[Aid requested] Dreams and nightmares incarnate

In an upcoming game, the party is going to face manifestations of dreams. Most of these dreams are a single idea, sort of an essence of something one might think of or experience. I'm going to provide a few prior examples to show how my thoughts have been going, and then I'll ask for a bit of help with creating future ones.

So far, the group has encountered Indomitability, Deception, Balance, Aggression, Impersonation, Agony, Time, and Desire. One PC was bonded with the incarnation of Justice, and an NPC friend of theirs has bonded with Foresight. In this upcoming game, a lot of lesser dreams are going to be made manifest by a vaguely Christmas-esque festival (parents try to make their children's dreams come true). The new ones will include a few biggies like Weakness, The Madness of the World Falling Upon Itself, Shadow, and Guilt Over Killing a Loved One, plus lots of weak dreams that are just different aspects of the fear and pain one experiences in nightmares.

In my mind, these creatures are something like a cross between ghosts and demons, with sort of a psionic bent. First, they're born by the dreams and nightmares of a powerful psionic entity. Then, after they mature, they're somewhat like ghosts with special powers related to their namesake. Deception, for instance, could almost always bluff someone, and could alter people's memories. Time aged people to death. Normally, the dreams are intangible essences, but they can choose to take on a semi-tangible form. When Deception did this, he appeared either like an inky black semi-humanoid form with multiple tentacles instead of limbs, or as an aged man who looked like Max Von Sydow from 'Needful Things.'

Finally, the party has found a type of magic that can force dreams into physical forms, such that their special abilities apply only to themselves. Only when trapped in one of these forms can they be fully killed, though they can be captured psionically into specially prepared vessels. As for power, the dreams can range from simple spooks with no real bite, to bizarrely powerful nightmares that are just as powerful when they are embodied as they are in the sleeping mind.

So I'll post this now, then get to typing up a few examples, and then hopefully start getting stats ready for a swarm of creatures of the id. I need this by next Friday, and the PCs are 12th level.

I already have "terror", of the mind curdlying kind. shall I post it as it is or should I try and add psionic stuff?

Indomitability

Greater Incarnation
Large Incarnation

Hit Dice: 16d12+400 (504 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (–1 size, +10 natural, +2 deflection*) Loses deflection bonus if forced into physical form.
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+20
Attack: Gore +15 melee (1d12+12), crit 19-20/x2
Full Attack: Two gores +15/+10 melee (1d12+12), crit 19-20/x2
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Burn
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/dead animal parts or wood, darkvision 60 ft., flaming body, SR 28, indomitable, incarnation traits.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con -, Int 7, Wis 6, Cha 14
Skills: Unimportant
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (gore)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Essence
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Indomitability was one of the first incarnations to strive to reach the surface, but when it emerged, it found itself in a raging forest fire. Possessing the body of a dead stag, Indomitability explored the forest and tried to leave, but was trapped by a group of fey who believed the spirit was responsible for the forest's death. Unable to be killed or controlled, Indomitability was instead trapped in its stag body and pinned to the bottom of a lake with a great wooden sword. To keep it from escaping, the fey remained in their flaming forest and sang an eternal magic song to keep the dream spirit in its physical form. Unable to escape, Indomitability's essence was absorbed into the flaming forest, causing the trees and brush to never die. The fire forest burns eternal, so long as Indomitability remains trapped.

In its physical or manifested form, Indomitability resembles a giant stag whose flesh crackles with fire, but which never truly burns away. Its eyes blaze with flames, and when it speaks, its voice fills one's mind with the greatest resentment for being trapped.

Combat
Indomitability fights by possessing any sort of inanimate body, though its strength is greatest in the flesh of the recently dead. These bodies are almost impossible to destroy, so Indomitability can simple outlast most foes.

Incarnation Traits: In their normal form, incarnations are incorporeal, and indeed have no physical form at all, so they cannot be harmed, and though they are limited to their normal movement rate, they are non-localized phenomena. Area of effect abilities can affect them, but they cannot be targeted.

Incarnations are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects. They are not subject to critical hit, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They have no Constitution score and thus are immune to any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it affects objects).

Animate Form (Su): An incarnation may, once per day, enter an inanimate object that has some form of eyes, such as a statue or dead body. Even if the eyes are no longer present, such as with a skeleton, the incarnation may still animate it. Entering an object in this way takes one minute, during which time the incarnation has all the vulnerabilities of a physical body, but only its telepathic and particular incarnation powers. Lesser incarnations can only enter objects of small size or less. Moderate incarnations can enter medium or large objects. Greater incarnations can enter only objects that are large or huge. Nightmare incarnations can animate objects anywhere between small and gargantuan size.

Leaving the object likewise takes a minute, and has the same restrictions. Additionally, the incarnation cannot leave an object if the 'eyes' of the object cannot open. If the containing vessel is destroyed (e.g., if the incarnation is reduced to 0 hp while in such a form, or the form is disintegrated, etc.), the incarnation itself is forced back into its nonmanifested form. The incarnation is unable to take any actions, and unless somehow it is healed in the next ten rounds, it is slain and cannot be raised from the dead.

Certain magical effects can force an incarnation to manifest and then become fully solid, as if it were in an animated body. When so affected, an incarnation can be truly killed.

Telepathy (Su): Incarnations can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Manifest (Su): Incarnations may manifest, becoming visible with an incorporeal physical form. They can strike with their natural bodies and use all their abilities as if they were solid, but they gain all the defensive benefits of being incorporeal. Because of the semi-real nature of the incarnations, while manifested they do have a Strength score, and use it to modify their attacks normally. While manifested, incarnations gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier, or at least +1.

Additionally, all incarnations have some form of damage reduction, and any item that bypasses an incarnation's damage reduction can harm its manifested form just as if it were a ghost touch weapon.

Burn (Su): Any creature struck by Indomitability's gore attack takes +2d6 points of fire damage.

Flaming Body (Su): The body of Indomitability is wreathed in flame. Anyone grappling it takes 6d6 points of fire damage each round.

Indomitable (Su): Indomitability cannot be affected by any mind-influencing effects, such as charms or dominations. It also cannot fail Fortitude saves, even those that can also affect objects, so it cannot be coup de graced, disintegrated, or checked by strong winds.

Indomitability receives 400 bonus hit points to reflect its superior tenacity. Creatures that are affected by Indomitability's essence (detailed below) do not gain these bonus hit points.

Essence (Su): Any creature that subdues Indomitability so that it cannot fight gains a piece of Indomitability's essence, and can, once per day, gain the effects of the Indomitable ability above, lasting for ten minutes. Any creature that kills Indomitability, or is within 20 ft. of Indomitability when it dies, takes 8d6 points of Wisdom damage (Will DC 20 negates). A creature that survives this gains the Indomitable ability permanently.

I'd make it an abberation, also if you want to use an altered version of this monster:

Phantasm
Medium Aberration (Shapechanger, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 6d8 (5 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 60ft Fly (perfect)
AC: 22 (+4 dex, +8 Deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple:+4/-
Attack: Incorporeal Touch +8 touch (1d6 wisdom)
Full attack: Incorporeal Touch +8 touch (1d6 wisdom)
Face/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Wisdom drain, Dread mind, Dread visage
Special Qualities: Undead traits, Incorporeal, Turn resistance+4, Alternate form, Frightful presence.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str --, Dex 18, Con --, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 26
Skills: Listen +8, Intimidate +15*, Hide +13, Inuit Direction +5, Disguise +11*
Feats: Improved critical, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon finesse (b)
Climate/Terrain: Any Marsh, Underground, Urban
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 4HD-9HD (Medium-size)

Imagine soul-tearing fear incarnate, now fold that image a hundred times into a focused point of utter darkness; you’re close to what Phantasms are.

Some say they come from the negative plane, others say they are the very seepage of essence form the plane of fear yet even the most well educated scholars are wrong they are all wrong. Xcier a Githyanki, a disgruntled illusionist, wishing for his illusions to be more real began many arcane and forbidden experiments with his spell, he succeeded many times, but unfortunately never learned to control the more powerful magics such as phantasmal killer or weird. Not only did he fail but they became twisted over time by emotions, pulling on the fear surrounding them, creating an apparition of boiling smoke. He was found, bleeding to death scratching himself.

Combat
Phantasms always attack alone; if more then one appear at one time they gravitate towards each other. They prefer to use their Dread visage ability.

Even though they are not undead they still receive: Immunity to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. They are not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage, and are able to be turned turn.

Wisdom drain (Ex): Any successful touch attack corrupts sanity, taking away 1d6 wisdom, anyone with naught wisdom goes into a nightmare filled coma, and after 1d4-1 days they rise as an Alip, and these Alips have a negative attitude towards the Phantasm. Even when they are not twisted into Alips, the victim is still scarred, when they sleep they are haunted by hellish nightmares.

Dread mind (Ex): Anyone probing the psyche of a Phantasm by means of mind-control or telepathy (A favoured tactic for Phantasms who have acquired telepathy is to inflict others with madness) are subject to 2d4 wisdom drain, and are shaken.

Dread Visage (Sp): Layering themselves with controlled fear, the Phantasms conjure up the spell Phantasm , after which they are named, as though caste by a sorcerer of their hit dice, a phantasm of 9 HD can cast the spell Weird as well once per, as an at will ability.

Frightful presence (Ex):The mere presence of a phantasm can scare even the most experienced adventurers. All creatures with less HD then it within 20ft that cannot make a (cha based) will save DC 21, are panicked; all other creatures are shaken (even those that succeed).

Alternate form (Su): Much like an Aranea can turn into person, the Phantasm can shift to a monster. In this form it is a large and deals 2d4 damage with humongous claws, and is corporeal. They have a strength of 18, and constitution of 15, it cannot fly but has a move speed of 50ft. They gain a +8 to Intimidate whilst in this form, but loose the Wisdom drain power.

Skills: *+4 to Intimidate.

I'd be happy.

Deception

Intermediate Incarnation
Medium Incarnation (I don't like the 'aberration' creature type in general because it's too diverse, for things like Ranger favored enemies and bane weapons; it's my campaign, so I can create a new creature type if I want, though actually they seem a bit like undead, like ghosts).

Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (+2 Dex, +5 deflection) Loses deflection bonus if made fully physical.
Base Attack/Grapple: +4
Attack: Tentacle +4 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Six tentacles +4 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, memory alteration, trickery.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/invisible weapons, darkvision 60 ft., SR 20, deceptive, incarnation traits.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con -, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +46.
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint.
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Essence
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Deception is a rather young incarnation, and is not as cunning as his name would suggest. His bluffs get by because of his powers, not because they're particularly well-designed. He can tell you that stabbing yourself will heal you, and there's a good chance you'll believe him. In its manifested form, Deception appears as either an inky black humanoid with multiple tentacles instead of arms, or as a normal human dressed in a heavy black coat and small black hat.

Combat
Deception prefers not to engage in melee combat, instead using his deceptive powers to make enemies defeat themselves.

Incarnation Traits: In their normal form, incarnations are incorporeal, and indeed have no physical form at all, so they cannot be harmed, and though they are limited to their normal movement rate, they are non-localized phenomena. Area of effect abilities can affect them, but they cannot be targeted.

Incarnations are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects. They are not subject to critical hit, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They have no Constitution score and thus are immune to any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it affects objects).

Animate Form (Su): An incarnation may, once per day, enter an inanimate object that has some form of eyes, such as a statue or dead body. Even if the eyes are no longer present, such as with a skeleton, the incarnation may still animate it. Entering an object in this way takes one minute, during which time the incarnation has all the vulnerabilities of a physical body, but only its telepathic and particular incarnation powers. Lesser incarnations can only enter objects of small size or less. Moderate incarnations can enter medium or large objects. Greater incarnations can enter only objects that are large or huge. Nightmare incarnations can animate objects anywhere between small and gargantuan size.

Leaving the object likewise takes a minute, and has the same restrictions. Additionally, the incarnation cannot leave an object if the 'eyes' of the object cannot open. If the containing vessel is destroyed (e.g., if the incarnation is reduced to 0 hp while in such a form, or the form is disintegrated, etc.), the incarnation itself is forced back into its nonmanifested form. The incarnation is unable to take any actions, and unless somehow it is healed in the next ten rounds, it is slain and cannot be raised from the dead.

Certain magical effects can force an incarnation to manifest and then become fully solid, as if it were in an animated body. When so affected, an incarnation can be truly killed.

Telepathy (Su): Incarnations can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Manifest (Su): Incarnations may manifest, becoming visible with an incorporeal physical form. They can strike with their natural bodies and use all their abilities as if they were solid, but they gain all the defensive benefits of being incorporeal. Because of the semi-real nature of the incarnations, while manifested they do have a Strength score, and use it to modify their attacks normally. While manifested, incarnations gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier, or at least +1.

Additionally, all incarnations have some form of damage reduction, and any item that bypasses an incarnation's damage reduction can harm its manifested form just as if it were a ghost touch weapon.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, Deception must hit a Small to Large creature with its tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it attaches the tentacle. After a successful grab, Deception can try to attach the remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but Deception gets a +2 circumstance bonus for each tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent's turn.

Memory Alteration (Su): If Deception begins its turn with all six tentacles attached and successfully maintains its hold automatically renders its victim unconscious. For each round it maintains the hold, Deception may rewrite one hour of the creature's memory. After it releases the victim, the creature regains consciousness in a few minutes. Every week thereafter, the creature may make a Will save (DC 19) to recall its true memories.

Trickery (Su): Deception can perform feint in combat as a standard action, because Deception has Improved Feint. In addition to normal feint attempts, Deception can take a -30 penalty to check to make a bluff that functions as a suggestion spell. If Deception instead takes a -40 penalty, it can even give suggestions that are unreasonable and suicidal. These suggestions can be resisted with a successful Sense Motive check or Will save. Because Deception can Take 10 on all Bluff checks, the DC to resist is 26 for a normal suggestion, or 16 for a suicidal suggestion.

Deceptive (Su): Deception gains a +30 bonus to Bluff checks, and can always Take 10 on Bluff checks. Its actual location is displaced somewhat from where it appears, applying to vision, sound, even touch, scent, and taste. Any melee or ranged attack directed at it suffers a 50% miss chance. A true seeing effect allows the user to see Deception's location.

Essence (Su): Any creature that subdues Deception so that it cannot fight gains a piece of Deception's essence, and can, once per day, gain the effects of the Deceptive ability above, lasting for ten minutes. Additionally, it is no longer vulnerable to Deception's trickery powers, and gains a +30 bonus to Will saves and Sense Motive checks against those powers.

Any creature that kills Deception, or is within 20 ft. of Deception when it dies, takes 4d6 points of Wisdom damage (Will DC 19 negates). A creature that survives this gains the Deceptive ability permanently.

Ferret said:

I'd make it an abberation, also if you want to use an altered version of this monster, I'd be happy.

Click to expand...

I think I could find a use for it, though it is really low on hit points. I'll probably fiddle a bit.

Weakness

Lesser Incarnation
Small Incarnation

Hit Dice: 2d12 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft.
Armor Class: 12 (+1 Dex, +1 deflection) Loses deflection bonus if made fully physical.
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Weakness touch -1 melee touch attack (1d6 Strength and 1 negative level)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Weakening touch.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/power attacked weapons, darkvision 60 ft., SR 10, weakness, incarnation traits.
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 13, Con -, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 12
Skills: None important
Feats: None.
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Essence
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Like most lesser incarnations, Weakness actually comes in several different forms, all typically resembling some small, fragile creature. The most common form is that of a slender Elvish girl, barely 3 feet tall, with weary eyes. When in a monstrous form, Weakness sometimes appears as a flock of six emaciated birds with moulting white feathers. Weakness barely ever communicates, and even its telepathic voice is weak and uncertain.

Combat
Weakness instills weakness in its foes with its touch.

Incarnation Traits: In their normal form, incarnations are incorporeal, and indeed have no physical form at all, so they cannot be harmed, and though they are limited to their normal movement rate, they are non-localized phenomena. Area of effect abilities can affect them, but they cannot be targeted.

Incarnations are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects. They are not subject to critical hit, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They have no Constitution score and thus are immune to any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it affects objects).

Animate Form (Su): An incarnation may, once per day, enter an inanimate object that has some form of eyes, such as a statue or dead body. Even if the eyes are no longer present, such as with a skeleton, the incarnation may still animate it. Entering an object in this way takes one minute, during which time the incarnation has all the vulnerabilities of a physical body, but only its telepathic and particular incarnation powers. Lesser incarnations can only enter objects of small size or less. Moderate incarnations can enter medium or large objects. Greater incarnations can enter only objects that are large or huge. Nightmare incarnations can animate objects anywhere between small and gargantuan size.

Leaving the object likewise takes a minute, and has the same restrictions. Additionally, the incarnation cannot leave an object if the 'eyes' of the object cannot open. If the containing vessel is destroyed (e.g., if the incarnation is reduced to 0 hp while in such a form, or the form is disintegrated, etc.), the incarnation itself is forced back into its nonmanifested form. The incarnation is unable to take any actions, and unless somehow it is healed in the next ten rounds, it is slain and cannot be raised from the dead.

Certain magical effects can force an incarnation to manifest and then become fully solid, as if it were in an animated body. When so affected, an incarnation can be truly killed.

Telepathy (Su): Incarnations can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Manifest (Su): Incarnations may manifest, becoming visible with an incorporeal physical form. They can strike with their natural bodies and use all their abilities as if they were solid, but they gain all the defensive benefits of being incorporeal. Because of the semi-real nature of the incarnations, while manifested they do have a Strength score, and use it to modify their attacks normally. While manifested, incarnations gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier, or at least +1.

Additionally, all incarnations have some form of damage reduction, and any item that bypasses an incarnation's damage reduction can harm its manifested form just as if it were a ghost touch weapon.

Weakening Touch (Su): If Weakness hits with its touch attack, the victim takes 1d6 points of Strength damage and receives 1 negative level. This negative level cannot kill, and it only lasts ten minutes, so it cannot cause actual permanent level loss.

Weakness (Su): Weakness can never have a Strength greater than 3, but it is also immune to any sort of Strength-reducing effect (aside from things like shrinking).

Essence (Su): Any creature that kills Weakness, or is within 20 ft. of Weakness when it dies, takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage and gains the Weakness ability, detailed above (Will DC 12 negates).

Darkness

intermediate Incarnation
Large Incarnation

Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +3 natural, +1 deflection) Loses deflection bonus if made fully physical.
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Two claws +12 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, shadow theft.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 7/weapons that emit light, darkvision 120 ft., SR 21, hide in plain sight, darkness, incarnation traits.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 18, Con -, Int 3, Wis 6, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +11
Feats: None.
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Essence
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Darkness takes its form by finding a dark cloud that resembles a creature with a face, and animating it. Darkness appears as a great billowing mass of dark vapor with jagged tendrils that trail like scourges, with a misty draconic face. As it moves, a deep beating sound, like wings, fills the air, but the sound seems to come from all directions. The space around Darkness fills with shadows, but its victims cast none of their own.

Combat
Darkness kills by grabbing foes, pulling them inside it, and stealing their shadows. After that, Darkness is unconcerned, and will simply flee combat.

Incarnation Traits: In their normal form, incarnations are incorporeal, and indeed have no physical form at all, so they cannot be harmed, and though they are limited to their normal movement rate, they are non-localized phenomena. Area of effect abilities can affect them, but they cannot be targeted.

Incarnations are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic effects. They are not subject to critical hit, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. They have no Constitution score and thus are immune to any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless it affects objects).

Animate Form (Su): An incarnation may, once per day, enter an inanimate object that has some form of eyes, such as a statue or dead body. Even if the eyes are no longer present, such as with a skeleton, the incarnation may still animate it. Entering an object in this way takes one minute, during which time the incarnation has all the vulnerabilities of a physical body, but only its telepathic and particular incarnation powers. Lesser incarnations can only enter objects of small size or less. Intermediate incarnations can enter medium or large objects. Greater incarnations can enter only objects that are large or huge. Nightmare incarnations can animate objects anywhere between small and gargantuan size.

Leaving the object likewise takes a minute, and has the same restrictions. Additionally, the incarnation cannot leave an object if the 'eyes' of the object cannot open. If the containing vessel is destroyed (e.g., if the incarnation is reduced to 0 hp while in such a form, or the form is disintegrated, etc.), the incarnation itself is forced back into its nonmanifested form. The incarnation is unable to take any actions, and unless somehow it is healed in the next ten rounds, it is slain and cannot be raised from the dead.

Certain magical effects can force an incarnation to manifest and then become fully solid, as if it were in an animated body. When so affected, an incarnation can be truly killed.

Telepathy (Su): Incarnations can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.

Manifest (Su): Incarnations may manifest, becoming visible with an incorporeal physical form. They can strike with their natural bodies and use all their abilities as if they were solid, but they gain all the defensive benefits of being incorporeal. Because of the semi-real nature of the incarnations, while manifested they do have a Strength score, and use it to modify their attacks normally. While manifested, incarnations gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier, or at least +1.

Additionally, all incarnations have some form of damage reduction, and any item that bypasses an incarnation's damage reduction can harm its manifested form just as if it were a ghost touch weapon.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, Darkness must hit a Large or smaller creature with its claw attack. If it gets a hold, it may immediately make a grapple check to grab the target.

Shadow Theft (Su): If Darkness succeeds in pinning a creature, that creature is pulled into Darkness, and has its shadow stolen. The creature takes 4d6 points of damage, and Darkness heals an equal amount. Any HP over its maximum are gained as temporary bonus HP, to a maximum of twice its normal HP.

Creatures that have had their shadows stolen no longer cast shadows, even on themselves, giving them a pale, sickly appearance. It is not that light reflects off them to make them brighter, but rather that the body's natural darkness is eliminated, making it very susceptible to damage from even faint light. Dim light makes them uncomfortable, imposing a -1 penalty to all attack and damage rolls, skill checks, and saves. Normal indoor light deals 1 damage every 10 minutes. Sunlight causes severe burns, dealing 1 damage every round. This damage can be prevented with heavy clothes that cover the entire body, and can be cured with a remove curse followed by a heal spell.

If a creature persists in attacking Darkness after having its shadow stolen, and the creature manages to kill Darkness and absorb its essence, the creature becomes unable to ever have another shadow, so this condition cannot be cured.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): This is as per the shadowdancer ability of the same name.

Darkness (Su): Darkness is immune to damage from shadow-based attacks, but takes double damage from light-based attacks.

Essence (Su): Any creature that kills Darkness, or is within 20 ft. of Darkness when it dies, takes 4d6 points of Wisdom damage and gains the Darkness ability, detailed above (Will DC 12 negates).

Heh, I ran them tonight against a swarm of about 15 of these different incarnations (plus lots of weak ones that were just scary dreams made manifest).

Desire went down first to a disintegrate that bypassed spell resistance, saving throw, and incorporeality. Wizard succeeded his Will save to avoid brain damage and avoid having people try to swarm over him in desire.

Darkness was searing lighted to death. Wizard succeeded his Will save to avoid brain damage and avoid catching fire in sunlight.

The World Falling Upon Itself was made solid by a magical song, then baleful polymorphed into a kitten, then critically-hit and chopped to pieces. It had failed its Will save, so it was no longer a dream, but just a kitten.

Disease was killed with two attacks, and the ranger succeeded her Will save to avoid brain damage and avoid being eternally ill.

Brawn was killed by a summoned demon. Somewhere there is a very strong demon.

Cacophony was killed by a swarm of flying warriors who nearly went deaf. The fighter/sorceress made her save to avoid having her voice shatter with the force of a thousand bells.

Beauty was killed, and this was the only time someone failed a save. So now we have a temporarily unconscious, stunningly gorgeous female Elvish ranger, who will cause some interesting roleplaying once she recovers.

So the party got out completely free, though rather beaten up. Everyone was rolling 17s and 20s for their saves against the cool ones like disease, but she goes and rolls a 2 for her save against Beauty. Ah well. Hey, now we've basically got a PC nymph.

Ah It's clearer now. I really like these now i understand.