The Vorpal Tribble
First Post
Calaca
Large Outsider (extraplanar, good)
Hit Dice: 13d8+13 (71 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+4 dex, +12 natural, -1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+20
Attack: Slam +15 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 slams +15 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Grim fandango, high spirits, spell-like abilities, turn undead
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., death ward, immunity to cold, no constitution, outsider traits, tongues
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +12, Will +14
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con -, Int 13, Wis 23, Cha 19
Skills: Diplomacy +20, Gather Information +20, Heal +22, Knowledge (religion) +17, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Listen +22, Perform (dance) +20, Perform (oratory) +20, Sense Motive +22
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative(B), Improved Toughness, Run, Sidestep Charge, Stunning Fist
Environment: Any good-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: No coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 14-29 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +9
A giant skeleton dances in the village square. Its garish clothing, lively eyes, and golden inlays give it a strangely festive air. The villagers, rather than panicking, shout happily and begin to dance around the skeleton.
Strategies and Tactics
A calaca is rarely a willing combatant, but if pressed will usually summon several spirits of the dead to aid it before using its spell-like abilities to deter would-be opponents. If this is not sufficient it begins a dance to bring forth its allies, converting them into a fighting force of chilling appearance.
Death Ward (Sp): A calaca is continuously affected as by the Death Ward spell (caster level equal to calaca's Hit Dice), which extends out 10 feet from it.
Grim Fandango (Su): Once per day, if threatened, a calaca can begin an eerie dance that is both beautiful and horribly unnerving. All allies of the calaca must be able to see the calaca dance. They are enticed to join in, though there is no true enchantment. Those that do find themselves filled with a fierce joy. With their last breath their skin and organs slough away and crumble into dust.
They gain immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, extra damage from critical hits, non-lethal damage, death from massive damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, damage to physical ability scores, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save unless it is harmless or affects objects.
They do not need to breathe, eat or sleep.
The opposite of undead, they are damage by inflict spells, and healed by cure spells, and can be affected by energy drain.
They are not subject to critical hits, non-lethal damage, or ability drain.
Those affected do not actually gain any new type from this ability, which lasts for as long as the ally sees the calaca dance and for 5 rounds thereafter. At any time and of those affected may choose to no longer join in. Once the effect ends or one leaves the dance their flesh regrows .
High Spirits (Su): A calaca can summon a number of sacred watchers* per day whose CR added together is equal to twice the calaca's CR. An individually summoned creature cannot have a higher CR than the calaca. The remnants of the being to summon must be able to be sensed with Deathwatch. The calaca has no specific control over the spirits, but does gain a +10 bonus to charisma-based checks when dealing with those summoned. These spirits may return to the afterlife at any time, and may only remain summoned for 24 hours.
*See the Book of Exalted Deeds
No Constitution: A calaca is immune to poison, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage.
Spell-like Abilities: Caster level 13th. Save DC's are Charisma-based.
At Will - Deathwatch, Good Hope, Speak With Dead (DC 17), Spectral Hand
3/day - Irresistable Dance (DC 22), Life Story, Plane Shift, *Vision of Heaven (DC 15)
1/month - True Resurrection
* Found in the Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 111.
Tongues (Sp): A calaca can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to calaca's Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
Turn Undead (Su): A calaca can turn undead as a Cleric equal to its HD. Calacas gain a +4 bonus to their turning checks.
Calaca Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes/religion) can learn more about calacas. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
DC - Information revealed
DC 15 - This immense skeletal creature is not dead at all, but a semi-living creature that shares many traits with the unliving. This result reveals all outsider traits, their lack of constitution, and immunity to cold.
DC 20 - This creature is a Calaca, a being of the heavens that represent the positive aspects of death, such as eternal reward and the end of pain and suffering. However, it is said that the calaca can guard against death. This reveals the good subtype and the deathward ability.
DC 25 - A calaca has control over spirits and may call forth souls from heaven to help it defend their loved ones. They can sense the dying and the remains of the dead, and can speak with them whenever they wish.
DC 30 - A calaca is said to be able to perform a dance that temporarily brings a waking death to goodly folk, freeing them of their fears and flesh to come closer to the spirit. This allows them to help fight for the calaca, though this condition is easily reversed.
Ecology
Despite their macabre appearance, Calacas are goodly creatures. They are as they seem, beings of death, but of it's joyful side. For the calaca do not consider death to be the worst thing that can happen to one if they led decent lives. It is merely the way through which a being comes home to their reward. As such the calaca spread comfort to the grieving, telling them of the heavens and the happiness of the loved one who has ascended. It often aids with the preparation of the dead and speaks at funerals, telling of their life and their accomplishments and what made them good and worthy beings in life.
Environment: Calacas are to be found on any good-aligned plane, though most often upon the Blessed Fields of Elysium. They are often found outside the plane however. Locales where sorrow is especially rampant, where plague or disaster have struck and mourning is deep. Other times it appears at anniversaries of dire occurances, sparking festivities to honor the deceased and express joy at them finding peace. In this way the calaca turns others away from despair and converts it to happiness.
Typical Physical Characteristics: A calaca usually resembles an extremely tall humanoid skeleton dressed in extravagant, festive clothing of many bright colors. It wears a necklace of braided marigold leaves and blossoms that almost glow with life. Golden etchings have been set into its bones with such artistic skill that they at first appear as mere decoration, but if one peers close they see that they form entire passages in celestial in minute detail. Despite seeming as a skeleton, a large pair of very lively eyes peer out from the wide sockets of its skull. A calaca's exact shape alters depending on who it goes to visit, appearing as a large skeletal shape of whatever race it visits (though its stats do not change).
Alignment: Calacas are exceptionally empathic and caring beings who devote their life to bringing hope to the grieving. They honor the dead and speak of how they truly were, hiding nothing, but showing both the good and evil in their lives. Respect for the ancestors and friends they whole heartedly promote. Often the leaders, both religious and political, will try to drive out the calaca, especially if they are the cause of much of the grief for if such the calaca becomes their enemy. This does nothing but encourage a calaca who do what is right regardless of those about them. Calacas are always neutral good.
Society
Calacas do not often meet aside from friendships amongst themselves. Each seeks their own deeds and only come together to celebrate within the in fantastically momentous ocassions. The gardens of the Calaca are the only place they are known to frequently be seen in large numbers, tending such growths as ferns, lilies, and especially marigolds. All sorts of flora typically associated with departed souls can be found there, and with each passing of a being another may be planted.
Typical Treasure
Calacas often possess gifts for families they go to visit, though only rarely of great value. Many are items of the deceased that have only value to the family and were though to have been long lost or destroyed.
The flowers they wear do not fade and may be replanted. A wreath gifted to a family is worth 100 gp.
They have half-standard treasure for their Challenge Rating.
-=-=-=-=-
Life Story
Divination
Level: Brd 4, Clr 6, Sorc/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: One standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
You gain knowledge of the history of this being's life from the time before their death. You instantly learn their loves and hates, deeds and misdeeds, all knowledge of past doings as they remember it. This information may be clear or vague as if the caster were remembering it from years past, just as the deceased had.
This grants you a permanent bonus to Knowledge (local) checks in areas the deceased knew well equal to their number of ranks in the skill (minimum +1). Multiple castings can increase this knowledge check in the same locale, but only if the knowledge ranks acquired exceed those gained from previous castings.
If the deceased is brought back to life you gain a +4 bonus to all Charisma-based checks with this being.
Large Outsider (extraplanar, good)
Hit Dice: 13d8+13 (71 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+4 dex, +12 natural, -1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+20
Attack: Slam +15 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 slams +15 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Grim fandango, high spirits, spell-like abilities, turn undead
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., death ward, immunity to cold, no constitution, outsider traits, tongues
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +12, Will +14
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con -, Int 13, Wis 23, Cha 19
Skills: Diplomacy +20, Gather Information +20, Heal +22, Knowledge (religion) +17, Knowledge (the planes) +17, Listen +22, Perform (dance) +20, Perform (oratory) +20, Sense Motive +22
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative(B), Improved Toughness, Run, Sidestep Charge, Stunning Fist
Environment: Any good-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: No coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 14-29 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +9
A giant skeleton dances in the village square. Its garish clothing, lively eyes, and golden inlays give it a strangely festive air. The villagers, rather than panicking, shout happily and begin to dance around the skeleton.
Strategies and Tactics
A calaca is rarely a willing combatant, but if pressed will usually summon several spirits of the dead to aid it before using its spell-like abilities to deter would-be opponents. If this is not sufficient it begins a dance to bring forth its allies, converting them into a fighting force of chilling appearance.
Death Ward (Sp): A calaca is continuously affected as by the Death Ward spell (caster level equal to calaca's Hit Dice), which extends out 10 feet from it.
Grim Fandango (Su): Once per day, if threatened, a calaca can begin an eerie dance that is both beautiful and horribly unnerving. All allies of the calaca must be able to see the calaca dance. They are enticed to join in, though there is no true enchantment. Those that do find themselves filled with a fierce joy. With their last breath their skin and organs slough away and crumble into dust.
They gain immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, extra damage from critical hits, non-lethal damage, death from massive damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, damage to physical ability scores, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save unless it is harmless or affects objects.
They do not need to breathe, eat or sleep.
The opposite of undead, they are damage by inflict spells, and healed by cure spells, and can be affected by energy drain.
They are not subject to critical hits, non-lethal damage, or ability drain.
Those affected do not actually gain any new type from this ability, which lasts for as long as the ally sees the calaca dance and for 5 rounds thereafter. At any time and of those affected may choose to no longer join in. Once the effect ends or one leaves the dance their flesh regrows .
High Spirits (Su): A calaca can summon a number of sacred watchers* per day whose CR added together is equal to twice the calaca's CR. An individually summoned creature cannot have a higher CR than the calaca. The remnants of the being to summon must be able to be sensed with Deathwatch. The calaca has no specific control over the spirits, but does gain a +10 bonus to charisma-based checks when dealing with those summoned. These spirits may return to the afterlife at any time, and may only remain summoned for 24 hours.
*See the Book of Exalted Deeds
No Constitution: A calaca is immune to poison, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage.
Spell-like Abilities: Caster level 13th. Save DC's are Charisma-based.
At Will - Deathwatch, Good Hope, Speak With Dead (DC 17), Spectral Hand
3/day - Irresistable Dance (DC 22), Life Story, Plane Shift, *Vision of Heaven (DC 15)
1/month - True Resurrection
* Found in the Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 111.
Tongues (Sp): A calaca can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to calaca's Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
Turn Undead (Su): A calaca can turn undead as a Cleric equal to its HD. Calacas gain a +4 bonus to their turning checks.
Calaca Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes/religion) can learn more about calacas. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
DC - Information revealed
DC 15 - This immense skeletal creature is not dead at all, but a semi-living creature that shares many traits with the unliving. This result reveals all outsider traits, their lack of constitution, and immunity to cold.
DC 20 - This creature is a Calaca, a being of the heavens that represent the positive aspects of death, such as eternal reward and the end of pain and suffering. However, it is said that the calaca can guard against death. This reveals the good subtype and the deathward ability.
DC 25 - A calaca has control over spirits and may call forth souls from heaven to help it defend their loved ones. They can sense the dying and the remains of the dead, and can speak with them whenever they wish.
DC 30 - A calaca is said to be able to perform a dance that temporarily brings a waking death to goodly folk, freeing them of their fears and flesh to come closer to the spirit. This allows them to help fight for the calaca, though this condition is easily reversed.
Ecology
Despite their macabre appearance, Calacas are goodly creatures. They are as they seem, beings of death, but of it's joyful side. For the calaca do not consider death to be the worst thing that can happen to one if they led decent lives. It is merely the way through which a being comes home to their reward. As such the calaca spread comfort to the grieving, telling them of the heavens and the happiness of the loved one who has ascended. It often aids with the preparation of the dead and speaks at funerals, telling of their life and their accomplishments and what made them good and worthy beings in life.
Environment: Calacas are to be found on any good-aligned plane, though most often upon the Blessed Fields of Elysium. They are often found outside the plane however. Locales where sorrow is especially rampant, where plague or disaster have struck and mourning is deep. Other times it appears at anniversaries of dire occurances, sparking festivities to honor the deceased and express joy at them finding peace. In this way the calaca turns others away from despair and converts it to happiness.
Typical Physical Characteristics: A calaca usually resembles an extremely tall humanoid skeleton dressed in extravagant, festive clothing of many bright colors. It wears a necklace of braided marigold leaves and blossoms that almost glow with life. Golden etchings have been set into its bones with such artistic skill that they at first appear as mere decoration, but if one peers close they see that they form entire passages in celestial in minute detail. Despite seeming as a skeleton, a large pair of very lively eyes peer out from the wide sockets of its skull. A calaca's exact shape alters depending on who it goes to visit, appearing as a large skeletal shape of whatever race it visits (though its stats do not change).
Alignment: Calacas are exceptionally empathic and caring beings who devote their life to bringing hope to the grieving. They honor the dead and speak of how they truly were, hiding nothing, but showing both the good and evil in their lives. Respect for the ancestors and friends they whole heartedly promote. Often the leaders, both religious and political, will try to drive out the calaca, especially if they are the cause of much of the grief for if such the calaca becomes their enemy. This does nothing but encourage a calaca who do what is right regardless of those about them. Calacas are always neutral good.
Society
Calacas do not often meet aside from friendships amongst themselves. Each seeks their own deeds and only come together to celebrate within the in fantastically momentous ocassions. The gardens of the Calaca are the only place they are known to frequently be seen in large numbers, tending such growths as ferns, lilies, and especially marigolds. All sorts of flora typically associated with departed souls can be found there, and with each passing of a being another may be planted.
Typical Treasure
Calacas often possess gifts for families they go to visit, though only rarely of great value. Many are items of the deceased that have only value to the family and were though to have been long lost or destroyed.
The flowers they wear do not fade and may be replanted. A wreath gifted to a family is worth 100 gp.
They have half-standard treasure for their Challenge Rating.
-=-=-=-=-
Life Story
Divination
Level: Brd 4, Clr 6, Sorc/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: One standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
You gain knowledge of the history of this being's life from the time before their death. You instantly learn their loves and hates, deeds and misdeeds, all knowledge of past doings as they remember it. This information may be clear or vague as if the caster were remembering it from years past, just as the deceased had.
This grants you a permanent bonus to Knowledge (local) checks in areas the deceased knew well equal to their number of ranks in the skill (minimum +1). Multiple castings can increase this knowledge check in the same locale, but only if the knowledge ranks acquired exceed those gained from previous castings.
If the deceased is brought back to life you gain a +4 bonus to all Charisma-based checks with this being.
