Ur-kasti Deta (Taker of the Unborn) Controversy warning

Qwillion

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Ur-kasti Deta (Taker of the Unborn)
Tiny Fey
Hit Dice: 6d6+12 (33 hp)
Initiative: +10 (+6 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 18 (+2 size, +6 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-8
Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d2 -3)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +2 melee (1d2 -3)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Life’s undoing,
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron, low-light vision, regeneration, sense the unwanted, spells-like abilities
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +11, Will +6
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 23, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Concentration +11, Diplomacy +13, Escape Artist +15, Heal +2, Hide +25, Knowledge (local) +12, Listen +3, Move Silently +17, Sense Motive +10, Spot +3, Survival +5, Tumble +15
Feats: Ability focus (life’s undoing), Improved Initiative, Stealthy
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Varies
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Tiny); 13-18 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -

“I can sense her, she wants the Undoing as an wolf caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg. She will not give a kitten to someone she does not know. She will have to give her child to someone she has never met. I will put the needs of her child above the wants of her heart. Her child is a gift to the world, and one day the child may come home to tell her of its journey.” Excerpt taken from Mother and Child by Kinban, Taker of the Unborn as translated by Goddard of Gatesage.

Some of my people seek to help the mother, some of us seek to help the unborn, some of my people seek to help the father, some of my folk seek to help the family, and some seek to help the barren. We all seek to help, how we help is what causes us to fight with others and ourselves this why our help comes subtlety and is often seen as dark mischief, and sometimes it is dark mischief.

There is legend amongst my people that we shall slay a great evil in the womb and that we shall bring a savior to birth. Then we can stop hiding, stop fighting, then powers and magics shall speak forth about the rightness or evil of our actions.

When The Prophet of the Worldsmith spoke that, the unborn child of each house shall die, if the slaves were not set free, my grandmother was the Worldsmiths tool. When the High King of the Imperium had to hide his unborn child from his enemies, my father was his tool. When the poor mother wanted a better life for her child, I gave the child to the barren high queen. The High King knew better for that child was killed.


COMBAT
Takers of the Unborn avoid combat, preferring to hide and run. If forced into combat some seek to save their unborn charges, others seek to use their unborn charges to hinder their opponents.

Life’s Undoing (Su): as a standard action this ability can take away and then give an unborn child to any living-non plant creature within line of sight, effectively ending a pregnancy and making another creature pregnant with that original creature’s child. There are no complications caused by the creature not being compatible with a normal pregnancy as it follows the original creatures birthing cycle. The transference need not be immediate but must be complete before the ending of the original creatures birthing cycle, death of the ur-kasti deta during this time results in the death of the unborn creature. Both the original pregnant creature and the recipient creature are allowed Fort saves (DC 19), the recipient creature becomes mentally aware that if it successfully resists this effect the unborn creature will die. This effect can only be undone by a successful break enchantment DC 17 (11+the ur-kasti deta ’s CR), a limited wish, miracle wish, or another ur-kasti deta . The Save DC is charisma-based.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold Iron and necromancy deal normal damage to a ur-kasti deta . If a ur-kasti deta loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Sense the Unwanted (Su): a ur-kasti deta can sense an unwanted pregnancy within a 6-mile radius (1 mile per CR). The pregnancy can be unwanted by anyone: the pregnant creature, its mate, the mate’s family or the pregnant creature’s family, it only need be unwanted by someone.

Spell-like abilities: 3/day-charm person, invisibility, non-detection, ventriloquism 1/day-cure moderate wounds, remove disease. Caster level 6.

LORE: (Bardic Knowledge or Knowledge Nature)

Common (DC 6): This Fey is called an Ur-kasti Deta; it seeks out unwanted unborn children.

Uncommon (DC 16): This creature’s name translates as “Taker of the Unborn” in the Fallen Tongue; read excerpt from Mother and Child.

Rare DC (21): Ur-kasti Deta can steal a pregnant woman’s child and give it to another creature, even if that creature is not a woman or even the same species. They can use magic to convince people to give up and/or take these children; they seem to sense when an unwanted pregnancy has occurred, they are both difficult to spot and difficult to detect with magic. They also have some healing abilities, as they are most often seen healing injured mothers.

Obscure (DC 31): Only weapons of cold iron and spells of necromancy can kill a ur-kasti deta.

Epic (DC 41): Legends say that if ur-kasti deta slays one of its own unborn and that child is returned to life by another race, they will lose their powers forever.

DESIGNER’S NOTES:
Monsters should not just challenge our physical abilities, they should also confront our cultural and moral values, becoming a menace to the natural social order. This monster is controversial, it is designed to be controversial, and I do not tell GMs how to use it though you, could use it to end pregnancies or to create a wondrous adoption agency. The power is in the GMs hands for better or for worse.

The mechanics of hear give you a fine chance to poke fun at any number of characters, the big bad fighter, he cannot wear his armor anymore his belly is too big. The local moral authority you are endangering a child going off adventuring while you are pregnant. Oh and everyone is asking who is your mate is. Have fun with it how often to get to make a player character pregnant. If that is not enough there is the moral quandary of resisting, becoming pregnant or killing a pregnant creature.
 

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I, for one, love the concept. I think this is a very subtle, but intriguing creature that could lend well to a number of cmapaign plots. There are countless tales that hinge on the fate of some unborn child and the "Taker" could easily aid or hinder any of these tales.

I can easily see a Taker being enlisted to find the unborn savior or prophezised hero. Or, perhaps a Taker is a responsible for spiriting away an heir with the intention of sparing the child from a fate at the hands of a cruel despot? Or, perhaps, an angry lover or concubine with her own plans for ascending her own heir to the throne? Perhaps a Taker might be enlisted by a villain as a way to gain possession of a powerful offspring or to plant her own wicked seed in a position favorable to her plans?

Wow, this critter is pretty useful.
 
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"Wow, this critter is pretty useful."

Thank you,

It is always a goal for me to make monsters useful beyond kill it and take it's stuff. I hope the rest of the monsters from HTBM end up making me as happy as this one does. (this was actually 100% first draft from me, I think I only spell checked it. )
 



Qwillion said:
"Holy cow, this is cool. "

Thank you, what did you find cool about it?

Heck, just about everything! :D

It fills a great fey niche that I can't recall ever seeing filled before- it totally references the mythic "changeling"/elf baby-stealing thing- it has a fantastically creepy set of abilities that really fit into my take on fey stuff- my god, I'm so using this one imc... :)
 




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