Psionic Beasts

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Gilga

Type: Huge Magical Beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 12d10+72 (132)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 ft., 40 ft. (climb), 20 ft. (burrow [snow only]), 20 ft. (fly, clumsy)
AC: 16 (+2 dex, +6 natural, -2 size)
BAB/Grapple: +12/+33
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.
Attack: Slam +21 melee (1d6+9)
Full attack: Slam +21 melee (1d6+9), 2 claws +19 melee (2d4+9)
Special Attacks: Constrict, Improved Grab, Toss
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Empathy, Glide, Lowlight vision, Power resistance/5, Psionic Subtype, Resistance to cold/20, Resistance to evil/10, Scent, Surefooted
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +4
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 19
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +19, Jump +19, Spot +10
Feats: Altitude Adaption(B), Improved Grapple, Mind Over Body, Multi-attack, Rapid Metabolism, Track
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Environment: Cold mountains and hills
Organization: Solitary, Mates (2), Family (3-9), Extended Family (10-28)
CR: 13-14
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Treasure: None
Advancement: -

A gilga is a massive furry creature of high mountain peaks and rugged hills. It has a very wide body and a broad, back between enormous shoulders. Its legs are comparatively short, and thick as tree-trunks with wide pads for dispersing its weight ending in retractible claws. Between the front and back legs is a rippled layer of thick skin that hangs down slightly in loose folds.
Its head is overly large for its body, and very rounded with next to no neck. Two large slits in the front of its face serve as nostrils and two small black eyes are set wide apart above. Below is very large, very wide mouth that looks to be slightly unhinged, giving the impression that it could open even farther. It does not however appear to have any teeth, though boney gums and powerful jaws make up for that easily.

Gilgas are semi-intelligent creatures of strong and complex emotions. They are very social creatures whom form large extended families that migrate with herds of reindeer, yak, and megaloceros. They prefer to observe them from mountain heights, gliding down to feast when hungered and bounding back up when sated. They have no spoken language, using empathy, pheromones and body movement to form a primitive, if not broad type of communication. They are, on the whole, contented creatures who revel in simple delights of companionship and views from great heights.

A gilga who is left alone by accident or injury is a very sad creature indeed, seeking out any other signs of sentient creatures nearby. Though repelled by evil beings, it is not unheard of for a gilga to bond with a group of humans or neanderthals, happy merely to be in their presence and willing to protect them if need be. Halflings are even more likely to be sought out.

Young gilgas caught normally die or escape, as those who seek out a gilga with an intent to capture is rarely of good alignment. Good aligned folks ignorant of a gilga's reputation that capture such a creature have a 50/50 chance of the creature bonding with them.

Prefering such remote locations and elevations, gilgas are rarely seen, though enough mountaineers have been pulled out of avalanches by gilgas that a legend has been built up around them.

Combat:
A gilga rarely attacks unless hungry, and normally only animal intelligences then. However, if forced to protect itself or its family they can become furry terrors; rending and crushing and biting and flinging in a rage all non gilgas in range. If they sense the being is after them because of hunger or need or some other similiar reason they will normally try to grab up the attacker and hold him still, perhaps tossing him into the snow over and over, gurgling in mirth.

Constrict (Ex): A gilga deals 1d6+13 points of damage per round with a successful grapple check as it slowly crushes its victim. The victim is considered drowning as well, though can hold their breath. If it wishes a gilga can merely hold the creature without damage.

Empathy (Ps):
A gilga can sense the emotions of nearby thinking creatures within 40 feet, and as a full-round action can pinpoint the exact location of a single emanation.

Glide (Ex):
A gilga if at least 40 feet up can leap and glide for 100 feet. Its height drops by ten feet every round after until it comes down to the ground. Therefore the higher the start, the longer and farther they may glide.

Improved Grab (Ex):
To use this ability a gilga must hit a Large or smaller foe with its slam attack. If it gets a hold it can constrict or toss its opponent.

Scent (Ex):

A gilga can detect any nearby creature within 60 feet. The exact location is not revealed unless the creature is within 10 feet.

Surefooted (Ex):
Gilgas ignore all movement penalties associated with snow on the ground. They also recieve a +6 racial bonus on Balance checks when walking on ice or snow.

Toss (Ex):
A gilga not wanting to kill its victim may simply toss it in a random direction, or if especially infuriated, right off a cliff or mountain side. Resolve the toss as a bull rush maneuver (+12 check modifier), except there is no attack of opportunity.

Skills: Gilgas have a +6 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They also get a +10 racial bonus to Survival checks to follow tracks.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a Gilga is 2,400 pounds; a medium load, 2,401-4,800 pounds; and a heavy load, 4,801-9,600 pounds. A gilga cannot glide with more than a light weight.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Torrga

Type: Large Monstrous Humanoid (Psionic, Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 4d8+20 (40 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 18 (+2 dex, +6 natural)
BAB/Grapple: +4/+14
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Attack: Claws +10 melee (1d6+7)
Full attack: 2 claws +10 melee (1d6+7)
Special Attacks: Psionics
Special Qualities: Desert Inured, Immune to blinding powders, Low-light vision, Resistance to fire and poison/5
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Endurance, Heat Endurance
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Environment: Warm Desert
Organization: Family (3-9), Band (10-24), Clan (25-60)
CR: 5-6
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Treasure: 50% coins and goods
Advancement: -

A torrga appears as a massive, semi-humanoid being of great stature with wide, powerful backs and shoulders that hunch forward greatly, with an almost gorilla-like stance. They have long, thick legs however, ending in three long, splayed toes with thick webbing between them and equipped with blunt, unretractible talons. The arms are thick, though not overly muscular, and unlike the toes, end in sharp, curving claws. Their heads are overly large even for their size, with muzzles of slitted nostrils and fleshy-lipped mouths. The mouth has a collection of flat teeth, with two slightly protruding incisors of an omnivore. The tiny eyes are greatly deepset, with nictitating membrances protecting the pinprick pupils. Its forehead slants sharply backwards to a collection of flat, flashy protrubances that meet on either side of the neck with large, wrinkled sacks. These oddities are refered to as 'hornsacks', and can be inflated with ease to allow Torrgas to speak through raging sandstorms or call one another over great distances.

The entire being is covered in what almost appears as an exoskeleton, but is in reality large sections of leathery natural shields that stretch from joint to joint. Between these plates are slightly more sensitive pebbly scales that spread over its fingers, toes, and face. The color of these shields and plates are of a deep, dark umber.

A torga stands at just a tad over 9 feet and weighs between 800 and 1050 lbs. Torga's speak Draconic and Torrgan Signing.

---

Torrga are very communal peoples, roaming the harsher expanses of deserts in great numbers, with the stronger ones forming a wind break in front. They move their entire lives, learning the ways of the land and moving from area to area.

Combat:
Torrgas rarely fight alone, and usually use their matter agitation abilities to burn and frighten predators. If this proves unsuccessful they attempt to herd about their adversaries, striking out with powerful swipes of their poisoned claws.

Camouflaged (Ex):
A torrga's natural coloring gives it a +4 to hide checks.

Desert Inured (Ex):
A torga gains a +6 to its fortitude save to resist any kind of blinding light or wind affects.

Psionics:
3/day - Matter Agitation, Prevenom, Synesthete.

Torrgan Signing:
Torgan's have an advanced type of sign language that they use while in the midst of sandstorms that require them to keep their mouths closed. It is also this with which they communicate with the torrgan starets.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Torrgan Starets

Type: Large Undead (fire, psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d12+6 (60 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 21 (+3 dex, +8 natural)
BAB/Grapple: +3/+13
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Attack: Claw +10 melee (1d8+7 plus 2d6 fire)
Full attack: 2 claws +10 melee (1d8+7 plus 2d6 fire)
Special Attacks: Aura of Heat, Claw Afire, Psionics, Ribbon of Flame
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Resistance to Fire/15, Undead Traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 16, Con -, Int 17, Wis 19, Cha 12
Skills: Concentration +11, Diplomacy +5, Heal +14, Knowledge (Geography) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +13, Knowledge (Psionics) +8
Feats: Inquisitor, Lifesense, Psionic Body, Speed of Thought(B)
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Environment: Warm Desert
Organization: Elder (1), Tradespeaks (2-3), Council (4-8)
CR: 9
Alignment: Lawful good
Treasure: None
Advancement: -

Torrgan starets are undead advisors and leaders of the Torga. When a Torga shows itself to be of great wisdom and knowledge it is preserved for over a century.

The reknowned torrga elder lets be known its wish to die normally or aid the tribe. Those that give permission to be preserved fashions for itself a psicrystal which it keeps till its death. Upon dying its mind seeps within the crystal. The crystal is then buried in clean, prepared sand, which immediately starts to warm. It continues to heat for a full day. During this time a special mixture known as Guttirun, made from the venom of a large carnivorous desert archnid, is introduced into the body. This concoction quickly disolves bones and cartilage, and liquifies muscles and organs, though leaves intact the scales and skin of the corpse. The body is then drained, and filed with the burning hot sand by those who risk their life to face the dread temperatures. All orifices and the eyes are sewn tightly shut and glued so as to never reopen. Within several hours the psicrystal disolves within the pure sand and a crystaline matrix has formed. Once this is complete, the elder rises for a hundred and twenty years.
At the end of this period the elder is allowed to find peace. This ritual takes it far out within the deepest desert, where with a knife it cuts a line in its chest to release the sand, and so crumples.

The torrgan starets appear much as they did in life, though their scales appear rougher and dull. As well, their normally deflated hornsacks stretch with the weight of the sand within them. Waves of heat continue to raise off them from its inner temperatures.

Combat:
Torrgan Starets are slow to battle, trying to lead away dangerous beings from the bulk of the living Torrgans. If speech nor deception work, they launch themselves upon their attackers, burning the very lungs of their attackers and slashing at them with flaming claws. They will continue to harry their opponents with their ribbons of flame for as long as they can, chasing them well away. They will not kill unless pressed, and will give their enemies the option to turn away.

Aura of Heat (Ps):
Those breathing air within 5 feet of Torrgan Starets take 1d6 points of damage per minute. In addition, those wearing metal armor are affected as if by a Heat Metal spell.

Claw Afire (Ps):
A Torrgan Starets can activate this ability as a move-equivalent action. Flames engulf one of its hands (but does it no harm). The undead's unarmed attacks with that hand are treated as armed. Such attacks deal an extra 2d6 points of fire damage.

Psionics:
At will/Control Flames; 3/day Call to Mind. Manifester level 4th.

Ribbon of Flame (Ps):
A Torrgan Starets can release a writhing, energetic line of fire 80 feet long that does 1d8 points of damage as a ranged touch attack.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Woman In Black

Type: Medium Undead (dreamborn, mnemonic, psionic)
Hit Dice: 4d12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (good)
AC: 12 (+2 dex) 20% miss-chance
BAB/Grapple: +2/+2
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Attack: -
Full attack: -
Special Attacks: Death Urge, Love's Curse, Storm of the Heart
Special Qualities: Dark of Mind, Dreamborn, Embracing Darkness, Immune to Bludgeoning, Damage Reduction 4/Positive Energy, Mnemonic, Undead Traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con -, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 21
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Escape Artist +9, Listen +11, Ride +9
Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightening Reflexes
________________________
Environment: Any warm or temperate land
Organization: Solitary
CR: 5-6
Alignment: Neutral Good
Treasure: None
Advancement: -


Woe is the curse of this once very human woman, woe that knows as many seperate sorrows as there are raindrops in a thunderstorm... for such is indeed the case.

The embodiment of darkest depression and lost love, the Woman in Black is a pitiful creature, cursed to walk forever in darkness, each patter of rain a reminder of what she does, yet never able to speak of it.
She is utterly beautiful, with soulful eyes filled with a hopeless sorrow. Her clothes are those of a mourner who never knows a moment of anything but sadness and loss.


Combat:
A Woman in Black does not fight physically, but emotionally, tying the man to her and then releasing him into the deadly, self consuming pit of despair.

During the height of a thunderstorm, she can be seen walking, weeping and disconsolate. The first male human, elf or maenad who comes to her usually falls in love with this poor creature and tries to console her. She often appears hesitant to trust, but soon relaxes into his arms. She will try to meet with this man several more times, solidifying his ardor. Four to eight nights later he will have a dream that he does not know from waking, and he will find his beloved's body having been in some horrible accident. When he awakes he will recall all that occured and will make an attempt to kill himself in any fashion he can.

Attacks that manage to hit her open up rips in her clothing that show nothing but the darkness that dwells within her.

Dark of Mind (Ex):
A Woman in Black fades away during daylight hours, but appears again at dusk to seek out the most recent man she has befriended.

Death Urge (Ps):
After awakening with the memory of the find of his love's body the victim of this horrible curse must make a DC 18 will save or attempt to kill himself. Even if the will save is made the memory persists and every week a new save must be made. Only a Remove Curse, Limited Wish, Wish, or similiar spells and abilities can permanently remove the affliction. Every victim that succumbs in this fashion becomes but one more raindrop in the Storm of the Heart.

Dreamborn (Ex):
A woman in black appears vaguely hazy and out of focus, such that all melee and ranged attacks against her are assessed a 20 percent miss chance. This 20-percent miss chance is not the same as concealment and does not preclude the possibility of effective sneak attacks.

Embracing Darkness (Ps):
A Woman in Black when threatened can fade away into the gloom of the storm as if using Invisibility, Greater and all sound and scent of her becomes nonexistent.

Love's Curse (Ps):
The one to offer comfort to the woman must make a DC 20 will check or fall completely in love with the woman, and acts as if Charmed.

Mnemonic (Ps):
A Woman in Black who is slain reappears at the site of her death. The one the killed her keeps a memory of her, which is enough substance for the curse to reconstruct the Woman.

Storm of the Heart (Su):
The Woman in Black, wherever she walks, is surrounded by a horrible storm that extends for 10 miles around her. This storm fades away at the approach of dawn, and builds up at the last light of dusk. Lightening and thunder clash about, though only within a mile of her does rain actually fall. Every drop is the soul of a man that has fallen in love with her, and has then killed himself, completely overcome by the death of his beloved. Those who taste of the raindrops discover they have the flavor of blood.
Each drop that falls upon the Woman In Black gives her a vision of the victim it once was.