Steel Men and other strange creatures (3.5, PEACH)

[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 axiomatic^PlH observers^LoM 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 scyllan^Storm 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, kopru^MMII, 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 claws^SC
2nd - charm beast (as charm person, but applies to animals and magical beasts only)
3rd - girallon's blessing^SC
4th - displacer form^SC
5th - form of the threefold beastCM
6th - aspect of the earth hunter^SC
7th - mass animalistic power^PHBII
8th - ally of beasts*
9th - shapechange

Danger Domain
Granted Power Gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.
1st - omen of peril^SC
2nd - nerveskitter^SC
3rd - phantom foe^DM
4th - discern danger*
5th - nightmare
6th - greater discern danger*
7th - menacing mirage*
8th - mass death ward^SC
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 ward^CC
3rd - body ward^CC
4th - delay death^SC
5th - stalwart pact^SC
6th - superior resistance^SC
7th - renewal pact^SC
8th - ironguard^SC
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 ward^CC
3rd - body ward^CC
4th - delay death^SC
5th - stalwart pact^SC
6th - superior resistance^SC
7th - renewal pact^SC
8th - ironguard^SC
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 field^CS
2nd - decomposition^SC
3rd - mold touch^PGtF
4th - liferot^DR347
5th - memory rot^SC
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 Startouched^DR340 feat.
1st - guiding star^DR340
2nd - glitterdust
3rd - astrology*
4th - shooting star^DR340
5th - blistering radiance^SC
6th - starmantle^BoED
7th - holy star^SC
8th - star body*
9th - black blade of disaster^SC

Spoiler: New Spells

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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).

Spoiler: Summonable Creatures

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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 sign^EE), 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 phycomid^DR337 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 disease^SC 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 body^SC 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 effects^SC 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 Will^B, 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.

Spoiler: Sample Ertoch: Malheri

Show

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 Favor^{B, FCII}, Evil Brand^{B, BoVD}, Evil's Blessing^{B, EE}, Improved Initiative, Mark of Dis^{B, FCII}, Vile Martial Strike^{B, BoVD} (glaive), Weapon Focus (glaive)
Environment Any (Nine Hells of Baator)
Organization Solitary, may be accompanied by two spinagons^FCII 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.

Spoiler: Sample Ertoch: Achtialon

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Achtialon, Gift of Night
Medium Outsider (Baatezu, Evil, Extraplanar, Goblinoid, Lawful)
Hobgoblin Ertoch (Zepar) 4th-level Rogue/5th level Paladin (Sword of Celestia^DR349)
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 Aura^FCII (DC 22, 2/day), Devil's Favor^{B, FCII}, Devoted Inquisitor^CAdv (DC 22), Evil Brand^{B, BoVD}, Evil's Blessing^{B, EE}, Mark of Maladomini^{B, FCII}, Telling Blow^PHBII, Vile Martial Strike^{B, 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 blurring^MIC leather armor of silent moves^MIC imbued with lesser iron ward diamond^MIC, Lyliax, ghost shroud^MIC, devastation gauntlets^MIC, ring of the darkhidden^MIC, cloak of elvenkind, mask of mastery^MIC, vest of escape, +2 belt of magnificence^Mini)
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.

Spoiler: Lyliax

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Lyliax
Also known as the Sibilant Sword, Lyliax is an intelligent +1 bloodfeeding^BoVD 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 strike^SC 3/day, doom 3/day, veil of shadow^SC 3/day, and once per day the sword may be struck against a solid surface to produce an infernal threnody^SC, 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.

Spoiler: Dukes of Hell

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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 Favor^FCII, Evil Brand^BoVD, Evil's Blessing^EE, and Vile Martial Strike^BoVD (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 feat^FCII (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 Tracking^ECS as a bonus feat. Add Survival to your list of class skills.
1st - pass without trace
2nd - knock
3rd - locate object
4th - evacuation rune^SC
5th - nightstalker's transformation^SC
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 presence^CC 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 deity^SC
7th - bestow greater curse^SC
8th - moment of prescience
9th - greater visage of the deity^SC

[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, Track^B, Stealthy^B, Weapon Finesse^B
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, Run^B, 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 Scout^CAdv

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. ) 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?

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. ) 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?

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?

Edit: Or maybe an altraloth template?

Those are definitely coming in the future.

[afroakuma]

Ice Paraelemental

Spoiler: Small

Show

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)

Spoiler: Medium

Show

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)

Spoiler: Large

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, 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)

Spoiler: Huge

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, Polar Chill^UA, 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)

Spoiler: Greater

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, Mobility, Polar Chill^UA, 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)

Spoiler: Elder

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, Mobility, Polar Chill^UA, 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 desiccation^Sand 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

Spoiler: Small

Show

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)

Spoiler: Medium

Show

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)

Spoiler: Large

Show

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)

Spoiler: Huge

Show

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)

Spoiler: Greater

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Magma
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 9
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 22-23 HD (Huge)

Spoiler: Elder

Show

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 Toughness^MMIII, 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

Spoiler: Small

Show

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 Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 3 HD (Small)

Spoiler: Medium

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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 Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 3
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 5-7 HD (Medium)

Spoiler: Large

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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 Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, Power Attack
Environment Paraelemental Plane of Ooze
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure None
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9-15 HD (Large)

Spoiler: Huge

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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 Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, 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)

Spoiler: Greater

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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 Target^CWar, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, 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)

Spoiler: Elder

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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 Target^CWar, Energy Resistance (electricity)^E, Improved Grapple^B, Improved Toughness^MMIII, 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 desiccation^Sand 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.

Spoiler: House Rule: Acid Is Unfair

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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.

[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.