Cleon
Legend
I'd prefer a throwing weapon like a light hammer or javelin.
I imagine a regular bow would eventually become useless in a tomb, either drying out or rotting away.
Converting Al-Qadim creatures
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
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I'd prefer a throwing weapon like a light hammer or javelin.
I imagine a regular bow would eventually become useless in a tomb, either drying out or rotting away.
Cleon
Legend
Nothing wrong with it that I can find.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Tatalla
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Urban
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Guild
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: K; C
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 2+2
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3 or by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, backstab
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Thieving skills
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (just over 2 ft. tall)
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XP VALUE: 650, Guildmaster 975
The tatalla,”the eye,” is a malevolent little creature used as a spy or as a stealthy assassin. It is skinny, almost-emaciated, about two feet tall, and basically humanoid. The tatalla’s name comes from its single, very large, protruding eye.
Many tatalla have tusks and large ears, and they greatly resemble miniaturized versions of ogre giants. Learned people suspect some sort of relationship between the two races, though nothing has been proven for certain.
Tatalla speak Midani with a guttural intonation, perverting the natural beauty of the language. They also know the languages of similar creatures, such as imps and quasits, and they can communicate with bats and rats.
These creatures have a guild structure that assigns them to specific tasks, ranging from spying to stealing to assassination.
Combat: All tatalla have thieving abilities as follows: PP 50%; OL 42%; F/RT 40%; MS 50%; HS 51%; DN 20%; CW 90%; backstab for triple damage. When assigned to kill someone, the tatalla usually attempts to sneak into that individual’s home. Once the tatalla has discovered the desired victim, it bites him and scurries away.
The bite wakes any person who rolls his Wisdom score or lower on 1d20; the bite mark appears to be that of a large spider. One bite causes nausea, a second bite increases nausea and causes weakness and a loss of Dexterity (no Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and -2 penalty to all attack rolls). A third bite within as many days kills the victim in 1d4 rounds, unless the victim rolls a successful saving throw vs. poison. Each bite beyond the third requires another saving throw, with a cumulative -2 penalty to the roll. The tatalla visits its victim’s residence for as many consecutive days as necessary, trailing the victim if it tries to escape by changing resting places.
Generally, tatalla try to avoid direct combat, preferring to accomplish their tasks without being noticed. Many run when threatened. If cornered, or if assigned to kill someone, however, they fight very ferociously. Each claw causes 1-3 points of damage. Many tatalla carry a pair of small weapons, such as a pair of jambiya or razors; they can use two such weapons simultaneously with no penalties.
If forced to fight, the tatalla can forego its normal two attacks, attempting to use its poisonous bite instead. It attacks using its regular THAC0, and the effects of the bites are as given above.
A tatalla can also summon 1d100 normal bats or rats for aid. These arrive in 1d4 rounds. While the tatalla waits for aid, it scurries about trying to hide from and dodge its attackers. The rats or bats leave when the tatalla dies or releases them.
Habitat/Society: Tatalla reside only in urban areas, where their services are often desired, and where they are never far from vermin to aid them in their tasks. On rare occasions, they can track a victim across great tracts of land, traveling at night under the cover of darkness. They have an unerring tracking sense once they have been assigned to a victim. Though the victim may elude the tatalla for a time, the tenacious creature eventually catches up.
Tatalla have a guild organization, much like the hierarchy found in a thieves. guild or a society of holy slayers. A guild typically has 4d20 members. One tatalla is the guild master and has approval over all contracts entered into by the guild, as well as the ability to assign any of the guild members to a given task. The guildmaster has 3+3 Hit Dice and a THAC0 of 17, and it uses any magical items the guild may have in its treasury.
A tatalla guild often cooperates with other illicit societies in the same city, particularly burglars and holy slayers. They demand payment in advance, and they never break a contract. Payment ranges from a few pieces of silver for a surveillance job, to several pieces of gold or a magical item for an assassination. If an individual or group breaks a contract with the tatalla guild, they quickly find themselves in a blood feud unless amends are made.
Ecology: Tatalla are scavengers, living off the remains of society. They steal what they need and give nothing back to society or to their environment.
Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Urban
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Guild
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: K; C
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 2+2
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3 or by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, backstab
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Thieving skills
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (just over 2 ft. tall)
MORALE: Unsteady (5-7)
XP VALUE: 650, Guildmaster 975
The tatalla,”the eye,” is a malevolent little creature used as a spy or as a stealthy assassin. It is skinny, almost-emaciated, about two feet tall, and basically humanoid. The tatalla’s name comes from its single, very large, protruding eye.
Many tatalla have tusks and large ears, and they greatly resemble miniaturized versions of ogre giants. Learned people suspect some sort of relationship between the two races, though nothing has been proven for certain.
Tatalla speak Midani with a guttural intonation, perverting the natural beauty of the language. They also know the languages of similar creatures, such as imps and quasits, and they can communicate with bats and rats.
These creatures have a guild structure that assigns them to specific tasks, ranging from spying to stealing to assassination.
Combat: All tatalla have thieving abilities as follows: PP 50%; OL 42%; F/RT 40%; MS 50%; HS 51%; DN 20%; CW 90%; backstab for triple damage. When assigned to kill someone, the tatalla usually attempts to sneak into that individual’s home. Once the tatalla has discovered the desired victim, it bites him and scurries away.
The bite wakes any person who rolls his Wisdom score or lower on 1d20; the bite mark appears to be that of a large spider. One bite causes nausea, a second bite increases nausea and causes weakness and a loss of Dexterity (no Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and -2 penalty to all attack rolls). A third bite within as many days kills the victim in 1d4 rounds, unless the victim rolls a successful saving throw vs. poison. Each bite beyond the third requires another saving throw, with a cumulative -2 penalty to the roll. The tatalla visits its victim’s residence for as many consecutive days as necessary, trailing the victim if it tries to escape by changing resting places.
Generally, tatalla try to avoid direct combat, preferring to accomplish their tasks without being noticed. Many run when threatened. If cornered, or if assigned to kill someone, however, they fight very ferociously. Each claw causes 1-3 points of damage. Many tatalla carry a pair of small weapons, such as a pair of jambiya or razors; they can use two such weapons simultaneously with no penalties.
If forced to fight, the tatalla can forego its normal two attacks, attempting to use its poisonous bite instead. It attacks using its regular THAC0, and the effects of the bites are as given above.
A tatalla can also summon 1d100 normal bats or rats for aid. These arrive in 1d4 rounds. While the tatalla waits for aid, it scurries about trying to hide from and dodge its attackers. The rats or bats leave when the tatalla dies or releases them.
Habitat/Society: Tatalla reside only in urban areas, where their services are often desired, and where they are never far from vermin to aid them in their tasks. On rare occasions, they can track a victim across great tracts of land, traveling at night under the cover of darkness. They have an unerring tracking sense once they have been assigned to a victim. Though the victim may elude the tatalla for a time, the tenacious creature eventually catches up.
Tatalla have a guild organization, much like the hierarchy found in a thieves. guild or a society of holy slayers. A guild typically has 4d20 members. One tatalla is the guild master and has approval over all contracts entered into by the guild, as well as the ability to assign any of the guild members to a given task. The guildmaster has 3+3 Hit Dice and a THAC0 of 17, and it uses any magical items the guild may have in its treasury.
A tatalla guild often cooperates with other illicit societies in the same city, particularly burglars and holy slayers. They demand payment in advance, and they never break a contract. Payment ranges from a few pieces of silver for a surveillance job, to several pieces of gold or a magical item for an assassination. If an individual or group breaks a contract with the tatalla guild, they quickly find themselves in a blood feud unless amends are made.
Ecology: Tatalla are scavengers, living off the remains of society. They steal what they need and give nothing back to society or to their environment.
Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).
Cleon
Legend
Well if they're related to Ogre Magi we'd better make them Tiny Giants. 
More seriously I'm thinking Tiny Monstrous Humanoid.
Let's see, special poison bite.
Hefty racial bonuses on thief skills.
Speaks Infernal. Has speak with animals that works on bats and rats.
Some ability to command bat and rats, individually or in swarms (like a Vampire?)
More seriously I'm thinking Tiny Monstrous Humanoid.
Let's see, special poison bite.
Hefty racial bonuses on thief skills.
Speaks Infernal. Has speak with animals that works on bats and rats.
Some ability to command bat and rats, individually or in swarms (like a Vampire?)
GrayLinnorm
Explorer
It should also get summon swarm as an SLA.
Cleon
Legend
I'd set the Intelligence to 10, but apart from that it looks fine.
The original's AC 4 suggests they need either +2 NA or leather armour.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
I like these!
Definitely summon swarm, and I can go with those stats (like Cleon, I prefer Int 10).
Definitely sneak attack and a good smattering of rogue-like skills. Maybe also trapfinding? Honestly, I could see going for some of the higher-level rogue (or assassin) class features if they aren't too overpowered.
The bite poison could just be sickness/nausea and Dex damage, but that doesn't mesh so well with death after a few bites. Add a Con damage rider, also?
Definitely summon swarm, and I can go with those stats (like Cleon, I prefer Int 10).
Definitely sneak attack and a good smattering of rogue-like skills. Maybe also trapfinding? Honestly, I could see going for some of the higher-level rogue (or assassin) class features if they aren't too overpowered.
The bite poison could just be sickness/nausea and Dex damage, but that doesn't mesh so well with death after a few bites. Add a Con damage rider, also?
Cleon
Legend
Yes, Sneak Attack is the obvious corollary to the original's back-stab.
I was thinking Trapfinding, Trap Sense (+2?), Evasion, Improved Uncanny Dodge, and Hide in Plain Sight.
As for Assassin special abilities, I wouldn't give it Death Attack since that seems obviate its preferred "slow poison bite" method of killing its targets.
I'd be fine with Poison Use though.
That's why I said "special poison bite" earlier.
Something like:
Poison (Ex): A tartalla's bite injects a special poison that has a cumulative effect upon its victims.
The first bite does 1d4? minutes of sickness as its primary damage, and 1d4? rounds of nausea plus 1d4? days of sickness as its secondary effect.
If a tartalla bites a victim that is already sickened by its poison, the poison does 1d3? days of sickness plus 1d6? Strength damage as its primary damage, and 1d4? rounds of nausea plus 1d3? days of sickness plus 1d6? Dexterity damage as its secondary effect.
If a tartalla bites a victim that is already affected by its poison's ability damage, the poison does 1d3? days of sickness plus 1d6? Strength damage plus 1d6? Constitution damage as its primary damage, and 1d4? rounds of nausea plus 1d3? days of sickness plus 1d6? Dexterity damage plus 2d6? Constitution damage as its secondary effect.
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