Songbird race! (And other stuff.)

[Metastachydium]

And a (probably) last one for this year: yet another planty!

Tuber
Tubers are amorphous, roughly ovoid lumps of hard, starchy, yellow-white matter, covered by a dirt brown skin. Four pale, fleshy stalks extend from their bodies; the upper two are prehensile. Two tiny, round eyes and a wide, lipless mouth complete their features.

Tubers speak Common and Undercommon.

Size/Type: Tiny Plant
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 feet (2 squares), burrow 5 feet
Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-
Attack: Dart thruster + ranged (1d4, 19–20/×2)
Full Attack: Dart thruster + ranged (1d4, 19–20/×2)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Not today
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, plant traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +11, Intimidate +8, Listen +2, Search +2, Spot +2
Feats: Persuasive
Environment: Any temperate to cold land and underground
Organization: Solitary or cluster (5–8)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: Often neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Tubers are lazy and slow; they prefer to spend their time hiding in the soil and largely motionless. Caught in a fight, they rely on their special abilities and their burrow speed to ward off and escape harm.

Not Today (Su)
When threatened, a tuber can draw a Medium-sized dart thruster, seemingly from thin air, as an immediate action. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The tuber is proficient with this weapon and may use it without incurring penalties for wielding an inappropriately sized weapon. A tuber can only have one such thruster drawn at a time. The weapon can be stashed as a free action.

Any adjacent opponent that would attack the tuber in the same round when this dart thruster is drawn must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or lose the action and back off at least 10 feet. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Skills
Tubers receive a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate whenever they are wearing sundark goggles or similar items with darkened lenses.

♣

So, um, yes, this is really just a potato. A potato with a gun. (Inspired by that potato with a gun. Don't hate me too much for it.)

On an unrelated note, I've just noticed the shibboleth is missing two feats. So, while I'm here anyhow, I'll go fix that too.

[Metastachydium]

And I return in my full, blazing glory! Have another deathless (a friendly and charming one, this time):

Prior
The origin of priors is somewhat debated; most hold that they were either mortals once or are the will of mortals to watch over a person, place or object made manifest and given the power to help or hinder any who mean to interact with their charge.

Subtle and generally benevolent, priors understand up to five languages commonly spoken in the area they inhabit. They were never observed to speak.

Size/Type: Medium Deathless [Incorporeal]
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: Fly 20 feet (perfect)
Armor Class: 10 (-2 Dex, +2 deflection), touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/–
Attack: –
Full Attack: –
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Deny
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., deathless traits, incorporeal traits, ever unseen, whisper
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +8
Abilities: Str –, Dex 6, Con –, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Hide +11, Knowledge (any four) +11, Listen +8, Move Silently +5, Search +11, Sense Motive +16, Spot +8
Feats: Insightful Reflexes, Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or more (2–500)
Challenge Rating: 5
Alignment: Usually good (any)
Advancement: 6–10 HD (Small), 11–15 HD (Tiny), 16–20 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Priors will do what they can to ensure the safety of their charge, showing no fear of destruction. While they cannot fight in the strictest sense, they will aid (directly or indirectly) whatever party the intentions of which appear to best align with their own.

Deny (Su)
Priors express their disapproval in intangible, but hardly unfelt ways. As a full-round action, they can enter the space of any adjacent creature without provoking attacks of opportunity. As long as they share said creature's space, they may choose to impose a luck penalty equal to their Charisma modifier on an initiative check, skill check or attack roll (the prior's choice) each round.

Ever Unseen (Su)
Priors have no physical form and are impossible to detect through mundane means. True Sight or similar effects (but not See Invisibility) will allow perceiving them, but it still takes a succesful Spot check, opposed by the prior's Hide; a succesful check still only reveals a barely visible rippling of the air where the prior currently is.

Whisper (Su)
A prior that entered the space of an adjacent creature might mean well instead of ill, guiding it through a barely perceptible mental link. Such a creature benefits from an insight bonus equal to the prior's Wisdom modifier to its armour class, a skill check or a saving throw (the prior's choice) each round for as long as it shares its space with the prior.

Skills
Priors have a +6 racial bonus on Hide and Sense Motive checks.

[Metastachydium]

So, today is DOUBLE entry day, and for a change of pace, it even has a theme to it, namely inexplicable overspecialization! Now, to business:

Aegofon
A hulking, heavyset quadruped, covered in coarse, stiff hair as thick as an otters, the aegofon is built to kill and maim and eat with wicked claws and so many sturdy teeth in its strong, wedge-shaped jaws, covered with a thick layer of horn on the outside that there's barely any room left for the tongue.

Aegofons are predatory, but strangely enough, they only ever seem to prey on goats (including much anything they perceive as sufficiently goatlike) and elves. Plant beings are often accused of having somehow engineered them, but they vehemently reject the notion and insist the beasts must have come to be as a result of innocuous natural processes.

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 14d8+56 (119 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 feet (2 squares), climb 20 feet
Armor Class: 22 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+24
Attack: Claw +19 melee (1d8+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +19 melee (1d8+10) and bite +19 melee (2d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Elfsbane, goatsbane, rend 2d8+15
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 5
Skills: Climb +18, Jump +11, Listen +6, Spot +6, Survival +10, Swim +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Multiattack, Multiattack, Power Attack, Track
Environment: Any aboveground land
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 10
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15–21 (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Aegofons are straightforward and unsubtle. They charge their chosen prey and tear into it, clawing and biting until it is unable to fight or flee, targeting goats and elves in preference to other opponents present.

Elfsbane (Ex)
Aegofons gain a +4 bonus on Listen, Spot and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures with the Elf subtype. Likewise, they deal 1d6+4 points of extra damage each time they hit such a creature.

Goatsbane (Ex)
Aegofons gain a +6 bonus on Listen, Spot and Survival checks when using these skills against goats and goatlike creatures (such as brixashulties, ibixians, horned beasts, rejkars and even chimaeras). Likewise, they deal 1d6+6 points of extra damage each time they hit such a creature.

Rend (Ex)
If an aegofon hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d8+15 points of damage.

Skills
Aegofons receive a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

♣

Take it, herbivores! That only leaves us with one terrible injustice to redress; but now, redressed it shall be, and quite poetically, by the

Magnagat
Striding on two long, powerful, taloned legs, magnagats are noble avian hunters with a blue-gray plummage and a long, sharp beak. Their wings, weighed down by a thick, bony knob each at the last joint, are not quite large enough to allow for true flight, but they can glide with grace and jump well. It would seem that magnagats exist mainly to combat cats and to counteract the depredations of various felines in general – these being goals that they tirelessly pursue. While they are known to be fond of cat meat, they do not hunt to eat and will usually refrain from consuming the flesh of sapient foes.

Magnagats speak Common, Auran, Celestial and Sylvan.

Size/Type: Medium Outsider [Lawful, Native]
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (16 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Beak +2 melee (2d4, 19–20/×2)
Full Attack: Beak +2 melee (2d4, 19–20/×2) and 2 slams +0 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Hunting cry
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/chaotic and magic, glide, low-light vision, vengeful frenzy
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +6, Climb +9, Gather Information +6, Heal +9, Intimidate +2, Jump +6, Knowledge (local, nature) +5, Listen +6, Move Silently +2, Search +5, Sense Motive +6, Spot +12, Survival +8
Feats: Improved Critical (beak)^B, Multiattack, Toughness^B
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, company (10–25 plus 2 2nd level points) or host (100–625 with a 2nd level point for every 20 birds, a 5th level caller for every 5 points and a 9th level main)
Challenge Rating: 4
Alignment: Usually lawful good
Advancement: By character class Favoured Class: Crusader
Level Adjustment: +4

Combat
Fast and disciplined, magnagats prefer to envelop their quarry with swift, coordinated assaults, commonly trying to incapacitate foes with their cry before swooping in to finish the fight clean and fast. They are usually loathe to enter a vengeful frenzy early or, indeed, unless it seems inevitable and they tend to refrain from attacking anyone other than their feline foes. They would never knowingly harm birds.

Glide (Ex)
Magnagats can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Magnagats glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). A magnagat can't glide while carrying a medium or heavy load.

Hunting Cry (Ex)
The shrill call of an angered magnagat is a terrible sound for their ancestral foes to hear. Magnagats can make such a cry as a swift action once per encounter. Any feline creature within 40 feet that can hear the magnagat must then succeed on a DC 15 Will save or become dazed for 1d2 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Vengeful Frenzy (Su)
Once per day, when magnagats join combat with feline creatures and their allies, they can, as a move-equivalent action, choose to let their righteous fury rise up to the surface of their minds and empower their bodies to fight more valiantly. A magnagat in a state of vengeful fury can make an extra attack each round, gains a 10 feet morale bonus to its land speed, a +2 dodge bonust to armour class and a +2 morale bonus to attacks made against feline creature. If the magnagat saw a feline creature harm an avian being or any other creature smaller than itself, this bonus increases to +4. Magnagats can maintain their vengeful frenzy for a number of rounds equal to 2 plus their Constitution modifier. When the vengeful frenzy ends, magnagats are slowed (as if affected by the spell) for 1d4 rounds.

Skills
Magnagates receive a +2 racial bonus on Gather Information and Jump checks, as well as a +4 racial bonus on Climb and Spot checks.

[Metastachydium]

Okay, so I got bored faster than I usually do. Have some Elementals (one fiery and the other quite the opposite(; I bet they wouldn't get along well))!

Nephele
Of a notably melancholy disposition, nepheles drift through the vast open sky that is the Plane of Air, sometimes as clouds and other times, as pale, tall feminine figures, their outlines indistinct, the blurred, cloudy patterns on their skin ever in flux. This latter form they rarely sport outside their home plane, however, adopting various cunning disguises instead.

Nepheles speak Aquan and Auran. Some also learn Common or the tongue of the Raptorans.

Size/Type: Medium Elemental [Air, Extraplanar, Water]
Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (42 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 25 feet (perfect)
Armor Class: 22 (+4 Dex, +12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+1
Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d4-2+2d4 cold) or touch +7 melee touch (2d4 cold)
Full Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d4-2+2d4 cold) or touch +7 melee touch (2d4 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Chilling spray
Special Qualities: Change shape, darkvision 60 ft., disperse, elemental traits, immunity to electricity, resistence to fire 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 19
Skills: Balance +6, Disguise +12 (+22 when using Change Shape to disguise itself), Escape Artist +10, Hide +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +12, Spot +7, Survival +6 (+11 to avoid getting lost and to predict the weather)
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Elemental Plane of Air
Organization: Solitary or roll (5–90)
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6–10 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Nepheles vary their tactics when it comes to fighting as readily as they shift their form. Sometimes they'll assume powerful bodies and mix boldly into melee; other times, they drift about as clouds, slipping out of their foes' grasps and harassing them with bursts of cold.

Change Shape (Su)
A nephele can assume the appearance of any creature of Small to Large size at-will as a full-round action. A nephele so changed loses its fly speed and cannot use its Chilling Spray special attack, but it gains the movement modes, natural attacks and extraordinary special attacks of the new form. The nephele is effectively camouflaged as a creature of its new form, and gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks if it uses this ability to create a disguise.

Chilling Spray (Su)
When a nephele uses its slam attack or slams its dispersed body against an opponent, it also sprinkles wickedly cold water on its foe, dealing an additional 2d4 cold damage and imposing a -2 penalty on Fortitude saves against disease made in the following 24 hours. Subsequent instances of Chilling Spray extend the duration as apporpriate, but cannot increase the penalty.

Disperse (Ex)
At-will as a move action, a nephele can disperse its body into a rounded white or white-gray cloud of vapor or mist. A dispersed nephele retains the base form's fly speed, can squeeze through any crack, however narrow, and is immune to all weapon attacks, but even a moderate wind is capable of checking its movement (as long as it uses a move action each round to remain checked) or forcing it to move. A dispersed nephele cannot use its slam attack, but it can move into squares occupied by foes to deal Chilling Spray damage with a succesful touch attack.

Skills
A nephele has a +5 racial bonus on Disguise, Escape Artist, Move Silently and Survival checks made to orient itself and predict the weather.

♣

Karnot
Karnots are spindle-shaped elemental beings of pure, concentrated heat and flame, constantly spinning around their axes. They are roughly 4 feet tall on average, with a diameter of a foot and a half at their broadest point. Their exact purpose is anyone's guess, but they have a noted tendency of attacking creatures they recognize as undead on sight.

Karnots understand Ignan but do not speak.

Size/Type: Small Elemental [Extraplanar, Fire]
Hit Dice: 1/2d8+2 (4 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Fly 40 feet (average)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–
Attack: –
Full Attack: –
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Heat release
Special Qualities: Compression, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire and negative energy, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str –, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills: Listen +4, Move Silently +2
Feats: Hover
Environment: Elemental Plane of Fire
Organization: Solitary, stage (2) or cycle (8)
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1–4 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
A solitary karnot usually doesn't attack and flees if it is attacked itself. Multiple karnots will instead compress and hover at place, slowly retreating if approached and chasing foes that withdraw from them, releasing waves of heat as often as they can, staying in combat for as long as there is at least two of them alive.

Compression (Ex)
Once combat is joined, a karnot can enter the space of another karnot as a move action. Up to eight creatures can thuswise squeeze into a single square. Karnots so compressed share a single initiative count (equal to the average of the initiative counts the individual creatures possess) and they can, as a full-round action, combine their Heat Release into a single attack. All damage dice from the individual attacks stack and the DC for the save against the attack increases by 1 for each karnot in compression.

Heat Release (Ex)
Once per round as a standard action a karnot can propel its immense heat towards its enemies. This attack takes the form of a 15 feet cone dealing 1d6 fire and 1d6 desiccation damage (halved by a DC 12 Reflex save; the save DC is Constitution-based).

[Metastachydium]

Recently, I've been reminded of how bright a dumpster fire Vermin usually are. In a way, they are not unlike NPC classes (a favoured terrain of mine): they are supposed to offer a challenge, of sorts, but they are supposed to be less than magical and suffer from horrible constraint. Luckily, however, most Vermin are arthropods and arthropods form an insanely numerous and just as varied clade of creatures that can get delightfully outlandish even when one does not tamper much with what they've got. Accordingly, I suppose all it takes to make a marginally memorable Vermin is picking a really interesting little arthropod and run with it. Here's an attempt at just that:

Giant Vinegaroon
Giant vinegaroons have the elongated, arachnoid body and wicked pincers of scorpions, but their legs are longer and more slander, while the stinger-bearing, thick tail of the scorpion is replaced by a long, thin whiplike appendage.

Size/Type: Large Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares), climb 15 feet
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Pincer +6 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 pincers +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (2d4+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Caustic spray, improved grab
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 40 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 19, Int –, Wis 14, Cha 3
Skills: Climb +12
Feats: –
Environment: Any desert
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1–4 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Giant vinegaroons attack when hungry or startled. They lash out at the closest opponent available whom they will attempt to grab and shred with their mandibles; they will try to drive off or kill other foes with their acid spray.

Caustic Spray (Ex)
Once every 1d3 rounds as a move action, a giant vinegaroon can spray a vile, corrosive liquid with the acrid smell of highly concentrated vinegar from the glands beside its tail, dealing 2d8 points of acid damage in a 15 feet cone (DC 16 Reflex halves). Creatures grappled by the vinegaroon are never subject to this damage. All those within 20 feet of the vinegaroon must also succed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be sickened for 2d3 rounds. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a giant vinegaroon must hit with its pincer. If it wins the ensuing grapple check, it establishes a hold and makes a bite attack as a primary attack (at its full +6 attack bonus).

♣

A lesser known arachnoid with an actual acidic fart attack, the whip scorpion has the added benefit of looking like something more familiar, namely a scorpion, which it totally isn't, nevertheless. From what I hear, they are more common in the New World, but there's still some chance the thing can catch an unprepared player by surprise. I can only hope I did it justice.

[Tzardok]

Nice work.

...

Now make a giant Daddy long-legs.

[Metastachydium]

Nice work.

Thanks! See anything amiss?

Now make a giant Daddy long-legs.

Interesting fact: I've already made a giant Daddy long-legs!

[Tzardok]

Thanks! See anything amiss?

Nope. Seems to work fine

Interesting fact: I've already made a giant Daddy long-legs!

Curses! Foiled again!

[Metastachydium]

While I'm here anyhow:

Falling Pyramid
Falling pyramids bear their name for a reason: they are thick, translucent piles of brownish grey gelatinous matter, closely approximating the shape of a 10 feet tall pyramid with a square base 10 feet long and wide. These foul beings conceal themselves among the stalactites of large caves, waiting for unwary prey to pass by.

Size/Type: Large Ooze
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (42 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares), climb 15 feet
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+9
Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4+3+1d4 acid)
Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4+3+1d4 acid)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Acid, drop
Special Qualities: Blindsight 40 ft., DR 5/piercing or slashing, ooze traits, slime anchor
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will -3
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 17, Int –, Wis 2, Cha 1
Skills: Climb +10, Hide +5 (+9 in rocky underground terrain), Move Silently +5
Feats: –
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating:
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6–9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Falling pyramids hang onto the ceiling of caverns and underground passages, staying motionless for days if need be. Should they sense something moving on the cave floor beneath them, they drop down and attempt to engulf it. If succesful, they climb back up again, making little noise, and resume their watch. They rarely attack again before having digested their prey fully.

Acid (Ex)
Falling pyramids secrete a digestive acid that dissolves flesh. Their melee attacks deal 1d4 points of acid damage in addition to their base damage.

Drop (Ex)
A falling pyramid clinging to the ceiling of an enclosed space can drop down on foes below itself as a move action. When it hits the ground (taking falling damage, but treating the fall 40 feet shorter than it was) it covers the 10 feet by ten feet area immediately underneath its previous position.
Any creature of Large size or smaller occupying these squares must make a DC 15 Reflex save (the save DC is Constitution-based); success indicates that the creature is displaced by the ooze and lands on a square adjacent to the pyramid's new position, prone. Opponents that fail are landed upon and the pyramid pulls them into itself; such creatures are trapped inside the body of the pyramid and suffer 1d4 points of bludgeoning and 2d4 points of acid damage each round. A falling pyramid can have 1 Large, 4 Medium or Small and 16 Tiny or smaller creatures trapped at once.

Slime Anchor (Ex)
The mucous body of a falling pyramid sticks easily to stone of rough texture and it can seep some way into cracks and crevices to anchor itself further. In any natural, rocky terrain the DCs of Climb checks made by falling pyramids are halved and pyramids receive a +4 circumstance bonus on opposed checks against bull rush attempts.

Skills
Falling pyramids receive a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, the former increasing to +8 in rocky underground areas.

♣

And yes, yes, I know what I did. Just you wait until I whip out the Boring Cone!

[Tzardok]

And yes, yes, I know what I did. Just you wait until I whip out the Boring Cone!

I don't know. Sounds boring.

We've got cubes, and pyramides, and orbs, and soon cones. What geometric shape comes next? Gellatinous dodecaeders? Prism oozes?

[Metastachydium]

I don't know. Sounds boring.

We've got cubes, and pyramides, and orbs, and soon cones. What geometric shape comes next? Gellatinous dodecaeders? Prism oozes?

Viscous small inverted retrosnub icosicosidodecahedron, obviously. Maybe a Klein bottle slime too.

[Tzardok]

Maybe a Klein bottle slime too.

If that one isn't Small, I'll riot.

[Metastachydium]

If that one isn't Small, I'll riot.

[Malicious and foreboding grin.] Fine.

[The Patterner]

Because I like birds.

Passer

Passers are avian creatures that resemble songbirds; an average passer has a height of roughly 2' 2". There's little difference between the size and weight of male and female specimens. A passer's wings double as arms, complete with a four-fingered hand.
Most passers belong to the subrace known as greybirds. Male greybirds have a grey face, belly and cap; the back of their head and their wings are brown. Females have gray bellies with lighter, dull brown caps and wings.

Passers speak Passer and Common.

Size/Type: Small Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 15 feet (3 squares), fly 40 feet (average)
Armor Class: 12 (+1 size, +1 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-5
Attack: Sickle +2 melee (1d6-2)
Full Attack: Sickle +2 melee (1d6-2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Cry of sorrow
Special Qualities: Short arms
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Balance +4, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse^B
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary, pair, nest (3-5) or flock (10-40)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level adjustment: +0

Passer Traits

A passer character exchanges its 1 HD of monstrous humanoid for its first class level

Passers possess the following racial traits.
-4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom.
Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits ¾ those of Medium characters.
A passer's base land speed is 15 feet. A passer also has a fly speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability).
Passers (unlike most monstrous humanoids) do not have darkvision.
Short Arms: Passers' hands are part of their wings, and as such they are shorter than the arms of other races. Passers must enter the space of opponents to make melee attacks against them, unless they are wielding weapons with the reach property.
Armoured Flight: The fly speed of a passer wearing light armour is reduced by 10 feet and the passer's maneuverability becomes poor. A passer wearing medium or heavy armour cannot fly.
+2 racial bonus on Hide and Survival checks.
Cry of Sorrow (Ex): When feeling threatened, a passer can emit a series of short, sorrowful cries as a swift action. Opponents must succeed on a DC 10 Will save or all attacks made by them in the next round against the passer suffer a -1 penalty. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Automatic Languages: Common, Passer. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Orc, Sylvan.
Favored Class: Druid.

Subraces
The above information describes the greybird passer, the most common variety. There are two other major subraces of passer.

Greenbird Passer

Male greenbirds have a bright green plummage with a number of black streaks on their wings and a black cap. Female greenbirds have a green-grey belly with a pattern of green and green-grey feathers covering the rest of their body and a number of black streaks on their wings.

Greenbird Traits
These traits are in addition to the greybird traits, except where noted.
-4 Strength, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. These adjustments replace the greybird's ability score adjustments.
+2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Hide checks. This trait replaces the greybird's racial bonuses to skill checks.

Redbird Passer

Male redbirds have black wings, grey backs and a black cap. Their bellies are bright red. Female redbirds look nearly identical, but their bellies are light brown instead of red.

Redbird Traits
These traits are in addition to the greybird traits, except where noted.
-4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma. These adjustments replace the greybird's ability score adjustments.
+4 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks. This trait replaces the greybird's racial bonuses to skill checks.
Favored Class: Sorcerer. This trait replaces the greybird's favored class.

♣

I'm not sure what their type should be. Currently, I'm thinking monstrous humanoid (since they have that roundish songbird body shape instead a more humanlike one). I'm also not sure whether they should have LA, and if yes, how much.

♣

Update: Added a stat block, went with monstrous humanoid and no LA for now.

I realise it's been a long time since this specific post, but I wouldn't give them hands in the wings, but rather let their legs and feet function as arms and hands (kind of how crows already do it). I would also give them some form of wing attack (think of how geese can hit peeople with their wings) and then have it that they have special types of weapons made for the wings.

I really liked this concept though.

[Metastachydium]

I realise it's been a long time since this specific post,

It's never too late for feedback!

but I wouldn't give them hands in the wings, but rather let their legs and feet function as arms and hands (kind of how crows already do it). I would also give them some form of wing attack (think of how geese can hit peeople with their wings) and then have it that they have special types of weapons made for the wings.

I really liked this concept though.

Thanks! I'm happy to hear that. As for the thing with the hands, I'll be very honest: I find the six limbs arrangement (wings-arms-legs) somewhat silly, whereas whilst prehensile bird feet are really cool and corws are the BEST, having feet that coincide with the hands on a PC strikes me as borderline crippling (even with average flight, and perfect flight didn't sound like the thing to just hand out at ECL 0). My usual compromise, therefore, is winghands. It's nothing over the top (it's exactly where the hand would be if the wing would come with fully formed digits), it limits low-level flight-enabled shenanigans somewhat and lets the creature interact with items the same way anything else does.

That said, if you prefer feet-hands, I have good news for you! My Warhawk (at around the end of the same page) is a playable birdy creature that comes with those. (Also, now I have to do playable geese that are un stoppable engines of destruction, so thanks for the idea.)

[Metastachydium]

Triple update time! Today, I'll present three variations on the basic vampire theme; the first is a product of my twisted mind, whereas the two templates draw inspiration from Stephen King's type 2 and type 3 vampires. As you'll see, the three items on the list share two prominent traits:
1. none of them has the Undead type; and
2. nor is any of them truly damaged by sunlight.

Let's see:

Gorger
Gorgers are enigmatic beings of unclear origin, albeit it is certain that they are the products of artifice. To the untrained eye, they are hard to distinguish from young (and most of the time female) humans. The colour of their eyes and hair, as well as their complexion varies as wildly as observed in humans, but their canines, all four of them, are unusually elongated and sharp, while their flesh, though warm to the touch, is somewhat tougher than a human's ever gets. They move slowly and deliberately, with faint smiles on their faces.

Gorgers are known by a wide array of comparably vague but descriptive names, most of them referring to the fact that they consume blood. They prefer prey with a humanoid shape, but they will attack any living creature. There is no indication that they need to consume such fluids to sustain themselves.

Size/Type: Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 8d10+20 (64 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares), climb 10 feet
Armor Class: 21 (+4 Dex, +7 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, deceptive serenity, powerful hold
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., daytime slumber, fast healing 10, hardness 15, taboos
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con –, Int –, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: –
Feats: Improved Grapple[SUP]B[/B]
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair or raid (3–14)
Challenge Rating: 8
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–14 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Gorgers usually wait in hiding and approach opponents that present themselves slowly, only giving chase if their Deceptive Serenity fails to take hold. Once within reach, they immediately attempt to grapple opponents and begin draining blood the moment a pin is established. Gorgers do not tend to willingly let go of a creature they have begun to drain, nor do they retreat from a fight unless facing overwhelming odds.

Blood Drain (Ex)
A gorger can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d3+1 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained.

Deceptive Serenity (Su)
Gorgers display an almost uncanny, serene calm at all times. Any creature within 40 feet of a gorger capable of seeing it must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or become flat-footed and unable to move away from the gorger. Should the gorger attack such a creature, the effect ends at the beginning of the creature's next round. The save DC is Wisdom-based.

Powerful Hold (Ex)
Gorgers are treated as one size larger for the purpose of making grapple checks.

Daytime Slumber (Ex)
Once every 10 minutes a gorger spends exposed to natural light, it must make a DC 15 Will save or become inert for 10 minutes. An inert gorger usually sits or even lies down and appears to be asleep. It is unaware of its surroundings and as such, is considered helpless. Once the duration ends, the gorger must make another Will save against the same DC or remain inert for 10 further minutes. This process repeats until the gorger is no longer exposed to natural light.

Taboos
If a gorger encounters a closed door while seeking out or pursuing prospective prey, there is a 75% chance that it abandons the pursuit and wanders off or lingers about until such time as the door is opened. A gorger never attacks a creature sleeping under covers.

♣

Nugal
Sample Nugal: Nugal Grimlock
Size/Type: Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+7
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+7) or battleaxe +7 melee (1d8+7, ×3)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+7) or battleaxe +7 melee (1d8+7, ×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, improved grab
Special Qualities: Blindsight 40 ft., DR 3/good, immunities, spread the curse, wasting
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +7, Hide +3 (+13 when in mountainous terrain or underground), Listen +2, Spot -3, Survival -3
Feats: Skill Focus (Listen), Track[SUP]B[/B]
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or gang (2–7)
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
This creature is a reckless, if cowardly predator, hurling itself at anything it suspects might have blood in it without a second thought, only turning to flee if faced with a foe that is beyond any doubt more powerful than the nugal itself.

Blindsight (Ex)
Nugal grimlocks can sense all foes within 40 feet as a sighted creature would. Beyond that range, they treat all targets as having total concealment. They are susceptible to sound- and scent-based attacks, however, and are affected normally by loud noises and sonic spells (such as ghost sound or silence) and overpowering odors (such as stinking cloud or incense-heavy air). Negating a nugal grimlock’s sense of smell or hearing reduces this ability to normal Blind-Fight (as the feat). If both these senses are negated, it is effectively blinded.

Blood Drain (Ex)
See below.

Immunities
A nugal grimlock is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Improved Grab (Ex)
See below.

Spread the Curse (Su)
See below.

Wasting (Su)
See below.

Skills
A nugal grimlock’s dull gray skin helps it hide in its native terrain, conferring a +10 racial bonus on Hide checks when in mountains or underground.

Creating a Nugal
"Nugal" is an acquired template that can be applied to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
A nugal uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to aberration. Do not recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is unchanged.

Speed: A nugal's base land speed increases by 10 feet.

Armour Class:: The base creature's natural armour increases by +3.

Attack: A nugal gains a bite attack which is a primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the nugal retains this ability, but usually relies on its bite regardless.

Damage: Nugals have bite attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the damage value in the table below. Otherwise, use the values below or the base creature’s damage value, whichever is greater.

Size	Bite Damage
Fine	1d2
Diminutive	1d3
Tiny	1d4
Small	1d6
Medium	1d8
Large	1d10
Huge	2d8
Gargantuan	3d8
Colossal	4d8

Special Attacks: A nugal retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below.
Blood Drain (Ex)
A nugal can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d3+1 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the nugal heals for an equal amount of hit points.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a nugal must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Special Qualities: A nugal retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Damage Reduction (Su)
A nugal gains DR 3/good. Its bite attack is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spread the Curse (Su)
Any humanoid or monstrous humanoid the Constitution of which a nugal drains to 0 or lower returns to life within a minute (1d6+4 rounds), but changed. There is a 40% chance it turns into a nugal itself; otherwise, it becomes a clegg.

Wasting (Su)
A nugal is tainted by death. Once each day, it must make a Fortitude save or lose 1d4 points of Constitution and 10% of its hit points. The initial DC is 10, but it increases by 1 with every subsequent day (or by 2 if the nugal failed to consume blood in the last 24 hours). A nugal cannot restore hit points and Constitution lost in this way.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Con -2, Int -2, Wis -4, Cha -4

Environment: Same as the base creature.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.

Alignment: Often chaotic evil.

Level Adjustment: –

♣

Clegg
Sample Clegg: Darfellan Clegg, 1st level Commoner
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid [Darfellan]
Hit Dice: 1d4 (2 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares), swim 40 feet
Armor Class: 9 (-1 Dex), touch 9, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+2
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+3) or spear +2 melee (1d8+3, ×3)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d8+7) or spear +2 melee (1d8+3, ×3) and bite -3 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, carrier, hypnotic presence, racial hatred
Special Qualities: Echolocation, grim aura, hold breath
Saves: Fort -1, Ref -1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 9, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 12
Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +3, Disguise +5, Jump +3, Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +10, Use Rope +3
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pod (with 9-40 darfellans plus an equal amount of darfellan warriors, 1 3rd-level darfellan barbarian per 10 adults, 1 5th-level darfellan bard, and 1 5th-level darfellan barbarian)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

Combat
Not unlike most other cleggs, this darfellan relies on patience and subterfuge, rather than brute force to hunt. It will stalk and confront lone prey from outside the pod if possible, and use its hypnotic power on such prey to drain them dry so much easier. If its true nature is exposed, it tries to flee.

Blood Drain (Ex)
See below.

Carrier (Su)
See below.

Echolocation (Ex)
A darfellan clegg has blindsense out to 20 feet when in water.

Grim Aura (Su)
See below.

Hold Breath (Ex)
A darfellan clegg can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 x its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Hypnotic Presence (Su)
See below.

Racial Hatred
A darfellan clegg has a +2 racial bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against sahuagin.

Skills
A darfellan clegg has a +4 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks when working with orcas, dolphins, seals, whales, and other marine mammals. A darfellan clegg has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Creating a Clegg
"Clegg" is an acquired template that can be applied to any corporeal humanoid or monstrous humanoid.
A clegg uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Attack: A clegg gains a bite attack which is a primary natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons, the clegg retains this ability. When using a weapon, a clegg might use its bite attack as a secondary natural attack.

Damage: Cleggs have bite attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the damage value in the table below. Otherwise, use the values below or the base creature’s damage value, whichever is greater.

Size	Bite Damage
Fine	–
Diminutive	–
Tiny	1
Small	1d2
Medium	1d3
Large	1d4
Huge	1d6
Gargantuan	1d8
Colossal	2d6

Special Attacks: A clegg retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below.

Blood Drain (Ex)
A clegg can suck blood from a helpless living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. Each succesful attack drains blood, dealing 1d2 points of Constitution drain.

Carrier (Su)
Cleggs are immune to natural disease, or, rather, the effects thereof. Any time a clegg would contract a disease, it becomes a carrier instead. Creatures subject to the natural attacks of a diseased clegg must make a Fortitude save or contract the disease themselves.

Hypnotic Presence (Su)
Cleggs can establish a hold over those weak of mind. As a standard action, a clegg can attempt to hypnotize an adjacent creature. Its foe must succeed on a Will save or become rendered helpless for 10 rounds or until the clegg dismisses the effect as a move action. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Special Qualities: A clegg retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Grim Aura (Su)
While they are living beings, cleggs possess a curious connection to what lies beyond. They are constantly surrounded by an aura equivalent to that of an evil cleric of their level. Spells and effects that detect status or type (such as Detect Undead or Deathwatch) treat cleggs as undead.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Con -2, Cha +2

Skills: Cleggs receive a +4 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.

Environment: Same as the base creature.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.

Alignment: Often chaotic evil.

Level Adjustment: +2

♣

Note that CR increases and the LA value might not be realistic. Notes on that and much anything else continues to be most welcome.

[Tzardok]

Does the Wasting of the Nugal mean that it can't restore its Con in any way and is inevitably going to die? This together with the Clegg's inability to spread its curse mean that those should be a self-solving problem.

[Metastachydium]

Does the Wasting of the Nugal mean that it can't restore its Con in any way and is inevitably going to die?

Well, it can gain replacement hit points and boosts to CON through items or increasing its HD, but yes, it cannot heal/restore damage suffered from Wasting. Inevitably might likewise be a strong word; if by way of some demented sort of accident a nugal manages to eat and turn a 17th level Knight, for instance, the resulting nugal, empowered by Impetuous Endurance can last quite a long time through autosucceeding the save and might outpace the DC increase if it can level/build for it fast enough. An unending string of natural 20s can do even better. Both of those are unlikely, but possible. At any rate, that is largely correct, and by design.

This together with the Clegg's inability to spread its curse mean that those should be a self-solving problem.

I must admit I've always found exponentially reproducing vampires an immensely stupid concept. That these two cannot cause a vampire apocalypse like the "once bitten you join 'em" sort, which I see as a feature. That said: not neccessarily, and for two reasons:
1. a nugal must try to feed daily or ot will likely expire very fast, even by nugal standards; that means it can build up a sizable kill count over its short life, and some of the resulting things will likely also be nugals;
2. I never specified that Spread the Curse is the only way a nugal might come to be. See, like I said, the nugal are based on King's type 2 vampires. "First generation" type 2s result from predation by type 1s, your average charismatic super-powerful and very old vampires. I can't quite remember how those reproduce, honestly, but they are very succesful hunters and that's all the type 2 population needs to persist.

[Metastachydium]

With the double update of today, we are heading back (if, perhaps, only briefly) into the GREENERY, first with a harmless grass nymph, the

Leimoniad
Thin of frame, light of body and sometimes surpassed by dwarves in terms of height, leimoniads have a distinctly feminine figure, a grainy skin, brown like the earth itself they walk and long, thick, straight hair, yellow as parched grass in dry seasons or winters and a soft, lively green otherwise. Their hands sport four short, slender fingers each. They have neither canines, nor earlobes.

Leimoniads speak Terran and Sylvan. Some learn Common as well.

Size/Type: Medium Fey [Earth]
Hit Dice: 2d6-2 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (+2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-1
Attack: Slam -1 melee (1d4-2)
Full Attack: 2 slams -1 melee (1d4-2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Dandelion stride, DR 2/cold iron, low-light vision, meld with the land
Saves: Fort -1, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 14
Skills: Jump +5, Heal +6, Hide +2, Knowledge (geography, nature) +4, Listen +3, Move Silently +7, Spot +6, Survival +9
Feats: Self-Sufficient
Environment: Temperate and warm plains
Organization: Solitary or ring (4–10)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

Combat
Leimoniads dread combat, ill-suited as they are to fight. If they cannot hide or flee, they will use their spell-like abilities to immobilize as many foes as possible in the hope of facilitating their escape or hindering actions they find intolerable for long enough to alert something more dangerous than themselves.

Dandelion Stride (Su)
So long as they remain within the bounds of their native grasslands and there is at least a light wind blowing, the light-bodied leimoniads can drift through the air with grace and at speed. Under the aforesaid conditions, a leimoniad can cover a distance no greater than four times its land speed as a full-round action without losing its Dexterity bonus to armour class. A leimoniad travelling in such a way rises from the ground as if it were making a long leap and can reach an altitude of up to 4 feet at the midpoint of its movement, allowing it to traverse rivers, chasms, fences and the like with ease.

Meld with the Land (Su)
Once per day for each HD it possesses, a leimoniad can meld into the soil as a standard action. This ability is identical to the effect of a Meld into Stone spell, except as follows: instead of a block of stone, the leimoniad merges with the ground of its home plain at any spot where it is no less loose than packed earth; a leimoniad can remain melded with the land indefinitely, but it suffers all the effects of starvation and thirst if it remains in this state for too long.

Spell-Like Abilities
2/day: entangle (DC 13); 1/day: earthen grasp.

Skills
A leimoniad receives a +2 racial bonus on Jump and Knowledge (geography) and a -2 racial penalty on Listen checks.

♣

…and then, an actual planty of the plump and suspicious sort, the

Horned Melon
Oblong and round, their thick, tough, pebbly green or orange rind covered in sturdy, menacing spines, horned melons hobble about on four stubby legs, gazing at the world around with mild suspicion through their little, round, unblinking black eyes.

Horned melons don't normally speak, but they can acquire languages if they choose to do so.

Size/Type: Small Plant
Hit Dice: 1d8+3 (7 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 15 feet (3 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, -1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-7
Attack: Gore +0 melee (1d6-3)
Full Attack: Gore +0 melee (1d6-3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spines
Special Qualities: DR 4/piercing, low-light vision, plant traits, roll
Saves: Fort +5, Ref -1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +1, Hide +4, Listen +1, Search +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2, Survival +2
Feats: Heat Endurance^B, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Warm hills
Organization: Solitary or patch (6–50)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

Combat
Horned melons are completely harmless scavengers – until and unless threatened. In that case, they ram their would-be assailants and try to make these hurt themselves.

Roll (Ex)
A horned melon moving downhill can take advantage of the rotund shape of its body: instead of relying on its short legs, it might simply choose to roll, which increases its land speed to 40 feet for so long as it is on the slope and up to two rounds afterwards as the momentum carries it on.

Spines (Ex)
Wrestling a horned melon is unwise. Its spines deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 plus the attacker's Strength modifier to any foe making a grapple check, an unarmed strike or a natural attack against the melon. Furthermore, the melon deals an additional 1d6 points of piercing damage whenever it falls on someone.

Skills
Horned melons receive a +2 racial bonus on Balance checks. Their suspicious nature also grants a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks.

♣

Not terribly original, I'll give you that, on either front, but I find them endearing in their own rustic way. Especially the melon. I had fun conceiving the melon. At any rate, I remain open to questions, comments and complaints!

[Tzardok]

Dandelion Stride (Su)
So long as they remain within the bounds of their native grasslands and there is at least a light wind blowing, the light-bodied leimoniads can drift through the air with grace and at speed. Under the aforesaid conditions, a leimoniad can cover a distance no greater than four times its land speed as a full-round action without losing its Dexterity bonus to armour class. A leimoniad travelling in such a way rises from the ground as if it were making a long leap and can reach an altitude of up to 4 feet at the midpoint of its movement, allowing it to traverse rivers, chasms, fences and the like with ease.

Somehow this makes me think of this song. (Doesn't matter that you'll likely not understand the lyrics; the song's still awesome. )

Horned Melon
Oblong and round, their thick, tough, pebbly green or orange rind covered in sturdy, menacing spines, horned melons hobble about on four stubby legs, gazing at the world around with mild suspicion through their little, round, unblinking black eyes.

What do these things need to be afraid of, Japanese playing Suikawari?

[Metastachydium]

Somehow this makes me think of this song. (Doesn't matter that you'll likely not understand the lyrics; the song's still awesome. )

That is pretty badass, actually, especially for something (I did check!) with such cute lyrics (that happen to make the above statement far less confusing to the uniniated like myself).

What do these things need to be afraid of, Japanese playing Suikawari?

Verily, Japan is a barbaric place! (And why does it have to always be melons, anyhow? I've seen attacked in target practice by guns, bows and heavy throwing axes; assaulted with swords, axes, spears and halberds; rigged with explosives; filled with vodka… It's just sad, really.)

Anyhow, you know what they say: the day is bright, but full of fructivores.

[Tzardok]

That is pretty badass, actually, especially for something (I did check!) with such cute lyrics (that happen to make the above statement far less confusing to the uniniated like myself).

I thought the lyrics have pretty erotic undertones, and the band likes their horror in their songs, so "cute" wasn't exactly what I was thinking. But y'know what they say about art and personal interpretations.

Verily, Japan is a barbaric place! (And why does it have to always be melons, anyhow? I've seen attacked in target practice by guns, bows and heavy throwing axes; assaulted with swords, axes, spears and halberds; rigged with explosives; filled with vodka… It's just sad, really.)

Maybe because of the combination of hard outsides and impressive splattering? I once watched a show about "Who would win a death battle between a great white shark and a saltwater crocodile?" where they amongst other things built replicas of their jaws and had them bite melons (and coconuts too, and some other stuff). The crocodile head crushed them between the jaws, the shark head cut them cleanly into halves. In both cases very impressive.

[Metastachydium]

I thought the lyrics have pretty erotic undertones, and the band likes their horror in their songs, so "cute" wasn't exactly what I was thinking. But y'know what they say about art and personal interpretations.

…
It mostly made me think of pretty butterflies, honestly. So, um, yeah.

Maybe because of the combination of hard outsides and impressive splattering? I once watched a show about "Who would win a death battle between a great white shark and a saltwater crocodile?" where they amongst other things built replicas of their jaws and had them bite melons (and coconuts too, and some other stuff). The crocodile head crushed them between the jaws, the shark head cut them cleanly into halves. In both cases very impressive.

Even the carnivores are doing it now?! Outrageous! (Still, yes, that's probably it. A good thing, too: horned melons (the little quadruped is based on an actual fruit, naturally) look more like… I don't know, a passionfruit, maybe, on the inside. Yellow-green jelly and seeds. Much less potential for splattering.)

[Tzardok]

The butterfly, metamorphosis imagery is intended, yes. Just don't expect butterflies to be something nice in those songs. Edit: Y'know what, song away!

By the by: that band, ASP, is my favourite band. I always like to recommend them (that verse in my signature is from one of their songs), but their lyrics are pretty poetic and therefore complicated to translate. They do have a few English songs; I can link some if you want (Edit: or even if you don't, like I just did ).

[Metastachydium]

The butterfly, metamorphosis imagery is intended, yes. Just don't expect butterflies to be something nice in those songs. Edit: Y'know what, song away!

Well, that butterfly made me think of Baudrillard's simulacra (NotAD&DSpell!™) more than anything. I do maintain that the other one had happy butterflies doing happy butterfly things, however. (Sue me!)

By the by: that band, ASP, is my favourite band. I always like to recommend them (that verse in my signature is from one of their songs), but their lyrics are pretty poetic and therefore complicated to translate. They do have a few English songs; I can link some if you want (Edit: or even if you don't, like I just did ).

They are good! Feel free to fire away.

[Tzardok]

Well, in that case I'll start you of with A Prayer for Sanctuary. Then lets add two from the newest album: The Eternal Stranger and Let's Raise Some Hell Now! Then one of their oldest ones: Sing Child, to give a bit more Black Butterfly feeling. Let's strew some German ones into the mix and hope nobody notices. Then a classic horror story: The Mysterious Vanishing of the Foremar Family And finally, because this post has gotten too long already, two last ones.
That should be enough for a start.

Edit: How could I have forgotten She Wore Shadows? Shame on me.

[Tzardok]

Hey. Just wanted to ask if you liked my recommendations. I was yesterday at the opening concert of ASP's new tour. Was great.

[Metastachydium]

Hey. Just wanted to ask if you liked my recommendations. I was yesterday at the opening concert of ASP's new tour. Was great.

Though it saddens me that against such an amount of evidence, the notion that their schwarzer Schmetterling is a good guy seems far less tenable now, the answer is a resounding yes, and that despite the fact that I rarely tolerate electric stuff in my music (certain Dark Tranquillity tracks, such as Terminus and (especially) Zero Distance and Omnimar's Oxygene numbering amopng the few exceptions). Elf und Einer also gets further bonus points for featuring
1. biridies; and
2. a folkloric notion I recognize.
So, all in all, thank you again, and glad to hear you had a nice time with them live.

(In unrelated news, the next installment of my stuff is in the works, and will probably include a take on the Death Owl of Death.)

[Tzardok]

Oh? You are familiar with the legend of Krabat? The album "Elf und Einer" was published on tells ASP's version of the legend, so transformation into ravens happen often.

This also plays into ASP's fable for telling stories that span multiple albums. Their first five albums, the "Black Butterfly Cycle", tell in anachronistic and sometimes pretty metaphoric way the story of the fight between the protagonist Asp and his evil alter ego, the eponymous Black Butterfly, for supremacy over their shared mind. The story leaves open wether Asp is simply crazy and the Butterfly is just a split personality, or wether it is truly the ancient possessive entity it seems to be. Unclear is also who actually won. Clear is that more and more motives of the Black Butterfly Cycle have appeared in the younger albums, as if they were taking over the current story cycle.

By the by, I'm also working on a little something. It will propably publisehd tomorrow or aftermorrow.

[Metastachydium]

Oh? You are familiar with the legend of Krabat? The album "Elf und Einer" was published on tells ASP's version of the legend, so transformation into ravens happen often.

Not as such, no. But the 12 apprentices studying the Art, the wheel and the "visitor" coming to claim his due is an aggregate of motifs I have encountered before.

This also plays into ASP's fable for telling stories that span multiple albums. Their first five albums, the "Black Butterfly Cycle", tell in anachronistic and sometimes pretty metaphoric way the story of the fight between the protagonist Asp and his evil alter ego, the eponymous Black Butterfly, for supremacy over their shared mind. The story leaves open wether Asp is simply crazy and the Butterfly is just a split personality, or wether it is truly the ancient possessive entity it seems to be. Unclear is also who actually won. Clear is that more and more motives of the Black Butterfly Cycle have appeared in the younger albums, as if they were taking over the current story cycle.

A pollinator wins? I see nothing wrong with that!

♣

And as foretold, here's another double update. The two items might seem vastly different (one is a creature I first encountered in Borges and was reminded of when Bhu's Messenger Snake was posted recently; the other is a BIRDY brooding in the folkloric nights of more parts of Europe than I've previously known that we discussed here with Tzardok some time ago), but they do have a little trick in common, albeit the two implementations differ somewhat. Meet the

Iaculus
The iaculus or javelin snake has an elongated, muscular, serpentine body, 2 feet or slightly less in length, covered in small, oblong scales with sharp crests. Its head is a triangular lump of almost bare, hard, dense bone and it tapers to a sharp point. Though it is hard to tell, up to four fifths of the whole creature is made up of the head and neck; behind these, a pair of small, triangular wings (no good for true flight) and two short, clawed, prehensile legs complete the minuscule dragon's form.

Iaculi speak a terse Draconic with a strange cadence. Most understand Asherati and Sphinx as well.

Size/Type: Tiny Dragon
Hit Dice: 2d12+4 (17 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares), climb 20'
Armor Class: 17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-7
Attack: Stab +7 melee (1d6-1)
Full Attack: Stab +7 melee (1d6-1)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Hurl self, punch through
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 2/magic, immunity to sleep and paralysis, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +5
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 9
Skills: Balance +5, Climb +7, Hide +18 (+22 in deserts or on trees), Intimidate +5, Knowledge (architecture&engineering, local, nature) +5, Move Silently +10, Spot +5, Survival +5, Swim +2, Tumble +8
Feats: Weapon Finesse^B, Stealthy
Environment: Warm deserts
Organization: Solitary or volley (5–14)
Challenge Rating: 4
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 3–4 HD (Tiny), 5–8 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
The iaculus lies in wait, usually hidden upon a good vantage point such as a rock or tree and strikes from ambush. It is loath to attack large groups when alone, but it will often try its luck with smaller ones if hungry.

Hurl Self (Ex)
While incapable of flight, the iaculus can propel itself through the air at great speed. As a full-round action, a iaculus hanging onto its perch by its legs can contract its body to form a natural spring of sorts. It can then in the following round shoot forward and dart towards a target no farther than 150 feet away through the air. If it makes a succesful ranged attack roll (at +2 as if charging), the iaculus impacts, dealing 2d4+2 points of piercing damage (or three times as much on a critical hit).

Since this is a quick, calculated strike that relies on the tension that builds up in the muscles of a ready iaculus, the creature adds its Intelligence (rather than its Strength) modifier to the damage.

Punch Through (Ex)
A flying iaculus strikes with immense force. Whenever it succesfully scores a critical hit while using Hurl Self, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or die instantly from the shock. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills
A iaculus has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always take 10 on Climb checks, even if distracted or threatened. It likewise receives a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks made in deserts or when perched upon a tree.

♣

…and the far more friendly (and even more compact)

Kuevitt
Quite unassuming for a psychopomp serving the cosmic powers aligned with Law, the nocturnal kuevitt travel the mortal realms in the shape of owls, dark brown, white or occasionally gray in colour and no taller than a foot. They are tasked with dispensing merciful death and safely ushering the freshly released soul into its final place of rest.

Kuevitts speak Celestial, Common and Infernal.

Size/Type: Diminutive Outsider [Extraplanar, Lawful]
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 5 feet (4 squares), fly 40 feet (good)
Armor Class: 17 (+4 size, +3 Dex), touch 17, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-12
Attack: Beak +0 melee (1-4)
Full Attack: Beak +0 melee (1-4)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Guide along
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., deathsight, DR 4/chaotic or silver, evasion, seal the vessel
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +14, Escape Artist +10, Heal +9, Hide +22, Knowledge (religion, the planes) +9, Listen +11, Move Silently +14, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Always lawful (good or neutral)
Advancement: 5–8 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Kuevitts are not warriors. They lurk in the darkness at the edge of the fighting field, often hiding on rooftops, interfering as needed – and, indeed, only if needed.

Deathsight (Su)
A kuevitt automatically detects all dying and stable creatures with fewer than 0 hit points, as long as they are no farther than 60 feet from itself. This ability is always active and does not require line of sight.

Evasion (Ex)
See the 2nd level Rogue ability.

Guide Along (Su)
Once per round as a standard action, a kuevitt can issue a call to the dead and dying. A single living creature of the kuevitt's choosing within 60 feet with -1 hp or fewer must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or die immediately. While this call cannot destroy undead, it affects them all the same. Any undead creature within 60 feet that can hear the kuevitt cry must succeed on a Will save with the same DC or suffer a cumulative -1 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and saving throws as the kuevitt urges it along towards the End. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Seal the Vessel (Su)
The remains of a creature slain by the kuevitts' Guide Along ability are closed to negative energy and similar attempts at reusing them. Such a body cannot be turned into an undead or construct, nor can it hold a soul other than the one it housed before its demise. The soul previously residing inside always reaches its extraplanar destination unerringly and unimpeded.

Skills
Kuevitts receive a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes) and Move Silently checks.