The What Is It? Contest 2 Face Off!

[Mark Chance]

It's time to vote for the winner of the second What Is It? Contest. This time the prize is unlimited bragging rights for having the best monster as judged by the poll results plus any one PDF from my catalog. The picture for WIIC2 comes from Reginald Scot's The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584):



We've got two baddies facing off this time. May the best monster win!

[Mark Chance]

1Mac's Monster:

Bayou Hag

Thick, grayish, mossy hair covers the features of this humanoid creature, save for a long livid nose and two small glowing eyes.
Hag, Bayou
CR 7
XP 1,600
N Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +4; Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +5 natural, +1 dodge)
hp 87 (9 d10 + 4)
Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +10
SR 18

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d4 + 1 plus poison)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
Constant— pass without trace, water breathing
At will— fog cloud (DC 14), entangle, faerie fire (DC 13)
1/day— acid fog, summon monster VI (DC 18), summon monster IV (DC 16), summon monster III (DC 15)

STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 15
Base Atk +10; CMB +10; CMD 25
Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Stealthy, Toughness
Skills Bluff +8, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Escape Artist +12, Handle Animal +8, Perception +10, Stealth +12, Swim +8, Spellcraft +8, Survival +9
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Swamp venom (Ex) claw—injury; save Fort DC 16, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1d4 Con, cure 2 consecutive saves

ECOLOGY
Environment warm marshes

Organization solitary or coven (3 hags of any kind)

Treasure standard

The Bayou Hag is a solitary creature who, when not with her coven, would just as soon be left alone. While they will meet with their covens from time to time, these hags usually prefer to remain in the huts and shacks they build deep in the fetid swamps that give them their name. These rude dwellings are rumored to contain great treasure and power, and the Bayou Hag finds that she must contend with curious visitors more often than she’d like.
When the Bayou Hag must fight, she first casts acid fog, fog cloud, or entangle to hamper her foes and enable her to hide. She then casts one or more of her summon monster spells to summon creatures of the swamp to fight at her side, usually crocodiles, constrictors, vipers, and giant frogs. If she must fight hand to hand, she lashes out with her venomous claws.

Hooks
Wicked Annabella: Red Sticks is village much like any other in Bayou country, save for a famed resident who lives nearby, who is rarely seen, and whose reputation has become folkloric. The PCs have heard that she possesses uncanny hidden knowledge vital to their quest, but can they convince her that they are not just another pack of greedy, meddlesome, superstitious locals?

Clothes Make the Man: Bayou Hags are not known for their sartorial sense, but when one is presumed to be robbing caravans of royal gowns and other finery, the PCs must investigate. How far will a monster go to gain prestige among civilized folks?

[Mark Chance]

ruemere's monster:

Yakshini Ogress, Daughter of Hariti

Gaunt and ancient female of ogrish provenance emerges from among mangroves. She's riding a mean-looking crocodile, lighting her path with a small lantern.

Yakshini Ogress CR 9
XP 6400
Female
N Large outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses scent; Perception +17

DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+10 natural, -1 size)
hp 150 (12d10+72+12); Regeneration 10 (acid or fire)
Fort +16, Ref +4, Will +14
DR 10/silver; Immune disease, electricity
Weaknesses pyrophobic (immediately flees if damaged by fire, cannot voluntarily aproach any source of fire)

OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. (earth, quicksand), swim 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +15 (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
Constant-pass without trace
At will-bestow curse (DC 17), expeditious retreat, glitterdust (DC 16), grease (DC 15), remove curse, obscuring mist, purify food and drink, stinking cloud (DC 17)
3/day-cure moderate wounds, enervation, lesser restoration, neutralize poison, poison (DC 17),
1/day-baleful polymorph (DC 19), break enchantment, cloudkill (DC 19), plant growth

TACTICS
Before combat Yakshini Ogresses attempt to hide using their burrow ability or assume comely shape to appear to harmless.
During combat Yakshini Ogresses seek to impair opponent vision using their abilities, and then proceed to either further weaken them using their spell-like abilities or proceed to rend with their claws.
Morale Yakshini Ogresses flee immediately if damaged by fire. They also break any melee contact with opponents wielding fire sources. Finally, they flee if their hitpoints fall below 50.

STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 13
Base Atk +15; CMB +17; CMD +27
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Toughness
Skills Bluff +14, Craft +15, Diplomacy +14, Handle Animal +14, Knowledge (planes) +13, Perception +17, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +11, Survival +17, Swim +17 (+4 racial bonus)
Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan
SQ change shape (Small, Medium, or Large humanoid; comely female with tell-tale small horns; alter self or giant form I)
Other Gear herbs, lantern (caged Will-o'-Wisp or continual flame), rations (vegetable), caged bird, small amount of money (3d6 GP, 2d6 SP, 3d6 CP)

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Spell-like Abilities Yakshini Ogress spell-like abilities function as spells cast by 10th-level druid using Wisdom as her spellcasting ability. Unless explicitly stated in special abilities, Yakshini Ogress does not gain other features of Druid class. Spell-like abilities based on spells not on Druid spell list are added as Druid spells, using lowest possible spell level.

Spontaneous Casting Yakshini Ogress can channel energy of spell-like abilities into summoning spells with the following restrictions: at-will abilities into summon nature's ally I, 3/day abilities into summon nature's ally III, 1/day abilities into summon nature's ally V.

Animal Companion (Su) Yakshini Ogresses often befriend animals, turning them into animal companions. To create an animal companion for Yakshini Ogress, select base animal from Bestiary, apply Advanced Template and replace its hitpoints with a half of Yakshini Ogress total. Yakshini Ogress may have only one animal companion at any time. Finding a new one requires befriending an animal and then performing 24-hour long ritual.

SAMPLE ANIMAL COMPANION

Treader the Footstool
Advanced Crocodile (see Pathfinder Bestiary, p. 51, crocodile, and p. 294, advanced template)
hp 75
Tricks: combat training (attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel)

ECOLOGY
Environment cold or temperate deserts, forests, swamps and bayous, mountains
Organization solitary or with animal companion
Treasure standard

Yakshini Ogress is a female counterpart to Ogre Mage. It is an oni, an evil spiritual entity, clad in flesh. However, daughters of Hariti are a tribe of Ogresses who changed their ways and became closer to nature. While by no means good or friendly, they prefer to eat vegetables and interact with travelers, trading gossip for warm meals or build small and beautiful groves or gardens in a middle of nowhere. Frequently mistaken for more evil cousins, daughters of Hariti often respond with violence, and their bloody vendettas become often subject of legends. However, if treated with respect, they often offer hospitality and allow their guests to stay for a few days.

There are tales of Yakshini Ogresses, who formed close ties with villagers, and in some cases bore human children.

Lore - Knowledge (Planes) or Knowledge (Nature):
- DC 19 - This is Yakshini Ogress. A female ogre capable of using nature magic. For some reason, Yakshini Ogresses fear fire.
- DC 24 - This particular Yakshini Ogress appears to be a Daughter of Hariti, a member of sect following surprisingly benevolent oni demigoddes. They are not violent unless provoked, and they prefer vegetables to meat. They are fairly dependable if treated with respect. If mistreated, they go to great lengths to get their revenge.
- DC 29 - It is said that Daughters of Hariti often make friends with local folk, becoming veritable founts of local knowledge and gossip.

ONI TRAITS

The oni are a diverse race of evil outsiders, of which the ogre mage is the most common. Other types of oni exist as well-evil spirits that clothe themselves in the flesh of other types of humanoid. The majority of oni are giants, with goblinoid, tengu, and reptilian oni being relatively common as well.
While oni are incredibly varied in their shapes and powers, they still share certain traits in common:
- Regeneration: All oni regenerate, although the rate of regeneration varies. Damage from fire or acid can kill an oni.
- Change Shape: All oni are shapechangers, but their ability to change shape is generally limited to creatures similar in shape to their true form.
- Native: Oni are native outsiders. As evil spirits clad in mortal humanoid flesh, all oni also possess one of the humanoid subtypes-usually giant.

PLOT HOOKS

To burn a witch: A child has been found to have a set of four small horns. Supersititious villagers are about to lynch the child, blaming the girl to cause souring of milk and plague of mice in barns. Meanwhile, the characters are approached by an old and sick looking woman, who says she would like to adopt the child.
If convinced to reveal her secrets, the old woman reveals that she had a brief affair with current miller, and then that she left her child on his doorstep. She begs for help as she does not want anyone, including her child, to find out that she's a monstrous ogre.

Light in darkness: There is a tale of an old wise woman helping travelers with crossing northern marshes. She always appears in the evening, offering her services as a guide. Sometimes she even treats children to cookies of her own making.
However, this year there has been no sighting of her. Concerned merchants of a local trade house request passing adventurers to find out the woman and support her in case she needs help.

OGL, section 15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
Creature Collection, Copyright 2000, Clark Peterson.
Creature Collection Revised, Copyright 2003, White Wolf Publishing.
Withered Flowers Campaign Publication. Copyright 2010, Patryk Adamski (Ruemere).

[Walking Dad]

5 / 5 at the moment. Looks like this will be a close one.

[ruemere]

Dammit, we need more votes.

Regards,
Ruemere

[1Mac]

Either way, it looks like it's going to be a quantum finish ("No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!").

[Mark Chance]

Originally Posted by 1Mac

Either way, it looks like it's going to be a quantum finish ("No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!").

Very Heisenbergian.

Only about 1 day left for voting. It's still close.

Also, don't forget about the next contest.

[Mark Chance]

Well, looks like a tie! Neither monster is the winner!

If both creators could email me at mark at spesmagna dot com with their preferred PDF from my catalog, I'll get that end of this contest taken care of. Meanwhile, don't forget the new What Is It? contest in this thread.

[ruemere]

Or maybe we both won?

One I thing I learned from this contest - the higher level creature, the more satisfaction from building it. Low level creatures do not need to provide for such a broad scope of character abilities.

Regards,
Ruemere

[1Mac]

Downloaded my prize today. Thanks to Mark for the great contest, and congrats to my co-winner ("Everybody has won, and all must have prizes!").