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Serraphin
2005-09-26, 03:43 PM
They found bones once, deep down in the swarven mines. They'd been there so long that they were all turned to stone, like you see with some of them giant lizards they dig up.

I heard that they'd never seen the likes before, not on this world anyhow. They looed like little flying grubs, with wide circular wings and the tinyest little fronds in front of its mouth.

One of the explorers said as how he thought they were some relation to the Mind-Flayers.

I left then - I met the brain eaters once, and I don't care how long dead or how far away a relation it might be. Once is enough.
Notes of an archivist - 765 CE

Serraphin
2005-09-26, 05:03 PM
“I remember when we first met Thervek – a brute of a man that looked like he’d be more at home crushing the life and joy out of the innocent than saving them. But his smile was friendly, and he told us he’d been waiting for us on this road – He was a man who strove for order and balance in the world, and knew of our mission.

At first we were worried that he might be some sort of spy, but when we were attacked by ghouls four days out of Sempashore he put up a fight that impressed us all. We knew then that he was true at heart – any deceit would have easily been possible and Thervek could have killed us all whilst we rested.

The distrust didn’t return until a week or so later, when a group of goblins threw boulders from the cliff tops of the Manor Breaks. Thervek fell senseless to one of them, and when we removed his adamantine helm to see what injury had been done – we found that thing clasped tight to the back of his skull…”

Diary of Arden Warpsike, Paladan of H’thor

Juvenile Pordeii Prime
Fine Aberration
Hit Dice: 1d8-4 (3 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed[b/]: 5 ft*. (1 square) Climb 5ft*. (1 square) 20 ft* fly (4 squares - good)
[b]Armor Class: 21 (+8 size, +3 Dex), touch 21, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +1
Attack: Bite +1 (1 hp)
Full Attack: Special (see below)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./ 0.
Special Attacks: Dominate (see below)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., detect evil (Sp) 60ft 3/per day, disguise self (Ex) 3/per day, telepathy 240 feet
Saves: Fort -4, Ref +3, Will +10
Abilities: Str 1*, Dex 17*, Con 3*, Int 18, Wis 22, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +16, Listen +6, Spot +8, Disguise +5
Feats: Simple Weapon Proficiency, Toughness, Armour Proficiency (Medium), Wingover
Environment: Any non-inhabited
Organization: Solitary or group (wilderness) or Community
Challenge Rating: 1*
Treasure: special†
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: +2

* These stats are over-ridden by those of a host once a Pordeii has attached itself to one, it’s challenge rating should be added (as per DMG) to the CR of the host creature.

† An unattached Pordeii will have a small collection of items nearby, left by its parent – these will consist of a helmet, a small bag of gold (3d10) and a potion of cure light wounds. If with a host, roll as per host treasure type + standard helm and 3d10 gold.

The Pordeii are aberrant lawful parasites that are rarely encountered and very hard to notice, as they deal with the outside world nearly entirely through a proxy host. The Pordeii themselves are small flying grub like creatures that can easily be mistaken for bats in bad light, but upon closer examination are obviously not natural beasts.

Pordeii have the natural ability to latch onto (or near) the brain of creatures and take complete control of them, allowing it to interact with its surroundings and also to use some of it’s own abilities through the host. Though the Pordeii have complete control over the host’s physical body, they do not have access to memories or skills and must gain their own experience within the world.

Despite its method of growth and their preferred ‘mount’ the Pordeii are generally considered a kind and caring race, choosing only to control those who would normally bring harm and hatred to the world. The few tales of Pordeii interference with humanoids usually involve a Pordeii joining a band of noble adventurers, or thwarting the plans of an evil fiend.

A juvenile Pordeii is left in the wilderness by its parent, to search out a usable host and to gain enough strength to form a full Pordeii-pod. The Juvenile Pordeii will often hang from a tree or cave ceiling by the hundreds of cilia that line its underside, using its natural ability to disguise itself with its surroundings to defeat notice. When a creature approaches, the Pordeii will ascertain its alignment – If the creature is Evil in demeanor, the Pordeii will attempt to take it as a host. Some Pordeii will take animals as hosts regardless of alignment; in order to later secure a more viable host.

Once a host joined Pordeii has matured enough it will eventually attempt to spawn ‘Jor Pordeii’ or ‘Pordeii Limbs’, these grubs are identical to the host, but do not have its Extraordinary or Spell like abilities to disguise and read thoughts. They do, however, have a limited telepathic link to their parent that allows the original Pordeii to control the new hosts taken as if a natural extension of its own host.

It is believed that there are further stages of Pordeii aging but much like the Pordeii, very little can be confirmed.

The Pordeii have an advanced culture and there are rumoured to be entire Pordeii cities, though none have ever seen them – or at least been able to tell the tale if they have.

A Pordeii Prime is the most likely Pordeii to be seen by anyone other than the Pordeii themselves. The creature looks like an elongated grub roughly six inches long and an inch in diameter with fine membranous wings that extend in semi-circles from its tail to its tip. This creature is the first stage of a full Pordeii Houdan (Pordeii family) and will be the main thinker of its eventual group.

COMBAT
A hostless Pordeii will be usually well hidden and awaiting a suitable target – They will use their well-honed hiding and disguise skills and abilities to ambush an unsuspecting creature of an evil alignment that passes nearby. For this reason, a lone Pordeii will most likely be found near a wilderness trail or cave entrance to increase the change of a host traveling nearby.

Once the Juvenile Pordeii encounters a suitable target, it will try to wait until it can launch itself from its perch and make a single attack (As the Pordeii is a fine creature, it needs to enter the targets 5’ square). If the Pordeii can make a standard attack and cause a single point of damage, it may attempt to overwhelm the target to take control of its body. In order to take control of the host it must make an opposed willpower check, if the check succeeds the target is now host to the Pordeii – it gets no further saves unless the Pordeii is knocked out separate from the host (see below). A successful save means that the Pordeii has been resisted, and must attempt to make another melee attack before it can attempt to overcome its opponent again.
A Pordeii may not take control of Undead, Ethereal or creatures that have no ‘brain’ (i.e. oozes, Fungus, swarms).

A Pordeii may take control of a creature up to four size levels larger than itself (i.e. – Fine -> Medium).

A Pordeii and its host are unable to take any actions for 1d4+2 rounds immediately after the Pordeii has gained control via a controlling attack.

A Pordeii with a host uses the Pordeii’s base attack bonus, skills, feats, spells and mental stats (Int, Wis, Cha) the Pordeii with host will use the hosts physical stats (Str, Dex, Con) and all the Pordeii’s related skills, weapon bonus’ and damage bonus’ are derived from these numbers.

During combat a Pordeii with host will attack and defend with its hosts body as per its new stats – all damage dealt, is inflicted to the host and not to the Pordeii unless a called shot to the Pordeii is made. For this reason nearly all Pordeii will wear some form of helmet, in order to armour the Pordeii itself (and to provide some disguise in humanoid society).

When a host reaches 0 hp (or at any point when conscious) a Pordeii has the option to disconnect from the host as a standard action, doing so will allow the host to regain its senses after 1d2+2 rounds – as the host recalls none of the actions it took whilst under control and will be dazed for this amount of time. If a host falls unconscious (reduced to –1 to –10 hp) the Pordeii is also unconscious and will take a hp per hp of damage to the host body as the feedback from the pain will cause physical harm to the parasite.

Whenever a Pordeii would gain enough levels to warrant an increase in a statistic, it gains the ability to spawn a Jor (limb). If the Pordeii wishes to spawn a Jor, it must place the stat increase in Willpower – this will then allow it to spawn a single Jor. This may be repeated every time a Jor would warrant a stat increase due to experience levels.

If a Pordeii has any spawned Pordeii Limbs in combat with it – these limbs act on the same initiative round as the Pordeii and have their own attacks as per the host. For all intensive purposes treat the Pordeii limbs as henchmen under the direct control of the Pordeii, they use the same mental stats as the Pordeii (as above) and are not required to make morale checks.

When a Jor (the spawn itself, not the host) is killed, the Prime suffers 1d6+2 psychic backlash and a –1 penalty to all skill checks for 24 hours. The Prime may not spawn another Jor for a further 7 days and the Jor must still mature before it can attach to a host.

Serraphin
2005-09-26, 05:04 PM
We came across brigands this day, seven brutal men with great bows and battle axes seeking to hinder our righteous journey into the domain of our nemesis . The battle that ensued was bloody and intense, full of war cries and the flash of arcane power from my comrades.

When one of the brigands began to lay into his own comrades, we were (all of us) shocked for a moment. Until I noticed something on his head – A thing like the one we had uncovered on Thervek. The two now fought side by side, aiding each other without a spoken word.

I pray to my God that Thervek does not decide that I need to become as he…”

Diary for Arden Warpsike, Paladan of H’thor

Jor Pordeii
Fine Aberration
Hit Dice: 1d8-5 (1 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 5 ft*. (1 square) Climb 5ft*. (1 square) 20 ft* fly (4 squares - average)
Armor Class: 21 (+8 size, +3 Dex), touch 21, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +1
Attack: Bite +1 (1 hp)
Full Attack: Special (see below)
Space/Reach: n/a.
Special Attacks: Dominate
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft. Telepathy to Prime 240 ft. (Sp)
Saves: Fort -4, Ref +2, Will +10
Abilities: Str 1*, Dex 17*, Con 3*, Int 18, Wis 22, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +16, Listen +6, Spot +8, Disguise +5
Feats: (As per Prime)
Environment: Any non-inhabited
Organization: group (wilderness) or Community
Challenge Rating: +1‡
Treasure: special†
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: --

* These stats are over-ridden by those of a host once a Pordeii has attached itself to one.
† If with a host, roll as per host treasure type. Otherwise none.
‡ For every Jor Pordeii encountered add +1 to the CR of the host creature and use the DMG rules for groups to create the new encounter CR.

A Jor Pordeii has an appearance that matches its original Prime in every way except that it is slightly shorter and has a smaller wingspan. A Jor Pordeii has no self will and is controlled completely by its Prime.

COMBAT
A Jor Pordeii shares all skills, feats and mental stats (Int, Wis, Cha) with the Prime that spawned it. However during combat there is a cumulative –1 penalty to all attack rolls by a Jor Pordeii for each Jor Podeii that the Prime has spawned. This is due to the slight response delay in remotely controlling its ‘limbs’,

A Jor Pordeii uses weapons as armed by its host and its armour class is worked out as per the hosts AC.

e.g. A Pordeii has reached a high enough state of being to have two Jor Pordeii with their own hosts. The Prime Pordeii attacks as normal, but each of the Jor Pordeii suffer a –2 penalty to all attack rolls and skill use in combat due to the delay in the telepathic link. They still react on the same initiative round as the Prime, however.

A Jor Pordeii suffers the same damage backlash as the Prime (see above) when its host is killed.

Serraphin
2005-09-26, 05:04 PM
“We stood trembling, our spells spent, our armour rent and our wills broken. The Lich lord stood before us in a state of undead glory – more than ready to wipe our mortal souls from this fold. It had been three days since that our unusual companion (and his…companions) Thervek had met his doom falling into an underground stream and being washed away – all four bodies disappearing beneath the murky waters of that cavern.

As we thought that our ends could be no worse – prepared as we were to charge this minion of evil and hopefully destroy him even if it took our own lives – the sky darkened and a new fear clutched at our hearts. From above and into the courtyard swooped a huge black dragon, the stench of its bile and the wash of evil that flowed from it pushed even the most stalwart of our warriors to the ground. We knew all was lost; this was the mount of the dread lord that the local towns had spoken of – his constant companion and guardian.

“Destroy them.” The Lich hissed, the burning red of his eyes brightening further.

The beast turned its great maw in our direction…and winked.

I will never forget seeing that sinuous neck twisting towards the Undead lord, nor will I forget the ray like creatures attached to the wyrm’s skull – their wings extended and flat to its scales.

But mostly I will never forget the sight of that jubilant undead thing, turned to slagged mulch beneath the breath of his mount. His cries of despair as the acid ate away his body, and as the dragon took his phylactery from around its neck and crushed it beneath a claw.”

Diary of Arden Warpsike, Paladan of H’thor

Pordeii Umbal
Tiny Aberration
Hit Dice: 3d8 (14 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 5 ft*. (1 square) Climb 5ft*. (1 square) 10 ft* fly (2 squares - average)
Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +4
Attack: Bite +4 (1 hp)/ Bite +4 (1 hp)/ Bite +4 (1 hp)
Full Attack: Special (see below)
Space/Reach: n/a.
Special Attacks: Dominate
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft. detect evil (Sp) 60ft 5/per day, disguise self (Ex) 5/per day.
Saves: Fort -2, Ref +0, Will +13
Abilities: Str 1*, Dex 9*, Con 10*, Int 24, Wis 25, Cha 18
Skills: Hide +16, Listen +8, Spot +10, Disguise +8
Feats: (As per Prime)
Environment: Any non-inhabited
Organization: Solitary (wilderness) or Community
Challenge Rating: +5*
Treasure: special†
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: --

The Pordeii Umbal is the final form of the Pordeii race – A Pordeii with three Jor may conjoin with its spawn to form a single Tiny parasite. The Pordeii Jor will release their hosts and join the Prime, surrounding and touching the original. A thick membrane forms and a cocoon develops around the entire host – over the next three days, the Pordeii changes in subtle ways and all of its brain matter moves into a single point. At the end of these three days, the new Pordeii is ready and the cocoon sloughs away.

This form of the Pordeii is less dexterous than its original form (as its oddly joined bodies make movement difficult) but its intelligence and indomitable will are much improved.

A Pordeii Umbal is no longer able to create Jor, though will retain any that it did not use in forming the Umbal (only three Jor plus the Prime are required).

The reason for this change at first appears minor and almost needless – but the conjoining of four Pordeii bodies gives the creature a greater ability to control others; and its new size means it can take hold of beasts even with a somewhat larger size…

COMBAT
A Pordeii Umbal will attempt to attain a host in much the same way that a Pordeii Prime will – preferring ambush or subterfuge. However the joined creature has the advantage of being able to make three attacks per round and thereby increasing the opportunity to make a successful strike and take hold of its host (however the Pordeii Umbal may still only make one actual ‘control’ attempt per round).

Due to their increased size, Pordeii may attempt to take hold of creatures of up to Huge size – and many Umbal favour large flying hosts such as dragons or huge land forms such as giants.

A Pordeii Umbal will use the physical attacks of its host or cast spells/feats/abilities through the host itself.


Pordeii as characters

Pordeii characters possess the following racial traits.
~ -8 Strength, -6 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +6 Wisdom
~ Fine size
~ Base land speed of 5 feet, Climb Speed 5feet, Fly Speed (good) 20 feet
~ Darkvision to 60 feet
~ Racial Hit Dice: A Juvenile Pordeii Prime begins with one level of aberration which provides 1d8 racial hit dice, a base attack of +0 and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +0 and Will +2
~ Natural Weapons: 1 Bite (1hp)
~ Special Attacks (see above): Dominate
~ Special qualities: Telepathy to 240ft, Detect Evil (as Spell) 3/day, Disguise Self (as spell) 3/day
~ Automatic Languages: Common, Pordeii. Bonus Languages: Elven, Dwarven, Draconic, Undercommon.
~ Favoured Class: Wizard
~ Level Adjustment: +2

A Pordeii may create a Jor (and gain a second host) every four character levels and only if the extra stat points are placed in Wisdom.

Due to the un-nerving nature of the Pordeii's Jor Spawning, they may never take henchmen/cohorts/etc.

If a Pordeii player has three or more Jor, he may follow the rules for joining them and become and Umbal. Becoming an Umbal incurrs the following stat alterations:

Int: +2
Wis: +3
Dex: -4
size: Small

Serraphin
2005-09-26, 05:05 PM
“Many of us did not awake until some weeks later, our bodies torn and drained from our experience – two of our party would never rise again.

The Pordeii city was grand to behold, wondrous spires and arches – sights and sounds you can see in no other place. And races of all kinds – many that you would usually expect to be sticking a knife in your back – crowded the streets and cheered us as we walked towards their palace.

We met their emperor, or queen, I could not tell. It was a beast of great size with a wingspan a hundred times that of our colleague. Its skin was darkly iridescent in the light, shimmering like oil and its voice rang in our heads like sweet nectar.

I will not tell you what it rode upon, for you would not believe me. But not for all the gods in our world would I dare attack such a creature, for if their leader can take the mind of…that…then I would be but a mote in its eye.”

Poronoa
Large Lawful Aberration
Hit Dice: 5d8 (38 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 5 ft*. (1 square) Climb 5ft*. (1 square) 10 ft* fly (4 squares - poor)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 Natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3
Attack: Bite +3 (2d6 +1)
Full Attack: Special (see below)
Space/Reach: n/a.
Special Attacks: Dominate
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft. Telepathy 600 ft. Spells as 7th lvl wizard.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +14
Abilities: Str 14*, Dex 15*, Con 17*, Int 19, Wis 28, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +14, Spot +10, Diplomacy +8, Spellcraft +9
Feats: Alertness, Combat casting, Extended casting, Silent casting
Environment: Pordeii Community
Organization: Solitary (within Community)
Challenge Rating: +7‡
Treasure:
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Advancement: Wizard
Level Adjustment: --


The Poronoa are the elevated leaders of the Pordeii. It is unclear how they are formed – but their large size allows them to take the most gigantic of creatures as slaves.

Poronoa have lost the ability to spawn Jor, and must therefore rely entirely upon their subjects, which are completely loyal to the Pordeii hive.

The Poronoa are never seen outside the few great Pordeii cities, and only the privileged few are allowed to meet with them. These meetings are rare, and only awarded to those who have done the greatest service to the people of the Pordeii.

A Poronoa will rarely attack by itself, its subjects will bring a host bound or incapacitated to the Poronoa and it will attach itself with the aid of these subjects. The Pordeii leader will prefer to cast spells and conduct the actions of its Pordeii subjects, using its huge telepathy range to co-ordinate large groups or call for help should its personal guard fall.

When a Poronoa is spellcasting, the Parasite itself is casting the spells - using the host for verbal components. If a Poronoa looses the host, it will spell cast with using the still spell ability (which is a class feat, and not Ex, Su or Sp).

A sample Poronoa will have memorised the following spells:

0 lvl:Read Magic(x2),Mage Hand, Detect Magic
1 lvl:Grease, Summon Monster I, Charm Person, Sleep
2 lvl:Web, See Invis, Acid Arrow, Cat's Grace
3 lvl:Dispel Magic, Magic Circle vs Evil, Suggestion, Wind Wall
4 lvl:Stoneskin, Gaseous Form(silent)

Serraphin
2005-09-27, 08:59 AM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finished (I hope). First entry so any feedback and criticism gratefully recieived, especially any obvious errors.

Only been playing 3e for about 6 months, so apologies for any seemingly obvious errors. Tell me, I'll fix em :)

Look forward to getting some practice in and entering every single competition.

JustinCognito
2005-09-27, 11:38 AM
I really like the idea of brain-eating parasites that use their powers for good. Nifty.

EvilDave
2005-09-28, 11:52 AM
Disclaimer: I'm not what I would consider someone who can make rule judgements, and I'm currently away from my resources.

But there seem to be a few discrepencies.

Juvenile Prime hp:
Avg of 1d8 = 4.5, -4 = .5, rounds to 1

Throw in Toughness or a little more constitution, he can keep the 3.

Jor's wouldn't get Toughness, sucks to be them.

Umbal's get, by the looks of it, 1d8-2 hp/level, averaging 2.5 hp/level. With 3 HD, he's got 8 hp unless his constitution is upped.

The Pordeii's dominate ability is based on an opposed will save, cool. The Umbal's got 2 HD and 3 Wisdom on the juvenile, so, assuming it's will save is it's good save, that's +2 or +3 to it's will save over the juvenile; why is it's will save then 6 less?

Paranoa's got 1d8+3 hp/level (7.5 avg), based on it's constitution. With 5 HD, that's 38 hp.

Also, it would be very helpful for the Paranoa to have a default spell list. And are the spells cast by the host or by the Pordeii? Can both actions occur during the same round? Are the silent/extended casting the actual metamagic feats or a supernatural ability?

That's all I've got for now.

All around, very cool and, imo, useable entry. Very nice flavor text introducing each portion as well.

Serraphin
2005-09-29, 11:55 AM
Thanks Evil D' - think I've made changes enough to match the parts now.

This is the kind of help I needed! And I'm glad someone likes :)