Dog Moon's Creatures [Updated 10-05-13]

Jdvn1 said:

Yeah, I was reading through the description and was thinking, "These would be cool to see in the Elemental Plane of Fire, I wonder if that's their environ--cold forests?!"

Click to expand...

I don't know. Personally, I'd love to use the Fire Wolf in a cold setting cause it would never be expected.

Well, my players might. They might be kinda used to that about me by now.

Speigliai [Advanced Dire Porcupines]

Okay, so I was browsing through some of the old Homebrewed threads and found the Dire Porcupine. I thought it could make a cool modified creature, so I did so. I had to modify it a little bit because this was a 3.0 version, but hey, it was pretty easy, so it's all good.

Technically, Insectoid Creatures are not allowed on Animals, but I liked it better than Arachnoid and liked the idea of multiple legs, so I added it on anyway. If you wanted, you could give it two claw attacks, assuming it could stand on the hind four feet, if you really wanted to, but this time, I didn't. Wouldn't be hard though.

I modified the Bone Creature template. Normally it's supposed to change the AC to like +3, but I felt that totally weakened this creature, and I'm not even sure if Bone Creature is technically allowed on anything not Humanoid. You should know me by now that I like Intelligent things, both Undead and even Golems.

Woodling version. Only thing different is that I added a higher Intelligence, but I explained that, so it should all be good.

Description
The Speigliai is a fighting machine, designed this way using selective breeding, growth methods, and, of course, Arcane Magic. There are three kinds of Speigliai. The first is used as siege creatures and guardians. They by themselves are rare, used mainly used by a individuals and a secret sect of people hiding in an anti-Wizard nation who are constantly experimenting on things. It is said that they have sold the secrets on how to breed these and even several samples of the Speigliai to other groups of people.

One of these other groups is the Elves. They have decided that they need to protect their forest and view the Speigliai as a means to do that against the lumberers and others who would harm their forests. They have taken the Speigliai one step further, making them more like the forests they are designed to protect. They have bred intelligence into the Speigliai and their relation has become more of an alliance than the Elves purely ruling over the Speigliai. The Speigliai have come to realize that they are as much of the forests now as any other forest-dwelling creature and that all within the forest must be protected. The Elves are proud of their 'creations' though some become close to the Speigliai and view them as a sort of child.

Several individuals have taken these creatures and turned them into Undead versions of themselves. These individuals are, of course, Necromancers and other that deal with the dead. The Undead threat is growing and these are almost perfect siege creatures. They can climb over walls and sense creatures coming from any direction. It is thought that some of the Undead underground are working on trying to create versions that can burrow underground, which would increase their strength dramatically. These Undead Speigliai still have a minor touch of Intelligence to them, but no more than their living versions.

Appearance
Living Speigliai are six-legged porcupines that are larger and much more fiercer than their normal 'cousins.' Their backs are covered with sharp, deadly spines and their maws filled with sharp fangs. Undead Speigliai are similar in appearance, but their bones are leaner and their eyes have a hint of rage within them. Their lips are almost always found curled into angry snarls. Forest Speigliai have bodies similar to that of trees and their bodies change depending on the season.

Speigliai
Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (128 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 27 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +14 natural)
BA/Grapple: +6/+18

Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic, Immunities, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Wide Vision


Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 18, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Temperate, warm, and cold forest, plains, and hills
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Combat
Dire porcupines are passive until threatened. When faced with possible combat, the dire porcupine raises the quills on its body, spins around smashing an opponent with its quill-covered tail as it does. Dire porcupines can bite an opponent, but rarely do. If it does bite an opponent, 1d4 quills break off from its body and lodge in the opponent’s body (see text below).

Quills (Ex): When the Speigliai strikes with its tail, it dislodges 1d6 quills that automatically break off and lodge in the opponent’s flesh. A lodged quill imposes a –1 circumstance penalty to attacks, saves, and checks. Each 1 minute thereafter the quill moves deeper into the opponent’s flesh dealing 1d2 additional points of damage. Removing the quill takes 1 full round and deals 1d6 additional points of damage. If the quill has been embedded for more than 10 rounds, a Strength check at DC 10 is needed to remove the quill. For every minute after that, the DC to remove a lodged quill increases by +1.
An unarmed or touch attack against a dire porcupine causes 1d4 quills to break off and lodge in the attacker.

Skills: Speigliai receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks.

Wide Vision (Ex): Because of its multiple eyes and wide angle of vision, a Speigliai has a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and cannot be flanked.

Felling Strike (Ex): Once per day, when a Speigliai scores a successful critical hit, it can elect to make a felling strike by rolling again. If the result of this third roll would hit the target, the target takes the full damage from the critical hit as normal but must also make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.

Punishing Strike (Ex): Once per day, a Speigliai may make a mighty attack against any one opponent, adding its Charisma bonus (positive only) as a bonus on the attack roll and its Hit Dice total as a bonus on the damage roll. Use of this ability must be declared before making the attack. If the attack misses, that punishing strike attempt is wasted.

Rapid Strike (Sp): Twice per day, a Speigliai may grant itself the effects of a haste spell (self only). Caster level 8.

Immunities (Ex): Speigliais are immune to disease, poison, paralysis, stunning, and all mind-influencing spells and effects.


Undead Speigliai
Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught Bone Creature
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d12 (96 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 29 (-1 size, +6 Dex, +14 natural)

BA/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic and 5/Bludgeoning, Immunities, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Undead Qualities, Wide Vision

Alignment: Always evil
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 22, Con -, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Immunities (Ex): Immune to Cold.


Speigliai of Nature
Woodling Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (128 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 34 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +21 natural)

BA/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike, Spell-Like Abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic and 5/slashing, Immunities, low-light vision, Plant Traits, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, Skill Bonuses, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Vulnerability to Fire, Wide Vision

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 18, Con 26, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Temperate, warm, and cold forest
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Spell-Like Abilities: Entangle 1/day, Summon nature's ally II 1/day, Speak with plants 3/day, Summon nature's ally IV 1/day. Caster Level 8; DC 11 + spell level.

Skill Bonuses (Ex): A Speigliai's skin and hair resemble bark and leaves. Every part of the creature has a distinctly plantlike look that changes with the seasons. It is light green in early spring, darkening during the summer. In autumn, it turns yellow, orange, or red like a deciduous leaf. In the winter, it is a dry brown. A Speigliai has a +4 bonus on Hide checks and Move Silently checks in aboveground natural environments.

Speigliai
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species

Undead Speigliai
Bone Creature Template [Modified]: Book of Vile Darkness
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species

Forest Speigliai
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species
Woodling Template: Monster Manual III

Damn. Thats a mean porcupine. A request if you will: Dire Quail.

I was walking to my mailbox, I can't remember when, but thought of how PCs would react meeting of a Dire Quail head on. I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Ah, the things a PC can find in the dark recesses of a K(Nature) Library...

Okay, I admit. I have no idea what a Quail looks like nor do I have any idea if they live in Minnesota, but the Raven stats are said to fit most non-aggressive birds, so I just used that. Found the Tome of Horrors WE which contained the Dire Animal, and simply applied that to the Bird.

I also wanted to do SOMETHING interesting, so I added Shadow Creature to it. In my mind, I picture these almost as the perfect little spies, birds hiding in trees spying on whoever they're directed to spy on, and then reporting back to their masters what they see. I even created a new spell for it, though I admit that this is probably the first spell I've ever created, so I don't know how well it works.

Also, looks like I'll be DMing next week, which is what I've been working on instead of new creatures. I'm sure I'll be making more creations I can stick here though, so everything should be good, but plenty of time will be spent on that, I'm sure.

The Dire Quail
Dire Quail
Size/Type: Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (10 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft, fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 nat.), touch 14, flat-footed 14

Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-8
Attack: Claws +3 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: Claws +3 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6

Skills: Listen +5, Spot +7

Feats: Alertness, Weapon FinesseB

Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Advancement: —


Shadow Scouts
Dire Quail Shadow Creature
Size/Type: Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (10 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft, fly 75 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 nat.), touch 14, flat-footed 14

Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7
Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 5/magic, Low-light vision, Report, Resistance to Cold 6, Shadow Blend

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6

Skills: Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +7

Feats: Alertness, Weapon FinesseB

Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: —

Shadow Blend (Su): In any conditions other than full daylight, a shadow creature can disappear into the shadows, giving it total concealment. Artifi cial illumination, even a light or continual fl ame spell, does not negate this ability, but a daylight spell will.

Report (Su): Shadow Scouts record what they see with their eyes. This can be easily accessed with a standard action by the one who considers it its master. The Shadow Scout can hold 1 hour of information in its eyes before needing to return to the master.

Appearance
It's a bird!

The Shadow Scout has the same appearance as the Dire Quail except it's feathers tend to be much darker and seem to blend into the shadows. In the day, these Shadow Scouts are generally out of place, their dark nature easily revealed by the light of the sun.

Dire Template: Tome of Horrors WE [Necromancer Games]
Quail: Monster Manual [Raven entry]
Shadow Creature Template: Manual of the Planes

New Spell
Summon Shadow Scout
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell summons a Shadow Scout to your presence. This bird serves you unerringly for up to 1 hour per level, scouting or spying on the person/area you want. However, the Shadow Scout must fly from your position, so there are limits to the Shadow Scout's range.

This spell has additional benefits depending on the level of the caster.

5th: The Recording lasts for 1 hour/level instead of the Shadow Scout's normal 1 hour.
7th: The Shadow Scout automatically knows where to go as if the caster had previously scryed upon the person to be spied upon to determine his or her location.
9th: The duration of the bird lasts for 1 day/level
11th: The Shadow Scout is capable of Teleporting between the caster and its current location at will.

Special: To be able to spy on a person, the caster must know the location of the person and the bird must be able to fly there.

Focus: A picture of the target to be spied upon or a picture of the area to the spied upon.

Dog Moon said:

Okay, I admit. I have no idea what a Quail looks like

Click to expand...

like so?



oh wait, that's a Quayle. you probably want this:

Quail?

Add the Shadow template to that!

Siamese quail?

Tarod

Okay, it's been a while, I know. I'm an entire week behind but know that I have not forgotten about this thread! Unfortunately, this next person is done a little quickly, so I'll probably go back a little bit later and touch up on his stuff.

Important Note: Although I used the idea of the Amalgam Template, I did not actually use it when making Tarod. What I did was cut the HD of the Entombed by 1/4th to 4HD and reduce the Strength of it. So I used the Entombed/Human crossbreed.

Also, this was an NPC in an adventure I ran that I never actually statted up, but I have wanted to for a while and am now getting around to it. So the idea behind the Adventure Hook is mainly based on what I ran. Of course there are dozens of Adventure Hooks for Assassins/Thieves Guilds that could be used for him. IMC, the Undead are working on taking over [a la Kingdom of the Ghouls].

Tarod
Entombed/Human Rogue 3/Assassin 8 (CR: 13)
Medium Undead (Cold)
Hit Dice: 15d12 (138 hp) [4 HD from base creature]
Initiative: +11
Speed: 30 ft, burrow 40 ft. (ice only)
Armor Class: 25 (–1 size, +4 natural, +5 dex, +7 armor), touch 14, flatfooted 20

Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+12
Attack: Slam +16 melee (2d6+3 plus 2d4 cold)
Full Attack: 2 slams +16 melee (2d6+3 plus 2d4 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Create spawn, Death Attack DC 20, freeze, icy touch, immure, improved grab, Sneak Attack +6d6, Spells
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, ice glide, immunity to cold, tremorsense 60 ft., undead traits, vulnerability to fire

Alignment: Neutral evil
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +15, Will +9
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 20, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17

Skills: Bluff +31, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +7, Forgery +20, Hide +25, Listen +20, Move Silently +25, Perform (sing) +13, Sense Motive +20, Spot +20, Tumble +13
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Giant

Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Weapon (Slam), Leadership, Quick Reconnoiter, Staggering Strike, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse (Slam)

Spells
Spells Known: 4/4/4/3
Spells/Day: 4/4/3/1

1st - Critical Strike, Obscuring Mist, Sticky Fingers, True Strike
2nd - Alter Self, Feather Fall, Illusory Script, Spider Climb
3rd - Deep Slumber, Fangs of the Vampire, Find the Gap, Wraithstrike
4th - Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Modify Memory

Equipment 60,800gp
Mask of Disguise [As hat; painted solid white] (2,000gp)
Choker of Eloquance, Gr. (24,000gp)
Amulet of Mighty Fists [+1] (6,000gp)
+3 Glamored Mithril Chainshirt (12,800gp)
Gloves of Dexterity +4 (16,000gp)

Description
Tarod's face is never revealed, always covered by the white mask he wears. Some say he is horribly scarred, but others say it is to hide his identity because he is, after all, an Assassin. His frame is lean and only partially muscular, but his entire body is encased in a shell of solid ice except where the mask covers his face. He always wears black robes to cover the ice, but it cannot hide is somewhat bulky icy figure.

Background
Son to a common whore and a pirate, his life was inevitably drawn to one of thievery. He was a skilled thief, but what truly brought him greatness was his tongue. He could weave a story like no other and people tended to believe him. He used that to get close to people and then take what he needed. Later, he used the same skill to assassinate targets, gaining even more money.

Tarod used the money to purchase a business and use that as a front for his mischevious deeds. Criminals were drawn to him and he weeded out those who either had great skill or those who had great potential. Those he mistrusted he quickly and efficiently killed. The Guild he created he named as the White Visages after the mask he always wore. His Guild prospered and crushed any contending Guilds.

His life changed when he encountered the Undead. They had interest in taking over the city of Saydar. The cold weather kept out most except the inhabitants of the land and the Undead, being immune to it, thought to take control of the frigid wastelands in the beginning of their conquests. They didn't act rashly though; they don't want the rest of the world to know about their presence quite yet, so they used Tarod, granting him Undeath in exchange for his services.

Tactics
Tarod prefers to not have to fight his own battles. Fortunately, he has been given control of three Entombed as an additional reward. He uses the well in the frozen wasteland he lives in and uses his own ability in conjunction to theirs, moving through the snow and attempting to Sneak Attack others, using Staggering Strike to prevent characters from moving quickly.

Tarod also has a small army within his Guild, of which there exist several casters. If necessary, he can use their services to buff himself in any way. Also, he can likely find many magical items if he truly desires them, especially potions. He can be given any number of potions [I have not given him any, but I would assume he would carry sever Cure Potions and probably Fly and Gaseous Form as well.

Adventure Hooks
1. Hook: The ambassador that was sent to smooth relations between the frozen nation of Rilous and Chigo turns up missing one night. The PCs were assigned to protect him...

Background: Chigo is a new nation and does not have (m)any allies, so they are attempting to gain help from various nearby nations, of which Rilous is one. The PCs have helped the nation of Chigo so they are asked/hired to protect the ambassador. The Undead want to have the nations fighting against each other and this is but one of the ways they are attempting to do so.

Adventure: The PCs, after questioning locals, determines that the Guild in town is the best place to look for assassins. They are ambushed on the way by men with white masks, a sure sign that the Guild is responsible. They must find the Guild, deal with them, and locate the assassin.

Options: As above, quite simple. They fight numerous thieves, devastating the White Visages, and are finally confronted by Tarod.

OR

The Guild has been set up. The Undead of decided that now is the time to act and that they desire Tarod's death [perhaps he is not agreeing to all of their demands or something]. Those with the white masks who ambushed are not really the White Visages, but are instead Undead.

Ending the Adventure: The adventure ends if the person responsible for the assassination is brought to justice, whether it be Tarod or the Undead.

Continuing the Adventure: Either way, the Undead are still behind the scenes and desiring the city for their own. If the PCs learn of their existence nearby, the city will ask for them to investigate and deal with the matter. Depending on how far you want this to go, it could either lead to an entire campaign of the Undead attempting to take control of the world, or that this is just a rare occurrance.

Amalgam Template: Advanced Bestiary [Not that I used it, but just sayin']
Assassin Class: DMG
Entombed: Frostburn
Human: PH
Rogue Base Class: PH

I hope you like the Quail, Frukathka. I'm always leery about doing requests because I'm paranoid that no matter what I do, the person who requested it won't be happy.

Also, if y'all don't like the format of the creatures in either info or statblock, just let me know. I started this a long while ago for some reason. I mean seriously, why did I originally put alignment above the saves? I just don't know; it boggles my mind.