Denizens of the Dungeon Dimensions!

These things were always favorites of mine. As they were immune to magic, yet they needed to "define" themselves and survive. A definate equalizer to a magic rich world.

Denizens (Template)
there were far worse things than Evil. All the demons in Hell would torture your very soul, but that was precisely because they valued souls very highly; Evil would always try to steal the universe, but at least it considered the universe worth stealing. But the grey world behind those empty eyes would trample and destroy without even according its victims the dignity of hatred. It wouldn't even notice them.
-The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

The denizens of the dungeon dimensions are a ramshackle collection of loathsome entities that occupy the gulfs between the worlds (in D&D this would seem to be the Astral Plane). These creatures seem to lack any true “reality” of their own. As such, these creatures are like magical sponges, seeking forever to drink a reality, defined by a living will. These creatures base their forms on material beings without truly understanding the bodies they wear. Thus they appear as a ramshackle collection of animal body parts, and less recognizeable features.
“Denizens” is a template to be used with an Abberration, Animal, Vermin, or Beast that will from now on be known as the base creature. The Denizen version of the creature bears little resemblance to the creature that it is trying to duplicate, but the overall effect is adequate to mimick its bodily ability. The creatures type is changed to Outsider, and gains the following modifications.
Hit Dice: The creatures Hit dice are changed to d8’s.
Initiative: as base creature
Speed: as base creature,
AC: as base creature
Attacks: as base creature
Damage: as base creature
Face/Reach: as base creature
Special attacks: In addition to the base creatures physical (non-magical) attacks, a Denizens posess the following:
Manifest Tentacles (Su): Denizens can manifest 1d4 tentacles (+1 per denizen hit dice) once every four rounds as a free action. These tentacles are identicle to Evards Black Tenticles save that they only sprout from the creatures body, and remain until destroyed or dispelled by the denizen itself.
Posession (Su): When denizens detect a spellcaster of great power, they will seek to “challenge” the caster. This can only be attempted when the mage is alone and sleeping but can happen any time that a mage is “outside” of his or her body. The Mage must succeed in a Will save (DC 14+1 per defending caster level) or come under the effects of a Charm effect of unlimited duration. A truly frightening aspect is that the denizen can attempt to posess its target from its home plane. This is considered a move-equivalent action by the creature. Posession of a spellcaster allows the denizen full access to the mages spells and spell energy to “feed” through its Absorption power of to be cast on the mages home plane. A mage thus ensorcelled cannot memorize new spells while under this control.
Special Qualities: These repulsive and pathetic creatures loose any special powers of the mimicked creature but posess a number of other dangerouse and strange abilities.
Magic Absorption (Ex): A Denizens acts as a magnet, drawing spells or spell-like abilities into itself. The magic absorbed must be a single-target spell or a ray directed either at the creature, or a magical effect or item in the creatures posession. The denizen then nullifies the spell’s effect and stores its potential to increase its Hit Dice at a cost of one hit die per 8 spell levels. Absorption requires no action on the part of the creature, though spending levels is a move equivalent action. Every time a denizen doubles its current hit dice it increases in size by one category, gaining all of the bonuses that includes. A Denizen can store an amount of spell levels equal to its current Constitution score. While dwelling on the mortal plane Denizens must “eat” magic in this way to survive, thus they must posess at least one “unspent” spell level per current hit die or they will become fragile (see below) as though they were on their home plane.
Spell Immunity (Ex): The Denizens are completely immune to all arcane spells and spell-like effects; divine magic on the other hand, affects them normally. Any attempt at Telepathic communication with a Denizen results in an attempted posession as a free action by the creature.
Immunities (Ex): Denizens are completely immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease.
Spell-like abilities (Sp): Denizens have the following abilities, all cast as a Sorceror of 17th level: 3/per day; Alarm, Mage Hand, Obscuring Mist, Ghost Sound, Scry, At will; Cause fear, Clairstentience/clairvoyence, Detect Magic, Misdirection, Charm Person. If a denizen has posessed a mage, it may cast Plane Shift once per day cast by the denizen as a 17th level Sorceror. These powers can only be manifested in the material world if the denizen has taken posession of a hapless spellcaster, or has entered through a magical portal.
Fragile (Ex): If confronted within their own realm with physical non-magical attacks, a denizen must succeed in a Reflex save (DC 15+1 per monsters Hit Dice) or collapse into a heap of body parts, effectively slain.
Saves: as base creature
Abilities: Str +4, Con +8, Int +14, Wis +6, Cha +10
Skills: Concentration, Knowledge (planes, and planes), Scry, Search, Spellcraft, and Spot.
Feats: As base creature plus Combat Casting.
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: None
Challenge Rating: As base creature +9
Treasure: NA
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: By base creature Hit Dice (see absorption above).
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Examples

Here are some examples of denizens using an octopus (Xzybrippppgus) and a purple worm (Bel Grubbiliuxite) as the base creatures.

Xzybrippppgus
Small Outsider (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 2d8 +8 (17 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 20 ft, swim 30 ft.
AC: 16 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: 8 arms +7 melee, bite +2 melee
Damage: Arms 0, bite 1d3+3
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, Manifest Tentacles, Posessio
Special Qualities: Magic Absorption, Spell Immunity, Immunities, Spell-like Abilities, Fragile.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 13
Skills: Concentration +4, Knowledge (arcane) +11, Scry+5, Search+6, Spellcraft+8, and Spot +4
Feats: Combat Casting, Weapon Finesse (arms, bite)
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: 4-8 HD (Medium-size), 16-32 (Large);
Xzybrippppgus is a sort of occult “accountant” for the cult of Bel Grubbiliuxite (the thing-that-devours-nations) as Bel Grubbiliuxite itself spends long eons sleeping beneath its temple and has no time for such “puny concerns”. At present Xzybrippppgus is only allowed to caelogue its masters tribute of magical items and sacrifices, though it has been squirelling away many goodies over the centuries. Xzybrippppgus appears as a purple and green skinned, flippered octopus, it has two independantly moving eye stalks, and missmatched “fingers” attached to the ends of its tentacles (which are often seen to be holding pen ink and parchment. The overall effect is more revolting that terrifying, and as such it is often underestimated. Xzybrippppgus is biding its time…

Bel Grubbiliuxite
Gargantuan Outsider
Hit Dice: 16d8+192 (206 hp)
Initiative: -2 (Dex)
Speed: 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 10 ft.
AC: 19 (-4 size, -2 Dex, +15 natural)
Attacks: Bite +25 melee, sting +17 melee
Damage: Bite 2d8+17, sting 2d6+8 and poison
Face/Reach: 30 ft. by 30 ft. (coiled)/"15_ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, Manifest Tentacles, swallow whole, poison
Special Qualities: Magic Absorption, Spell Immunity, Immunities, Spell-like Abilities, Fragile.
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +8, Will +12
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 6, Con 33, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +32, Knowledge (planes) +22, Scry +22, Search +22, Spellcraft +22, and Spot +18
Climate/Terrain: Any aquatic and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 21
Treasure: No coins, 50% goods (stone only), no items
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: 16-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33-45 HD (Colossal)

Bel Grubbiliuxite is a vast and torpid monster who long ago inspired a cult of degenerate followers who offered sacrifices of magic and magic wielders, and over the eons Grubbiliuxite has grown vast and lazy, leaving the management of its cult to its “clerk” Xzybrippppgus. Bel Grubbiliuxite is like a great scaly earthworm, covered with thousands of tentacles, eyes, grasping mouths, and many undescribable apendages writhing and seething along its loathsome girth.
The worship of Bel Grubbiliuxite, revolved mostly around frequent sacrifices of magic items, spellcasters, and magical creatures (possibly including illithids). The temple of Bel Grubbiliuxite is constructed with arcane geometry, designed to warp space so as to make the interior larger than the exterior, and to allow for a sizeable portal into the subrealm at the temples “center”. The effect caused by the temples geometry causes it to glow with magic, thus allowing those who can see it to operate without restriction, as there are no other light sources.
 

Psychotic Jim

First Post
More Pratchett Conversions! Sweet! One question: the denizen lose all of the base creatures Spell-like and Supernatural special attacks, correct?
 

Remove ads

AD6_gamerati_skyscraper

Remove ads

Recent & Upcoming Releases

Top