For me it sounds great... very hospitable.
Of course, if anyone else needs a particular monster converted for their campaign I don't want to dominate the requests.
Converting Al-Qadim creatures
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Of course, if anyone else needs a particular monster converted for their campaign I don't want to dominate the requests.
Cleon
Legend
Well I hope I don't catch it!
Well I don't think it's the sort of virus you can catch over the internet.
The Winemaker is looking mighty good.
I think we should retain the mention of them being travellers. We could tweak the rest of description to cut a few words out, e.g.:
Winemaker genies dedicate themselves to lives as vintners: nurturing their grapevines, fields, and casks to create the finest possible vintages. Wine produced by a winemaker genie generally fetches four times its normal value on the open market. They travel constantly, never remain at a given vineyard for more than two years.
Harvest time is the winemaker genies only celebration; they are great drinkers and are capable of entertaining workers with songs, jokes and dances. Unfortunately, they sample their own product all too often, leading them to excessive drinking and a deterioration of their talent. Older winemaker genies may become drunkards, madmen, or fools, whose eccentric vintages only cater to jaded palates.
Winemaker genies serve only so long as their masters do not mistreat them. They do not stand for anyone adulterating or diluting their wine into a less than perfect beverage. Winemaker genies forced to their task produce excellent wines, but the result may lack their special touch. Such winemakers often decline into drunken eccentricity much more quickly.
...hmm, that's not that much different.
It seems easier to me to keep them in the Al-Qadim thread, but if you've got you're heart set on a Genie thread I won't stand in your way.
There are only six tasked genies in MCA1 aren't there? The Administrator, Deceiver, Harim Servant, Messenger, Miner and Oathbreaker.
Plus we came up with some ideas of our own for new tasked genies.
We fancied a Tracker/Hunter tasked Genie, and I think there's a vacancy for a Bodyguard Tasked Genie or a Burglar Tasked Genie.
...and of course we mustn't forget the Aerosmith Tasked Genie.
Aren't there still got quite a few MC7 creatures that haven't been converted yet? I don't see the Ammut, Pahari, Rom, Werehyena or Werelion in the Creature Catalogue. The Ammut and Rom interest me the most.
There are still a few MC13 monsters left, but I wanted to get a halfway decent conversion on some of those City of Delights monsters since my current campaign is heavily based in Huzuz right now and has Pasari-Niml, Tatalla, and Tasked Deceiver Genies in some upcoming encounters... and I'm eager to get al-Jahar in a plot line.
Cleon
Legend
Well since you need them for play, we'd better do them next.
Which would you like to start with?
Cleon
Legend
Al-Jahar, for some reason, seem to be the biggest trouble... with Pasari-Niml right behind them.
Let's tackle al-Jahar first.
Thanks.
Fine by me.
Are you able to post the City of Delights or MCA1 write up for the Al-Jahar here?
I would have had this up sooner, but I actually had a fairly serious virus problem with my computer. (Speak of the devil...)
Al-Jahar
Monstrous Compendium supplement from the City of Delights boxed set for Al-Qadim
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Urban
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12)
TREASURE: O,Q
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVEMENT: 12, Fl 12
HIT DICE: 5
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6/1d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Disguise
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: M (5-7 ft. tall)
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XP VALUE: 3,000
Al-jahar, also known as dazzles, usually appear as beautiful humanoids; their angelic beauty disguises a terrible secret, for the al-jahar are evil and manipulative. The creatures' true form, which provides their name, is that of genderless winged humanoids comprised of sparkling white motes and waves of almost invisible desert heat. Dazzles hide among the population of cities, generating and feeding upon base emotions of other intelligent creatures.
Combat: A dazzle is normally encountered in disguise, often appearing to be a beautiful human or elven woman. The creature can alter self at will, so other disguises are possible, including males or females of most man-sized bipedal races. Dazzles can also use delude and non-detection at will. Hakimas can always see through any dazzle's disguise, and genies and gen have a 50% chance of recognizing a dazzle. Dazzles seek to avoid hakimas and genies, and they never imitate either.
An al-jahar prefers to avoid direct combat, though it often encourages others to fight, for that generates the strong emotions on which it feeds. If emotions such as anger, greed, and lust are present, the dazzle just waits and absorbs them; if not, it generates them. Once per round, the dazzle can use one of the following spell-like abilities: charm person, friends, hypnotism, taunt, confusion, or ventriloquism. Each ability can be used up to three times per day. They are cast as if the dazzle is a 10th level wizard. Favored dazzle tactics include using friends to get someone to look in its eyes, then hypnotism to cause the victim to start a fight; using alter self to assume a friendly form, then taunt to start a fight; and using ventriloquism to make bystanders appear to toss insults.
If discovered, a dazzle attempts a fast escape, often assuming its real form so it can fly. If pressed, it can fight with its claws and is able to use one of the following abilities each round: light and shocking grasp each three times per day, and blindness, rainbow pattern, and domination each once per day. The latter three abilities can be used only in the creature's natural form. All are used as if the dazzle is a 10th level wizard. A dazzle is immune to light-generating and emotion-affecting spells and effects, except the sun-sparkle gaze of the opinicus.
Victims are affected very little by a dazzle, at most feeling exhausted and emotionally drained after several hours in the creature's presence. If the dazzle is careful, it can prey on the same people for years without them ever realizing the truth.
Habitat/Society: Al-Jahar prefer to live in large cities, where they have plenty of prey and they can live for years without being discovered. Smaller towns usually recognize much more quickly that something is amiss, and drive the dazzles away.
A dazzle generally has a few standard guises, with a personality for each. Most appear to be normal, if beautiful, people, and many have friends. A dazzle often claims a territory, like a dockside tavern where fights are common and easy to incite. Other dazzles are not welcome in this territory, and may be attacked if they intrude.
Though usually found in a thriving metropolis, such as Huzuz, an al-Jahar may be sometimes encountered, alone and very hungry, in ruined cities as well. If a dazzle does not feed on strong emotions regularly, it weakens until able to use only its disguise abilities. When discovered in ruins, a dazzle adopts the guise of a lost traveler and tries to gain the confidence of its "rescuers," so they will take it to a populated area. In the meantime, it feeds on their suspicion and other emotions to gain enough energy for manipulation and travel on its own. Dazzles have even been known to join adventuring parties for a short time, using their powers to protect themselves, aid the party in small ways, and feed off the party members' emotions.
The origins of these creatures is unsure. Many associate them with the Haunted Lands or the Ruined Kingdoms, claiming they were summoned from nether regions in lost rites. Dazzles do not seem to breed, and it is suspected that there is a limited number of them in existence.
Ecology: Because the dazzle's food supply is unusual, it has little effect on an ecology, though its hunting patterns are often disruptive to the society in which it lives.
A dazzle's blood is useful in making a potion of delusion and other mind-affecting magical items.
Al-Jahar
Monstrous Compendium supplement from the City of Delights boxed set for Al-Qadim
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Urban
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12)
TREASURE: O,Q
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVEMENT: 12, Fl 12
HIT DICE: 5
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6/1d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Disguise
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: M (5-7 ft. tall)
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XP VALUE: 3,000
Al-jahar, also known as dazzles, usually appear as beautiful humanoids; their angelic beauty disguises a terrible secret, for the al-jahar are evil and manipulative. The creatures' true form, which provides their name, is that of genderless winged humanoids comprised of sparkling white motes and waves of almost invisible desert heat. Dazzles hide among the population of cities, generating and feeding upon base emotions of other intelligent creatures.
Combat: A dazzle is normally encountered in disguise, often appearing to be a beautiful human or elven woman. The creature can alter self at will, so other disguises are possible, including males or females of most man-sized bipedal races. Dazzles can also use delude and non-detection at will. Hakimas can always see through any dazzle's disguise, and genies and gen have a 50% chance of recognizing a dazzle. Dazzles seek to avoid hakimas and genies, and they never imitate either.
An al-jahar prefers to avoid direct combat, though it often encourages others to fight, for that generates the strong emotions on which it feeds. If emotions such as anger, greed, and lust are present, the dazzle just waits and absorbs them; if not, it generates them. Once per round, the dazzle can use one of the following spell-like abilities: charm person, friends, hypnotism, taunt, confusion, or ventriloquism. Each ability can be used up to three times per day. They are cast as if the dazzle is a 10th level wizard. Favored dazzle tactics include using friends to get someone to look in its eyes, then hypnotism to cause the victim to start a fight; using alter self to assume a friendly form, then taunt to start a fight; and using ventriloquism to make bystanders appear to toss insults.
If discovered, a dazzle attempts a fast escape, often assuming its real form so it can fly. If pressed, it can fight with its claws and is able to use one of the following abilities each round: light and shocking grasp each three times per day, and blindness, rainbow pattern, and domination each once per day. The latter three abilities can be used only in the creature's natural form. All are used as if the dazzle is a 10th level wizard. A dazzle is immune to light-generating and emotion-affecting spells and effects, except the sun-sparkle gaze of the opinicus.
Victims are affected very little by a dazzle, at most feeling exhausted and emotionally drained after several hours in the creature's presence. If the dazzle is careful, it can prey on the same people for years without them ever realizing the truth.
Habitat/Society: Al-Jahar prefer to live in large cities, where they have plenty of prey and they can live for years without being discovered. Smaller towns usually recognize much more quickly that something is amiss, and drive the dazzles away.
A dazzle generally has a few standard guises, with a personality for each. Most appear to be normal, if beautiful, people, and many have friends. A dazzle often claims a territory, like a dockside tavern where fights are common and easy to incite. Other dazzles are not welcome in this territory, and may be attacked if they intrude.
Though usually found in a thriving metropolis, such as Huzuz, an al-Jahar may be sometimes encountered, alone and very hungry, in ruined cities as well. If a dazzle does not feed on strong emotions regularly, it weakens until able to use only its disguise abilities. When discovered in ruins, a dazzle adopts the guise of a lost traveler and tries to gain the confidence of its "rescuers," so they will take it to a populated area. In the meantime, it feeds on their suspicion and other emotions to gain enough energy for manipulation and travel on its own. Dazzles have even been known to join adventuring parties for a short time, using their powers to protect themselves, aid the party in small ways, and feed off the party members' emotions.
The origins of these creatures is unsure. Many associate them with the Haunted Lands or the Ruined Kingdoms, claiming they were summoned from nether regions in lost rites. Dazzles do not seem to breed, and it is suspected that there is a limited number of them in existence.
Ecology: Because the dazzle's food supply is unusual, it has little effect on an ecology, though its hunting patterns are often disruptive to the society in which it lives.
A dazzle's blood is useful in making a potion of delusion and other mind-affecting magical items.
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It is worth noting the following details from other entries in the City of Delights boxed set:
From the Glossary:
Are al-Jahar classified as Outsiders?
From the Vargouille entry:
But probably just very, very old creatures... maybe Monstrous Humanoids?
From the Glossary:
From the Opinicus entry:
Are al-Jahar classified as Outsiders?
...maybe, maybe they too were summoned to Zakhara.
From the Vargouille entry:
But probably just very, very old creatures... maybe Monstrous Humanoids?
That might not add much, but I figured it was easy enough to search the PDF for City of Delights for other listings on Dazzle and Jahar.
Stuff like Hit Dice, alignment, attack damage, and spell-like abilities are extracted below:
With the ambiguity in the write-up, do we make these guys Monstrous Humanoids, Outsiders, or something else entirely... like Fey?
Regarding possible vulnerabilities:
As they are composed sparkling motes of light, do we make them vulnerable to darkness spells and effects?
Regarding their odd diet:
Do we base that on an At Will usage of detect thoughts? With the after effects including slight exhaustion and emotional drained for several hours, do we make the effect a temporary Con and Cha drain? (Perhaps a victim cannot be so effected for another 24 hours.) Or do we give the Jahar temporary hit points or increased abilities or some other bonus?
Regarding spells:
What is the 3.5 equivalent to the friends spell? Eagle's splendor adds Charisma points... which is the benefit of friends. But in that case, why not just give them a higher Charisma or a racial bonus to Bluf, Diplomacy, and even Gather Information checks?
The 3.5 equivalent to light, as the Jahar seems to use it, is flare... do we just add it, or swap it for light?
Regarding type:
With the ambiguity in the write-up, do we make these guys Monstrous Humanoids, Outsiders, or something else entirely... like Fey?
Regarding possible vulnerabilities:
As they are composed sparkling motes of light, do we make them vulnerable to darkness spells and effects?
Regarding their odd diet:
Do we base that on an At Will usage of detect thoughts? With the after effects including slight exhaustion and emotional drained for several hours, do we make the effect a temporary Con and Cha drain? (Perhaps a victim cannot be so effected for another 24 hours.) Or do we give the Jahar temporary hit points or increased abilities or some other bonus?
Regarding spells:
What is the 3.5 equivalent to the friends spell? Eagle's splendor adds Charisma points... which is the benefit of friends. But in that case, why not just give them a higher Charisma or a racial bonus to Bluf, Diplomacy, and even Gather Information checks?
The 3.5 equivalent to light, as the Jahar seems to use it, is flare... do we just add it, or swap it for light?
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