle* bars entry to a naravash in any form.

Music Naravashes hate music with a burning passion and particularly despise singing (except for the "song" of another naravash). If a naravash can hear singing (for example, a bardic music performance) or even rhythmic or clearly structured and patterned speech (such as poetry, rap, or ritual chants), it will prioritize attacking the source of that sound to the exception of all other targets and will not break off its attack until the source is silent or the naravash has fallen below 25% of its maximum hit points.

Partial Turning A naravash can be turned (or rebuked) as though undead, though the turning will only affect a naravash for 1d4 rounds. If a naravash would be destroyed or controlled via turn/rebuke, it instead assumes its bat swarm form and flees for 10 rounds. If unable to flee, a naravash assumes gaseous form to attempt an escape.

Running Water In black wolf form, a naravash cannot cross running water of its own volition or under its own power, though it may be physically forced across by an outside force.

Silence A naravash treats creatures within an area of silence as having partial concealment. If the naravash itself is within an area of silence, it treats all other creatures as having partial concealment from it. A naravash requires a verbal component (its shriek) to use its animate dead, consumptive field, crushing despair, or doom spell-like abilities.

Sunlight A naravash is fatigued and sickened (no save) when in direct sunlight.

Wings of Shadow (Su) A naravash can flap its wings to propel a slashing wave of shadow through the darkness to cut apart its prey. When it makes a wing attack, it can make an attack roll against every creature standing in less than bright illumination within a 60 ft. cone to deal 1d8 points of slashing damage, modified by the naravash's Constitution modifier. As a full attack, a naravash can make two iterative wing attacks in this fashion, and may choose a different cone for each should it choose to do so. The slashing shadows threaten a critical hit on an unmodified attack roll of 19 or 20.

Skills A naravash has a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks aboveground at night, as the all-encompassing darkness makes it easier for them to move unnoticed. A naravash's large ears afford it a +8 racial bonus to Listen checks.

[Metastachydium]

Nice one! Death's Awakening, in particular, is deliciously creepy (it's not pointed out explicitly, but I assume if the body is destroyed, it doesn't play out as described?) and I love the weaknesses (especially the improved anti-Bard measure one). The only thing I'm not really sure about concerns its offensive potential which seems to lag far behind its defenses. I'd argue that even with the CON damage (that allows a Fort save an opponent with good Fort should pass half the time at level 8), a single bite on a 10 HD/CR 8 creature is a bit underwhelming.