[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 9: Creatures

[Zeta Kai]

She-Da-Zhong, Cobra (Lesser)

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3E Material

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Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22HP)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30’ (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 natural, +3 masterwork studded leather, +2 masterwork heavy shield); touch 10; flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Masterwork Flail +6 melee (1d8+1) or Masterwork Shortbow +5 ranged (1d6+1/×3, 60’ range increment)
Full Attack: Masterwork Flail +6/+1 melee (1d8+1) or Masterwork Shortbow +5 ranged (1d6+1/×3, 60’ range increment)
Space/Reach: 5’/5’
Special Attacks: Spell-Like Abilities
Special Qualities: Alternate Form, Darkvision 60’, Detect Poison, Monstrous Humanoid traits, Spell Resistance 14
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 13 (+1), Dex 11 (+0), Con 13 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 12 (+1)
Skills: Disguise +4*, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (any) +4, Listen +6, Spellcraft +5, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness (Bonus), Dodge, Improved Initiative
Environment: warm deserts (Siraaj)
Organization: solitary, pair, gang (4-8), nest (3-12 Lessers, 2-5 Greaters, & 4-8 Elders) or tribe (25-150 Lessers, 10-80 Greaters, & 15-50 Elders)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: standard
Alignment: usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: +1

Combat
With an air of superiority, lessers will battle with wit & guile, preferring traps & ambushes to a fair fight. They will employ their magic in combat to great effect, using obscuring mist to cloud vision, touch of idiocy to hobble opponents, etc. They will often fire their bows at weak opponents rather than wield their flails, opting for an easy kill rather than take the risk of getting injured in melee.

Spell-Like Abilities

• 1/Day: obscuring mist, sleep (DC12), stinking cloud (DC14), touch of idiocy
• Caster level 4th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Alternate Form (Sp): A lesser cobra can assume the form of a Tiny-Large size cobra (see the Snake entry of the Monster Manual, page 280) as a spell-like ability. The she-da-zhong loses its natural weapons (if any) & gains the natural weapon of the cobra form that it assumes. If the she-da-zhong has a venomous bite of its own, then it uses its own or the cobra’s venom, whichever is more potent.

Detect Poison (Sp): A lesser cobra can use detect poison (as the spell; caster level 6th) as a spell-like ability.

Monstrous Humanoid traits: All creatures with the Monstrous Humanoid type possess the following traits:

• Darkvision out to 60’.
• Proficient with all simple weapons.
• Monstrous humanoids not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor or shields.
• Monstrous humanoids eat, sleep, & breathe.

Skills: A lesser cobra has a +4 racial bonus on Disguise checks when masquerading as a human.

She-Da-Zhong Lore
Characters that have ranks in Knowledge (Nature) can learn more about she-da-zhong. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DC’s.

• DC13: “Hailing from the Western Continent, a race of snake-worshippers have come to Admaja with an unknown agenda.” A character making this check recalls all monstrous humanoid traits.
• DC18: “These serpent-folk are the she-da-zhong; they can transform into snakes, & lie to you in both shapes.” A character making this check knows the workings of the Alternate Form & Detect Poison qualities.
• DC23: “They seek to corrupt & dominate all within their venomous grasp, & they have many magical powers at their disposal to do as such.” A character making this check remembers a she-da-zhong’s spell-like abilities, as well as any other special attacks & qualities.
• DC28: “They worship Martuakh, a sinister god that demands gory sacrifice, so their idols of the Serpent Lord are often covered in blood.” A character making this check is familiar with the she-da-zhong’s culture, society, & habits. This also grants the character basic knowledge about Martuakh.
• DC33: “The she-da-zhong of the Asp faction are in a kind of civil war with the she-da-zhong of the Cobra faction, separated by their differing religious & cultural tenets.” A character making this check knows the history of the she-da-zhong, & the reason for the separation between the Asps & the Cobras.

Abilities & Racial Features
Lesser cobra characters possess the following racial traits:

• Intelligence +2, Wisdom +2.
• Monstrous Humanoid: A lesser cobra is not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person. It is still subject to charm monster or dominate monster, however.
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, lesser cobras have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Racial Hit Dice: A lesser cobra begins with 4 levels of humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, & base saving throw bonuses of Fortitude +1, Reflex +4, & Will +4.
• Racial Skills: A lesser cobra’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 × (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge (any 1), Listen, Spellcraft, & Spot. Also, a lesser cobra has a +4 racial bonus on Disguise checks when masquerading as a human.
• Racial Feat: A lesser cobra’s humanoid levels give it 1 feat. Also, a lesser cobra has Alertness as a bonus feat.
• A lesser cobra’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• Spell-Like Abilities
  
  • 1/Day: obscuring mist, sleep (DC12), stinking cloud (DC14), touch of idiocy
  • Caster level 4th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
• Alternate Form (Sp): A lesser cobra can assume the form of a Tiny-Large size cobra (see the Snake entry of the Monster Manual, page 280) as a spell-like ability. The she-da-zhong loses its natural weapons (if any) & gains the natural weapon of the cobra form that it assumes. If the she-da-zhong has a venomous bite of its own, then it uses its own or the cobra’s venom, whichever is more potent.
• Detect Poison (Sp): A lesser cobra can use detect poison (as the spell; caster level 6th) as a spell-like ability.
• +1 natural armor bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Najai-She (Cobra She-da-zhong). Bonus Languages: Alhaggi, Common, & Draconic.
• Favored Class: Paladin (of Tyranny).
• Level Adjustment: +1.

4E Material

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Please see Yuan-ti in the Monster Manual 1, pages 269-273.

At first, this lithe being appeared to be a slim-hipped human with smooth, pale skin. Upon closer inspection though, the scaly patches on its body, sharp features, & unblinking eyes betray it as an inhuman creature. Soon, more alien features are revealed, such as a forked tongue & pointed teeth.

Known amongst themselves as the Naja Xian, the she-da-zhong of the Cobra Party are strict, authoritarian, & utterly evil. The lessers (Kyang) take care of public issues, such as social events & trade negotiations. They often pretend to be human, emulating human culture (with varying degrees of success) in order to better ensnare sacrificial prey.

A lesser cobra is about 5’-6’ tall, & weighs around 90-160 pounds. They speak Alhaggi, Common, Draconic, & Najai-She.

Plot Hooks

• A new religious group has been constructing a temple on the outskirts of town, apparently dedicated to some serpent god.
• A zhong was captured by the local authorities trying to sneak into the sultan’s palace, & it due to stand trial.
• The bazaar is buzzing with rumors that one of the merchants is secretly a zhong spy.