[Spells and Template] Like a fire in the blood...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Breath of Heaven
Summoning (healing)
Level: Sanctified 4
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Dead creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell opens a rift to one of the tropical locales of the Upper Planes, bringing a warm, humid breeze full of heady scents. You direct the breeze to flow within and raise a creature that has been dead for no longer than one round per caster level that was killed by cold or frostbite damage. The being at this point has not truley died, but is in a coma so deep from the cold that even standard healing magic is unable to heal them.

This functions like the raise dead spell, except that the affected creature receives no level loss, no Constitution loss, and no loss of spells.

The creature has -1 hit points (but is stable) after being restored to life and all ability damage caused by frostburn is healed.

Sacrifice:
1d4 points of dexterity damage.

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Deepwarmth
Transmutation [Earth, Fire and Water]
Level: Clr 9, Drd 9
Components: F, M, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes and see text
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area: 200-ft. radius spread
Duration: Permanent

When you cast Deepwarmth, you feel a rumble of conflicting forces deep beneath your feet. Over the course of a day the ground deep below rearranges itself to bring up heat and water, forming a stable locale of geothermal activity. 1d6 hotsprings, 1d4 mudpots, and a gesyer form within the spell's radius. If a water source, such as a lake or pond already exists it becomes superheated to the boiling point in the range of the spell. This consequently raises the temperature by 2 temperature bands within 200 feet, and one band for 100 feet more.

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Fumarole
Transmutation
Level: Drd 4
Components: M, V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Cone-shaped burst centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half and fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your body begins to shudder and your lips thicken and lengthen into a funneled shape as strange crusty deposits form about them. You spew forth superheated water that reeks of strange chemicals from your mouth, at your targets. Those in the cone takes 3d6 points of fire damage and 1d6 points of acid damage. Unless the target succeeds on a fortitude saving throw he is also nauseated for 1 round by the choking scent of the water.

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Werefell
Transmutation
Level: Druid 7
Component: S, M
Casting Time: One minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 1 mile radius/2 levels
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: None
You put a special type of enchantment over an area of arctic land to aid with the survival of its inhabitants. This enchantment causes any child conceived or born within its boundaries to have a 20% chance of contacting a type of lycanthropy. If so affected, there is a 50% chance the child becomes a shifter, a 40% chance of contracting natural lycanthropy, and a 10% chance of losing its humanity and becoming an animalistic Pelt.
What type of lycanthrope it becomes is determined by the nearest suitable animal at time of birth.

Material Component: Lock of fur or hair from an albino lycanthrope thrown into a chill wind.


Pelt

Pelts derive from druidic spells cast over arctic lands where little life exists to convert those whom come to live there to produce offspring that can better survive the dangerous temperatures. Generally these spells cause natural lycanthropy, or sometimes even shifters, furred creatures able to adapt to the cold. However, some offspring of these creatures are literally nothing more than animals. Every hungry beasts with a feral deviousness, but no true sentience.

They always appear as much more lithe versions of their race with a furry pelt and mane whoes color makes it difficult to spot in its enviroment. Their arms are somewhat longer, their legs shorter, and their back stooped, allowing them to run on all fours for brief periods, though they tend to keep to their hind legs. They tend to vaguely resemble certain arctic creatures such as wolverine, bears or wolf, whatever the original druid intended for that region.

Sometimes packs will form and migrate with herds of grazers, or roam into civilized lands and terrorize travelers. Though not evil they are almost always on the verge of starvation, and though can survive on a diet of mosses and lichens alone, prefer meat.

Some are sickened by the thought, but many a wandering hunter wears a thick coat from a pelt human or has butchered one for his meals.


Sample Pelt
Pelt Bugbear
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, natural camouflage, scent, uncanny dodge
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 7
Skills: Climb +4, Hide *+8, Listen +8, Move Silently +10, Spot +8

Feats: Alertness, Cold Endurance, Endurance, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Any cold or temperate land
Organization: Solitary, or pack (6-40)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 1-20 HD (size remains unchanged)
Level Adjustment: -

This hulking brute appears much as a bugbear, but its unclothed form is leaner, more predatory. It is covered in a thick matt of, long, dense fur the color of fallen snow. Its face is more beastial, and a muzzle of sharp teeth gape hungrily.

Combat
Pelt bugbears are sneaky beasts who stalk their prey, moving with quiet grace and leaping upon their prey before they can react.

Natural Camouflage (Ex):
* A bugbear pelt's fur changes color depending on the season, granting it a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks in natural settings. During winter or in areas of continuous snow a pelt's fur turns a brilliant white. In warmer seasons or in areas devoid of heavy snowfall its fur takes on a variety of shades of dark brown and grey.

Rage (Ex): A bugbear pelt that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The pelt cannot end its rage voluntarily.

Scent (Ex):
A bugbear pelt can detect opponents within 30 feet by smell alone. The exact location is not revealed unless the creature is within 5 feet.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A bugbear pelt retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a pelt already has uncanny dodge as a race feature, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge.

Skills: A bugbear pelt has a +4 racial on Listen and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.


Creating A Pelt

Pelt is an inherited template that can be added to any non-mindless humanoid. It loses all subtypes. A pelt uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: Pelts become animals. Recalculate base attack bonus, saves, and skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Change all current and future Hit Dice to d8s.
Land Speed: A pelt's base land speed increases by 10 feet.
Armor Class: The creature's natural armor increases by 4 points.
Attack: A pelt retains all the natural attacks of the base creature. A pelt based on a creature that has no natural attack gains two claw or one bite attack as shown below (but not both).

Size     Attack
Tiny     2 claw (1d2 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d3 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Small    2 claw (1d3 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d4 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Medium    2 claw (1d4 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (1d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Large    2 claw (1d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (2d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Huge     2 claw (2d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (3d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Gargantuan  2 claw (3d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (4d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)
Colossal   2 claw (4d6 plus Str bonus) or 1 bite (5d6 plus 1-1/2 Str bonus)

Special Attacks: A pelt loses all the supernatural special attacks and spell-like abilities of the base creature. It retains its extraordinary attacks. In addition a pelt gains one of the following special attacks chosen from below:

Ferocity (Ex): A pelt continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a pelt must hit with a natural attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Pounce (Ex): If a pelt charges a foe, it can make a full attack in the same round.
Rage (Ex): A pelt that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The pelt cannot end its rage voluntarily.
Sprint (Ex): Once per hour, the Pelt can move ten times its normal speed (500 feet) when it makes a charge.
Trip (Ex): A pelt that hits with a bite attack (assuming it has one) can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the pelt.

Special Qualities: A pelt loses all magical special qualities and darkvision of the base creature, but retains its extraordinary special qualities. It also gains the special abilities qualities mentioned below:
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A pelt can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Natural Camouflage (Ex): A pelt's fur changes color depending on the season, granting it a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks in natural settings. During winter or in areas of continuous snow a pelt's fur turns a brilliant white. In warmer seasons or in areas devoid of heavy snowfall its fur takes on a variety of shades of dark brown and grey.
Scent (Ex): A pelt can detect opponents within 30 feet by smell alone. The exact location is not revealed unless the creature is within 5 feet.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A pelt retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a pelt already has uncanny dodge as a race feature, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge.

Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Int (reduced to 2), Dex +2, Con +4, Wis +2, Cha -2.
Skills: A pelt gains a +4 racial on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. This stacks with any racial bonuses the base creature possesses.
Feats: A pelt retains all the non-magical/psionic feats of the base creature and gains Cold Endurance and Endurance. Any weapon-based feats become Weapon Focus (bite or claw, as appropriate) even if the pelt doesn't qualify for it.
Enviroment: Any cold or temperate land
Organization: Solitary, or pack (6-40)
Challenge Rating: +1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1-20 HD (size remains unchanged)
Level Adjustment: -

[Fizban]

Looks good. Is deepwarmth meant to be dispellable? I can accept it if it is, but I like the idea of it being instantaneous.
Werefell is an excellent idea. Lycanthropes need some love.

[bosssmiley]

GJ Vorpal. The spells are flavourful. I'm just worried that Werefell is a bit, well, epic in effect for a 7th level spell? Permanent application of a template to any child born in a minimum 7 mile radius? That's way powerful. :o

Other than that praise but no meaningful criticism from me. Particularly like the Pelt template. I've been looking for a flavourful way to represent the Grendels from the old "Rune" PC game recently and I think Pelt Trolls might be the way ahead.

"Mmmmm, feral ice-beasts; abominable." ;D

[Brickwall]

I'm just worried that Werefell is a bit, well, epic in effect for a 7th level spell? Permanent application of a template to any child born in a minimum 7 mile radius? That's way powerful. :o

Well said.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Looks good. Is deepwarmth meant to be dispellable? I can accept it if it is, but I like the idea of it being instantaneous.

Well, except it takes a day to develope. Thats not all that instantaneous.

I'm just worried that Werefell is a bit, well, epic in effect for a 7th level spell? Permanent application of a template to any child born in a minimum 7 mile radius? That's way powerful.

Well, there is only a 20% chance it happens at all, and even then the child is most likely to become a shifter. So I don't really think it all that epic.
You'd be able to infect more by setting a werewolf on the lose.

[martyboy74]

Is Deepwarth designed to be a way for high level Clerics and Druids to be able to set up spa resorts?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Is Deepwarth designed to be a way for high level Clerics and Druids to be able to set up spa resorts?

You betcha.

[Fredderf]

I don't see Werefell being a probelem at level 7. I really don't see any PC's using it, and aside from the 20% chance they will change, it isn't like this spell will effect an area all that much unless it is given years.

I like the Pelt idea. Thought the spells were pretty well balanced as well.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Well, except it takes a day to develope. Thats not all that instantaneous.


Well, there is only a 20% chance it happens at all, and even then the child is most likely to become a shifter. So I don't really think it all that epic.
You'd be able to infect more by setting a werewolf on the lose.

It's still a large-effect permanent spell, and there's no indication how another caster might tell an area was affected by this. I could see a rogue druid wrecking havoc in a major city or three with this, easily.

Personally, I'd make it a communal spell: increase the casting time to one hour (or more) and the druid must get a willing midwife of the community as the focus for the spell.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Well, first off, its highly unlikely that there is to be a major city in the middle of the frostfell.

Increasing casting time sounds reasonable, though a willing midwife would be jussst a bit much for a spell, particularly as components are used up with the casting.

...which would actually be kinda funny ;D

[Mike_Lemmer]

Well, first off, its highly unlikely that there is to be a major city in the middle of the frostfell.

Increasing casting time sounds reasonable, though a willing midwife would be jussst a bit much for a spell, particularly as components are used up with the casting.

...which would actually be kinda funny ;D

First, the restriction that it can only be cast in an arctic land could use a bit more prominence. I took it as a suggestion, like how "A fireball strikes your enemies" doesn't necessarily mean you can't cast it on your (former) friends too.

Second, spell components are used up; spell foci aren't. The midwife wouldn't have to worry. ;)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

First, the restriction that it can only be cast in an arctic land could use a bit more prominence. I took it as a suggestion, like how "A fireball strikes your enemies" doesn't necessarily mean you can't cast it on your (former) friends too.

Well, when I say arctic land, I mean arctic land. Interpretting it differently means you are trying to abuse it. If you try to cast it on your friends they obviously are not your friends anymore or your are being mind controlled to not think they are. As such the literal text still holds true.

Second, spell components are used up; spell foci aren't. The midwife wouldn't have to worry. ;)

And hauling the midwife all about the snows is that much better? ::)

[illathid]

Deepwarmth has a listed Arcane Material Component. However, it can only be cast by divine spellcasters. You may want to change one of those. ;)