The Animal Lords live in the Happy Hunting Grounds (Beastlands). For each animal there is a corresponding animal lord. There is a fox lord, a bass lord, a mouse lord, a horse lord, and hundreds of other animal lords.

   Animal lords can appear in two distinct forms: a human form and an animal form. In either form, each animal lord looks quite different. In humanoid form, they look much like a human man or woman but with subtle features of the animal in question. In this form, they are of Medium-size, about 6 feet tall. In animal form, they look like the animal over which they exercise dominion. The tiger lord will look like a sleek, beautiful tiger, the badger lord will appear as a badger, etc.

   While it would be incorrect to say that the animal lords are immoral, it would not be wrong to say they are amoral, especially when dealing with outside affairs. The animal lords care little for anything besides matters directly related to their business. They will conduct their day-to-day affairs related to the animal over which they hold dominion with little regard for the world around them.

   That is not to say that the existence of the animal lords does not benefit other animals or people. If a person or other animal is in a lord's territory, the lord will often aid the creature to get rid of it rather than let it die. But in all other dealings, an animal lord can be brutal and seemingly uncaring. There is, as they say, no such thing as animal politics.

The spirits of the animal lords are immortal. In a sense, they are the gods to their respective animals. If an animal lord's form is killed, its essence will reappear in another of its animals, far away, perhaps even on another plane.

   The primary driving force of the animal lords is nature. Its own will and the will of the individual are deferred to nature. Although the rabbit lord will seek vengeance upon man for destroying the homeland of rabbits, he will not shed a tear for a rabbit killed by natural predators. It is the way of nature and the will of the gods.

CREATING AN ANIMAL LORD

“Animal lord” is a template that can be added to any mundane animal found in Appendix I of the MM (referred to here as the ‘base creature’).  Animals given this template have their type changed to “Outsider.”

   An Animal Lord uses the base creature’s statistics and special abilities as noted here.

   Hit Dice: Total HD increases to 20. If Hit Dice is above 20 then it does not change. Hit Die type remains d8.

   Speed: Same as the base creature in either form or 30 feet, whichever is higher. If the base creature has any other type of movement (flight, swim), the animal lord retains that movement rate in animal form only.

   AC: The animal lord has +8 natural armor or the base creature’s natural armor whichever is better. Animal lords gain a +2 insight bonus to AC from their continuous foresight ability.

   Special Attacks: An animal lord retains all of the special attacks of the base creature and also gains those listed below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 animal lord’s HD + animal lord’s Charisma modifier unless noted otherwise.

   Animal lords lose their special attacks from their animal type when in human form, but retain those listed below, unless noted otherwise.

   Spell-Like Abilities: At will—charm person, plane shift, teleport without error (self plus 50 pounds of objects only); 3/day—anti-magic field. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 20th-level sorcerer (save DC 10 + animal lord’s Cha modifier).

   Summon Allies (Sp): Three times per day an animal lord can automatically summon 2d4 creatures of its animal type (including were-creatures). These creatures will always be of maximum hit dice.

   Special Qualities: An animal lord retains all the special abilities of the base creature (unless noted otherwise) and gains those listed below, and also gains the “Outsider” type. Unless otherwise noted, all special qualities can be used in either of the animal lord’s forms.

   Alternate Form (Su): All animal lords can shift into animal or human form as though using the polymorph self spell. Changing forms is a standard action. Upon changing forms, the animal lord regains hit points as if having rested for a day.

   Damage Reduction (Ex): An animal lord gains damage reduction 20/+2 in either form.

   Darkvision (Ex): Range 60 feet.

   Resistances (Ex): Acid, cold, and fire 30

   Spell Resistance (Ex): SR 28

   Sealed Mind (Ex): Immune to all mind-influencing effects

   Detect Thoughts (Su): An animal lord can continuously detect thoughts as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer (save DC 20 + animal lord’s Int modifier). It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

   Foresight (Su): An animal lord is continuously protected by foresight as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action. This ability grants the animal lord a +2 insight bonus on its AC and Reflex saves.

   Telepathy (Su): An animal lord can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language. Each animal lord can also communicate telepathically with all animals of its type.

   Saves: All saves are Good (+12 on all for “Outsider”). Animal lords gain a +2 insight bonus to Reflex saves (from the foresight ability).

   Ability Scores: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +8, Dex +8, Con +8, Int +18, Wis +6, Cha +10. These ability scores remain constant in either form.

   Skills: An animal lord has 8 skill points, plus its Intelligence modifier, per Hit Die. Treat all skills as class-skills. The animal lord receives all racial bonuses (except circumstantial bonuses) for its animal type when in either form.

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary or troupe (Animal lord plus 10-25 HD worth of creatures of the animal lord’s type)

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +12

Treasure: Double standard

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: N/A

Two sample animal lords follow on the next pages.

SAMPLE ANIMAL LORDS

This example uses a 3 HD panther (found under the Leopard entry in the Monster Manual) as the base creature.

Medium-Size Outsider

Hit Dice: 20d8+120 (210 hp)

Initiative: +8 (Dex)

Speed: 40 ft; 40 ft, climb 20 ft as panther

AC: 28 (+8 Dex, +8 natural, +2 insight bonus)

Attacks: Slam +27 melee; Bite +28 melee, claw +26 melee

Damage: Slam 1d6+7; bite 1d6+7, claw 1d3+3 as panther

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft

Special Attacks:     Spell-like abilities, summon allies; pounce, improved grab, rake 1d6+3 as panther

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/+2, SR 28, resistances, sealed mind, detect thoughts, foresight, scent, telepathy, darkvision 60 ft
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +22, Will +16

Abilities: Str 24, Dex 27, Con 23, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 16

Skills: Balance +35, Climb +30, Concentration +29, Disguise +19, Hide +35*, Knowledge (arcana) +28, Listen +27, Move Silently +35, Search +22, Spellcraft +28, Spot +27

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary or troupe (Cat Lord plus 2-5 leopards, tigers, lions, panthers, or weretigers)
Challenge Rating: 14

Treasure: Double standard

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: N/A

COMBAT

   Skills: The Cat Lord receives a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8 when the Cat Lord is in animal form.

   This example uses a 1/4 HD mouse (use the rat entry in the MM) as the base creature.

Medium-Size Outsider

Hit Dice: 20d8+80 (170 hp)

Initiative: +10 (+6 Dex +4 Improved Initiative)

Speed: 30 ft, climb 30 ft; 15 ft, climb 15 ft as mouse

AC: 26 (+6, +8 natural, +2 insight bonus)

Attacks: Slam +20 melee; Bite +26 melee

Damage: Slam 1d3; bite 1d6, bite 1d3 as mouse

Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft

Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon allies

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/+2, SR 28, resistances, sealed mind, detect thoughts, foresight, scent, telepathy, darkvision 60 ft
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +16

Abilities: Str 10, Dex 23, Con 18, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 12

Skills: Balance +31, Bluff +24, Climb +29, Concentration +27, Escape Artist +24, Hide +27, Jump +14, Knowledge (arcana) +21, Listen +22, Move Silently +33, Search +15, Spellcraft +28, Spot +27

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary or troupe (Mouse Lord plus 10-100 mice)
Challenge Rating: 14

Treasure: Double standard

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: N/A

COMBAT

   Skills: The Mouse Lord receives a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus to Balance checks. She uses her Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.

The original Animal Lord (the Cat Lord) first appeared in the 1e MM II (Gary Gygax, 1983).