Rules/Crunch of Eyros

Arkhandus said:

Consequently, on the note of psionics, we'll have to remember with the PDF to use an alternate name for Mind Flayers / Illithids, since those terms (and the stats that go with them) are technically Product Identity of Wizards of the Coast, and are not Open Game Content. So we'd have to come up with some dwarven name for the mind flayers that once were dwarves....and be certain never to mention them as being illithids, merely describing vaguely what differences are between them and normal dwarves (i.e. taller, pale, gaunt, oddly-colored, with tendrils about their sharp-toothed mouth).

I'll soon have Ikaido's description up here, just haven't had the chance to finish typing it up recently...

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I guess we can call them Urthalids, after Urtha.

Sangfilia (half-gnome/half-dryad)

• +2 Constitution, –2 Strength.
• Small: As a Small creature, a Sangfilia gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Sangfilia base land speed is 20 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: A Sangfilia can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 racial bonus on saving throws against necromancy.
• Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against necromancy spells cast by Sangfilia. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
• +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
• +2 racial bonus on Listen checks.
• +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc and Sylvan. In addition, a Sangfilia can speak with plants. This ability is innate to Sangfilia. See the speak with plants spell description.
• Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with plants (duration 1 minute). A Sangfilia with a Charisma score of at least 10 gains the spell-like ability to Entangle. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + Sangfilia’s Cha modifier + spell level.
• Favored Class: Sorcerer. A multiclass Sangfilia’s sorcerer class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty.


Speaking of Eryian Gnomes, I think it might be more in flavor to replace the "speak with burrowing mammals" ability with the ability to speak with the animals listed in the Vampire's Creatures of the Night ability.

I suppose it would work to have the gnomes speak to the vampire animals, but I also like the flavour of the gnome who can determine which of her enemies is closest to death.

As for Illithids, if we don't want to rename them Urthalids and hope that people figure it out, we could also replace them with the replacement from Mouse's new Iconic Bestiary, which attempts to fill in the niches of the closed content iconic creatures without violating the OGL.

I think the second option is better, the idea of renaming and hoping that it works sounds a little bit lame.

Can you tell a little bit more about the possible replacement race?

Another idea would be to develop our own mind flayers.

Sarellion said:

I think the second option is better, the idea of renaming and hoping that it works sounds a little bit lame.

Can you tell a little bit more about the possible replacement race?

Another idea would be to develop our own mind flayers.

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I have no idea what it is, since I haven't purchased the book. Of course, you could always ask Mouse (the author).

Awesome NPCs Arkhandus!

Rystil Arden said:

I suppose it would work to have the gnomes speak to the vampire animals, but I also like the flavour of the gnome who can determine which of her enemies is closest to death.

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Yeah, true enough. I might write-up a Moroii template and include a Speak with the Creatures of the Night ability for it.

Bump to the front page.

Thanks Frukathka.

......I'll get Ikaido posted today, darnit. I keep forgetting to finish because this thread isn't very active.

Edit: And here's Motoushi Ikaido, a champion of the Nientei Coalition and recently a gladiator in Eyros, part of the gladiator trio Lux Ex Oriente just visiting Eyrdeyn. It may be desirable to swap out Ikaido's fighter levels for samurai levels if you have Oriental Adventures or Complete Warrior, but I don't know if CW butchered the samurai or not (I'm a 3.0 guy). This would eliminate one or two of his feats, however, merely in exchange for a few more skill points, slightly better Will save, and making his weapons Ancestral Daisho. If doing so, I'd suggest using some of the extra samurai skill points to give Ikaido maximum Iaijutsu Focus skill, and more ranks in Sense Motive than he has in the current build, while replacing one of his current feats with Quick Draw. As it stands, his monk levels are first, followed by his multi-classing into fighter.

Motoushi Ikaido, Nientese Sword-Dancer
Medium Humanoid (Human), Monk 3/Fighter 6
Hit Dice: 3d8+6d10+27 (77 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) (unarmored: 40 ft./8 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+5 Dex, +4 armor, +1 deflection),
touch 16, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16
Attack: Magic +1 bastard sword +14 melee (1d10+7/19-20);
or magic +1 short sword +14 melee (1d6+7/19-20); or
unarmed strike +12 melee (1d6+4); or melee touch +12 melee
Full Attack: Magic +1 bastard sword +14/+9 melee
(1d10+7/19-20); or magic +1 short sword +14/+9 melee
(1d6+7/19-20); or unarmed strike +12/+7 melee (1d6+4);
or melee touch +12/+7 melee; or magic +1 bastard sword
+12/+7 melee (1d10+7/19-20) and magic +1 short sword
+12/+7 melee (1d6+5/19-20)
Face/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Flurry of blows, monkish AC bonuses,
monkish unarmed strikes
Special Qualities: Evasion, fast movement, still mind
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +8, Diplomacy +5, Handle
Animal +5, Jump +10, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Perform
(Dance) +4, Perform (Tea Ceremony) +4, Ride (Felines) +10,
Sense Motive +7, Swim +8, Tumble +14
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword),
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved
Grapple, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Short Sword),
Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword), Combat Expertise, Improved
Disarm, Weapon Specialization (Bastard Sword), Weapon
Specialization (Short Sword), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Organization: Solitary, duo (Ikaido and D'achao, or
Ikaido and Kal'aj), or trio (Ikaido, D'achao, and Kal'aj)
Challenge Rating: 9
Alignment: Lawful evil

Description: Ikaido the Azure (as the crowds know him) is a somewhat short, olive-skinned Nientese man of middling age and wizened appearance, with two long, thin mustaches and black hair tied back in a topknot. He wears a dark blue headband with a sunrise-behind-a-mountain stitching over the forehead, and his blue-lacquered leather lamellar has a very foreign look to it, and doesn't seem to lessen his incredible speed or agility. Ikaido carries a curved bastard sword and similar shortsword, at the left side of his belt in artistic sheathes, and the blades themselves are lightly engraved with colored patterns. He speaks frequently to Kal'aj in her language Mo'ahhim, seemingly displeased regarding others but mindful of angering Kal'aj with too much of his complaining, and Ikaido never seems to address D'achao directly. Ikaido at least seems willing to talk to arena fans with Kal'aj translating, and seems to convey only compliments and polite gratitude to his fans, though some see that he simply hides his contempt well. The sword-dancer fights with a fast-paced two-sword style emphasizing brutally fast and deceptive offense over defense, but is quite agile on the defense as well, though not as skilled at it. Motoushi Ikaido is part of the gladiator trio known in Eyrdeyn as Lux Ex Oriente, "Light from the East," and his companions are Kal'aj'ash'nee the Mo'ahhi warrior-woman and D'achao'himat'echet Uramao'tetcatlan the O'hoa'ti bloodspell zealot.

Motoushi Ikaido is literate, and he speaks the Imperial Nientese, Mo'ahhim, and Nientese languages. The Imperial Nientese language is that spoken by the upper echelons of society in the Nientei Coalition, a holdover from the old Nientei Imperium. It is essentially a more advanced dialect of the Nientese language (which substitutes for Common in Nientei), with subtle inflections and additions that denote different tones, such as a superior, inferior, equal, soft, commanding, pleased, or displeased tone. Imperial Nientese also has more complex forms of address, plurality, past-present-future tense, and special titles or words regarding nobility and religion. Ikaido learned the Mo'ahhim language as part of his training to enter an outrider unit in the military.

Ikaido comes from the Motoushi Imperial Family of the Nientei Coalition, a relatively small Imperial Family but nonetheless much more powerful than the peasant families. Born and raised as a samurai warrior and a sword-dancer, Ikaido knows the proper ways to behave as nobility but has little interest in politics or the like. This is due in at least small part to his family's weak political station, and just as much due to Ikaido's own desire for battle and challenges. He is a cunning and honorable warrior, but ruthless and determined to win. His ideas of honor have little to do with compassion or mercy, but he at least understands the notion and importance of politeness and seeming sincerity. Ikaido respects people with power or battle prowess, which is what garners him a bit of deference to Kal'aj'ash'nee in the gladiator team Lux Ex Oriente. Though he respects the woman's significant combat prowess, he otherwise disdains the barbarian woman, and sees it merely as his duty to follow her and test the Eyrian warriors in arena combat. Duty and loyalty are of great importance to Ikaido, and he would be willing to dishonor himself for the sake of duty and loyalty, though he would hesitate greatly before committing something dishonorable. Ikaido resents his family's relatively minor and poor status amongst the Imperial Families, and until his recent assignment outside the Coalition, he had been trying to garner an agreement with one of Nientei's shinobi clans to arrange matters that elevate the Motoushi family's glory and influence. Ikaido hopes to earn enough money in the Eyros arenas during his mission to at least purchase gold sufficient for paying these shinobi to put the plans in motion.

Motoushi Ikaido was formerly an outrider in his family's military, after his initial training as a samurai and martial artist. He did not relish the position, but at least it was an honorable one. He hopes upon returning that he will be able to receive a command position leading samurai warriors. Ikaido has no higher aspirations than military command, but would like to see his cousin Motoushi Ginso rise to daimyo of the family, as Ginso has always been a favorite cousin of Ikaido's and has supported him in his career. Ikaido would deeply love for his cousin to become daimyo and order an invasion of their hated rivals, the Hinshinagi Imperial Family, potentially a glorious victory though difficult.

Important Notes: Motoushi Ikaido wields a katana bastard sword and wakizashi short sword, ancestral weapons of his family and signs of his nobility, each with a magic +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage. He carries no ranged weapons, and considers them cowardly and dishonorable, feeling that a true warrior should face his enemy with sword and fist. Ikaido wears a Ring of Protection +1 on his right ring-finger, granting a +1 deflection bonus to Armor Class. Also, his blue-lacquered kote gauntlets are empowered as Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2, giving him a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. Ikaido carries two Potions of Cure Light Wounds and two Potions of Cure Serious Wounds tucked away in his obi belt, for use in emergencies or simply when he wants to recover quickly from a particularly nasty wound.

Ikaido the Azure wears leather scale armor, with a +1 enhancement bonus to AC. Leather scale armor can be found in the Arms & Equipment Guide by Wizards of the Coast, and possibly Complete Warrior. The leather scale armor's check penalty is -2 normally, so its masterwork quality reduces this to a -1 armor check penalty. Ikaido's armor is designed like lamellar, but is made from hardened leather plates instead of metal ones, and covered in blue lacquer to match his family colors. Motoushi Ikaido wears a simple white silk kimono robe and black silk hakima pants under his armor, but carries a few spare outfits in his backpack just in case. He wears black socks and sturdy wooden sandals on his feet. He would normally carry his extra gear in the saddlebags of his war-trained tiger mount, but since leaving his Nientese outrider unit with his new task, Ikaido has had to leave his war tiger behind in the Nientei Coalition lands. Motoushi Ikaido has the same amount of gear as the Dungeon Master's Guide suggests for 9th-level NPCs.

Combat Tactics: Ikaido the Azure fights simply but elegantly in any battle, using the Nientese sword-dancer martial art that involves using both katana and wakizashi (curved bastard sword and short sword) in tandem, while moving and striking as if it were all part of a grand dance of steel. To a sword-dancer, battle is just another kind of meditation where one achieves their moments of enlightenment from whirling steel, cuts so swift they don't even draw blood immediately, and the rhythmic pulse of one's own heartbeat, one's ki. As with many other sword-dancers, though not all, Ikaido began his training with monastic teachings and learning to meditate and maintain his center even during battle. This lends him uncanny speed and calmness in battle, despite the ferocity and ruthlessness of his fighting. Ikaido charges in to strike a foe once and draw first blood, then continues by unleashing a rapid series of strokes from both of his curved samurai swords. If the opponent does not wither and fall within the first few moments of battle, Ikaido will try disarming them with his katana and then kicking their weapon away (which should be a move-equivalent action, possibly provoking attacks of opportunity), but refrains from striking with his wakizashi right after a disarm, preferring to focus on the removal of his enemy's weapon. Once his foe is disarmed, Ikaido will attempt to cut them down in earnest, showing no mercy.

If Motoushi Ikaido cannot disarm or slay a foe quickly, he will try tumbling away with a series of flips and somersaults, fighting defensively and using his Combat Expertise feat for a bit to test his opponent. Once the foe starts to over-exert themselves or get sloppy, or when Ikaido merely tires of the game, he will resume his sword-dance and try an all-out assault once more, following by further defensive fighting, another all-out attack, a disarm attempt, and perhaps then a grapple attempt. Motoushi would prefer to cut a foe down to size, but is a fairly capable wrestler as well in the Nientese style. Besides, while grappling a foe, he can better strike them with his wakizashi while preventing them from bringing any large weapons to bear. Ikaido rarely maintains a grapple for long, however, as he would rather release them and continue slicing away. He is capable of some keen athletic maneuvers when he needs them, such as when facing an experienced and fast enemy, against whom Ikaido will try a quick slash just before backflipping out of reach using his Tumble skill. His great fitness and agility allow him to wear many opponents down through simply tiring them out, fighting defensively while waiting for the best opportunity to strike, but he really prefers a quick and straightforward fight.

Gladiator Motoushi Ikaido posted now, above. BTW, regarding the Kohl'Tass, I don't think they really need to differ from the lizardfolk of the Monster Manual stats-wise. They aren't likely to be PCs very often, and even if they were, there's no reason they should be as weak and fragile as humans. {:^D