I know it's a bit early to be posting this, but I got him ready, and just couldn't wait.
Saint Nicholas the Gift-Giver Hero-deity
Age: approximately 1,200 years (he remains a hero-deity simply because he refuses to think of himself as an immortal, to court worship, or to enter conflict with other powers) Aliases: Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Sinterklaas Allies: other saints, angels, Jack the Pumpkin King Enemies: the Grinch, Master Scrooge, all immortals of evil alignment Home Plane: the North Pole (a demiplane coterminus with Elysium and the Prime Material) Alignment: Neutral Good Pantheon: the Saints (Christian) Portfolios: Charity, Travel Relatives: Mrs. Claus (wife)
Legend
Though his origins are mysterious, and many people think him only a legend, St. Nicholas is renowned throughout the planes for his generosity and love of children and animals. Recognized as a Saint in the eighth century after the birth of his pantheon head’s Avatar-Son as a mortal man, he travels around the world every year on the anniversary of that blessed event, delivering gifts to good children and gentle chastisement to naughty ones.
Personality
Although he carries a weight of disappointment (and no small measure of guilt) for the recent centuries’ commercialization of the Christmas holidays, Nicholas is a happy, jolly old soul. Nothing brings him more joy than helping and comforting others, especially children. He looks for the best in everyone, believing that any crime can be atoned for; harming a child is virtually the only way to incur his wrath. Weaknesses: Pacifism, refusal to see bad intentions, milk and cookies.
Goals
Santa’s goal is simple, and his quest never-ending; to bring a merry Christmas to everyone, all over the world. And maybe retire to a little island in the Bahamas, someday. Or maybe the Sahara… anywhere, as long as it’s warm.
Death of St. Nicholas
If Santa were killed without a suitable successor being found, a great light would go out of the world, as millions of children would be disappointed on Christmas Morning. That is, every Christmas Morning, forever. It is likely that at least one Koph Nia (holy strike force) would be dispatched to avenge his death.
Manifestation of Saint Nicholas Hero-deity of Charity and Travel (divine rank 3) Medium Outsider (Augmented Humanoid, Good, Human, Native) Conjurer-6/Druid-4/Mystic Theurge-12 Hit Dice: 6d4 + 4d8 + 12d4 + 176 (280 hit points, or 560 in his divine realm) Initiative: +3 (+3 divine) Speed: 30 ft. Armor Class: 32 (+2 exalted, +10 deflection, +3 divine, +7 natural), touch 23, flat-footed 32; any weapon that hits must make DC 29 Fort save or shatter harmlessly. Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+17 Attack:Santa’s Staff of Animals +18 (2d6+4 nonlethal/20/x2), or spell +17 touch or spell +14 ranged touch Full Attack:Santa’s Staff of Animals +18/+13 Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Divine aura (80 ft., DC 22), spell-like abilities, spells Special Qualities: Animal companion, calming aura (20 ft., DC 29), damage reduction 5/epic, divine bonus (+3), divine immunities, divine traits (hero-deity), godly realm (96,000 ft.), immortality, nature sense, resist nature’s lure, spell resistance 35, summon familiar, trackless step, woodland stride Saves: Fort +21, Ref +13, Will +28 Abilities: Str 17, Dex 11, Con 26, Int 32, Wis 33, Cha 26 Skills: Appraise +33 (+35 for toys), Concentration +36, Craft (toymaking) +38, Diplomacy +43, Gather Information +39, Handle Animal +35, Knowledge (arcana) +38, Knowledge (history) +38, Knowledge (religion) +38, Move Silently +7, Ride +28, Sense Motive +39, Spellcraft +40, Spot +39, Survival +19 (Yes, I ignored class skills. Because it’s Santa.) Feats: Augment Summoning, Craft Wondrous Item*, Endurance, Nonlethal Substitution^, Purify Spell^, Quicken Spell, Sacred Vow^, Scribe Scroll*, Spell Focus (conjuration), Vow of Nonviolence^, Vow of Peace^
*bonus feat
^from Book of Exalted Deeds Epic Feats: Automatic Metamagic Capacity x6*, Epic Reputation Divine Abilities:
-Adjuration; each day, St. Nicholas can summon 44 HD of creatures. He favors animals, air elementals, and celestials. No individual creature summoned in this manner can have a CR higher than 14.
-Cold Immunity; St. Nicholas takes no damage or other ill effects from cold-based attacks.
-Multifaceted; St. Nicholas gains six additional feats.
-Perfect Mind; St. Nicholas gains a +5 inherent bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Divine Handicap: St. Nicholas’ movement speed is no greater than that of an ordinary human. He gains an extra divine ability slot. Environment: the North Pole. Organization: with Mrs. Claus, or Sleigh Team (nine awakened reindeer rangers), or in workshop (20d10 gnome experts of 1st-10th level) Challenge Rating: 32 Treasure (artifacts):Santa’s Staff of Animals, Santa’s Toy Sack Treasure (non-Epic items): Christmas presents (hundreds of mundane toys and minor magic items), Santa’s Sleigh (driver can use time stop at will, any reindeer tethered to the sleigh can fly at 300 ft. with Good maneuverability), wand of knock Level Adjustment: +15 Alignment: Neutral Good
This fat, red-faced, white-bearded, man is dressed in bright red velvet, lined with pure white fur. A smoking pipe is clenched in his teeth, framed by a jolly smile that perfectly matches the twinkle in his bright, blue eyes. One of his hands, wrapped in warm, green mittens, holds a staff taller than himself and carved with animals, and the other holds a bulging sack slung over his shoulder. He gives you a mischievous wink, and gestures for quiet.
St. Nicholas’ manifestation stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighs 200 pounds.
COMBAT
Given the choice, St. Nicholas does not fight at all. He will attempt to defuse any combat without injury, with use of Diplomacy backed by his Calming Aura; he will retreat or resort to enchantment spells if words fail him, and none of his martially-inclined allies are present. In the highly unlikely event that his escape is cut off, he relies primarily on summoned creatures, supporting them with his vast array of protective spells. However, he gives no quarter to any creature that threatens a child in his presence, doing everything in his power to subdue the threat. St. Nicholas will never, under any circumstances, deal lethal damage to a living creature by any means (note that he can alter any spell that deals energy damage to deal nonlethal damage instead), nor even aid his allies who intend to kill an opponent. He will stand by and permit his allies to kill only if there is no other way to protect the life of a child.
Spellcasting: Santa casts spells as a 17th level wizard (caster level 26), specialized in Conjuration, with Evocation and Necromancy as forbidden schools. Save DC 22 + spell level (23 + level for Conjuration). The save DC for any spell he casts against a humanoid or monstrous humanoid that do not deal damage (except nonlethal damage) increases by +4, due to his Vow of Nonviolence feat; this does not stack with his Spell Focus (conjuration) feat. Spells per day (0-9th): 4+1/7+1/6+1/6+1/6+1/6+1/5+1/4+1/4+1/3+1
Typical wizard spells prepared:0 – dancing lights, jacks*, message, prestidigitation x2.1st – appraising touch*, charm person, color spray, identify, obscuring mist, shield, sleep, unseen servant.2nd – balancing lorecall*, cat’s grace, darkvision, glitterdust, invisibility, misdirection, obscure object.3rd – deep slumber, dispel magic, clairaudience/clairvoyance x2, greater mage armor*, nondetection, sleet storm.4th – charm monster, minor creation, orb of cold*, remove curse, secure shelter, solid fog, stone shape.5th – baleful polymorph, fabricate, major creation, passwall, telepathic bond, persistent image.6th – analyze dweomer, freezing fog*, legend lore, summon monster VI, superior resistance*, true seeing.7th – control weather, mass hold person, phase door x2, teleport object.8th – discern location, ghostform*, greater plane shift*, mass charm monster, polymorph any object.9th – freedom, foresight, programmed amnesia*, true creation*.
*from Spell Compendium;” jacks” works like “caltrops” except that the damage is nonlethal
Spellcasting: Santa casts spells as a 15th level druid (caster level 26). Save DC 23 + spell level (24 + level for Conjuration). The save DC for any spell he casts against a humanoid or monstrous humanoid that do not deal damage (except nonlethal damage) increases by +4, due to his Vow of Nonviolence feat; this does not stack with his Spell Focus (conjuration) feat. Spells per day (0-8th): 6/8/8/7/6/6/5/4/3
Typical druid spells prepared:0 – create water, guidance x2, know direction x3.1st – cure light wounds x2, detect snares and pits, endure elements, entangle, faerie fire, goodberry, pass without trace.2nd – barkskin, gust of wind, lesser restoration, snow blade, train animal* x2, winter’s embrace*, wood shape.3rd – cure moderate wounds, daylight, greater magic fang, plant growth, remove disease x2, speak with plants.4th – chain of eyes*, control water, cure serious wounds, greater blindsight*, mass swim*, sheltered vitality*.5th – atonement, commune with nature, control winds x2, cure critical wounds, death ward.6th – animate snow*, find the path, stone tell, transport via plants, vigorous circle*.7th – aura of vitality*, control weather, heal, wind walk.8th – animal shapes, mass cure serious wounds, word of recall.
*from Spell Compendium
Santa’s Staff of Animals
This +1 merciful quarterstaff allows St. Nicholas to cast the following spells, each costing 1 charge: animal messenger, animal growth, animal trance, awaken, calm animals, charm animal, detect animals or plants, dominate animal, hide from animals, reduce animal, speak with animals, and summon nature’s ally IX (animals only). It regains one spent charge each time St. Nicholas performs an act of charity (meaning it is very seldom less than fully charged).
Santa’s Toy Sack
Though it appears to be a simple, burlap sack, without this artifact, St. Nicholas’ annual quest of toy delivery would not be possible. It acts as a bag of holding with no maximum capacity, that always has whatever St. Nicholas is looking for on top.
Last edited by WarDragon; 16th December 2006 at 10:30 PM..
Nice work. I like the sleigh, though I don't think it's fast enough to go everywhere in the world in a single night even with the Time Stop.
Quote:
I know it's a bit early to be posting this, but I got him ready, and just couldn't wait.
It's December so you're in the clear. 17 days ago and we'd have had to send some of the lads round to have a word.
Quote:
Death of St. Nicholas
If Santa were killed without a suitable successor being found, a great light would go out of the world, as millions of children would be disappointed on Christmas Morning. That is, every Christmas Morning, forever. It is likely that at least one Koph Nia (holy strike force) would be dispatched to avenge his death.
Santa's list of succession candidates includes THANATOS, NETHER EMPEROR OF THE LOWER PLANES, for reasons nobody has been able to discern.
I think that was a (very funny! ) reference to The Nightmare Before Christmas, actually. At any rate, that was my first thought.
__________________ "I am a vampiric half-dragon half-troll lycanthropic fiendish snail! Tremble at my illogical glory!" -The Tongue is Mightier Than the Sword, OotS, Dragon #345
"Come to the Far Realmy side...we have pseudonatural cookies..." - Tlin, Alienoid Warlock, during a game session in March 2007
Never really got into Discworld (I know, I know, blasphemy). I just prefer fantasy that takes itself more seriously, the above creation notwithstanding; I didn't even like the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Universe that much.
Great stuff WD.
I've got to agree with PL when he says speed needs to be increased. I'm sure I can think of a few other nitpicks but for now I'm just pleased.
You know, I can't but help to think that the yearly worship from childre across the world would have granted him bazillions of quintessence over the years. Why not add something along the lines that he's only a hero deity because he spends that quintessence on a regular basis in order to aid his charitable efforts.
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That's already covered in the "In whose name" section of the WP system. Some quintessence would still stick to him, hence the need to spend it to stay at that level.
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) reference to The Nightmare Before Christmas, actually. At any rate, that was my first thought.
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