Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Cleon]

Was just reading the original monster entry for inspiration on the description and noticed that they have a second mouth at the back of their head. Should we list that under alternate form?

We should definitely mention it somewhere!

Here's an attempt at a description:
This tall, lithe man smiles widely and laughs easily. His long, thick hair reaches past his shoulders. ??

It'd be better with "human" rather than "man" in the description, just 'cause 3E is progressive that way.

A lithe human with long, thick hair reaching past their shoulders. Whoever it is seems friendly enough, judging by their easy going smile.

I'm not sure about the "smiles widely and laughs easily". In my experience a lot of PCs are paranoid enough if they met someone wandering through the desert who acted like that they'd kill them just as a precaution.

This tall, lithe man smiles widely and laughs easily. His long, thick hair reaches past his shoulders. ??

Mentioning there are more male Hyenaweres than females would seem necessary, yes.

 

[freyar]

Well, your revised description will work for me.

Hyenaweres are therianthropes in the form of hyenas who delight in roguish behavior.... ??? I don't have many good ideas on the flavor.

 

[Cleon]

Well, your revised description will work for me.

Don't we also need a description for their hyena form?...

A hyena as large as a pony, with black fur on its belly and paws and a golden-furred back.

Updating the Hyenawere Working Draft.

Hyenaweres are therianthropes in the form of hyenas who delight in roguish behavior.... ??? I don't have many good ideas on the flavor.

How's this...

Hyenaweres are monstrous hyena therianthropes that shapechange into human form to stalk humanoid victims. Their human form has a second mouth at the base of the head, which noiselessly mimics the lip movements of the creature's main mouth. A hyenawere is careful to keep this extra mouth hidden, usually by growing their hair so it covers the back of their neck.

Hyenaweres live in close-knit family packs led by the strongest member. They are playful and affectionate to each other, but have no compassion for any creature outside the pack. The majority of hyenaweres are male. They mate for life and produce litters of 1 to 4 pups, three-quarters of which will be boys.

Like normal hyenas, hyenaweres are excellent hunters and iron-stomached scavengers who can eat garbage or carrion to survive. Their favorite prey are humanoids. They often send a lone scout to infiltrate a band of travelers or isolated village to pick out a victim. Hyenaweres collect gemstones for the scouts to use as presents to help lure a victim to where the pack waits in ambush.

Humanoids who survive a hyenawere bite may turn into hyenaweres themselves. These newly transformed monsters are accepted into existing packs if they swear fealty to the pack leader or defeat them in a fight.

A hyenawere in animal form is roughly 6 feet long, stands about three feet at the shoulder and weighs up to 400 pounds. In human form they tend to be tall and sinewy, averaging 6 feet tall and 160 pounds.

Hyenaweres speak Common.

 

[freyar]

That looks pretty good!

I expect we should include the LA, and +4 ought to work. After that, and the copyright notice, these should be done.

 

[Cleon]

That looks pretty good!

Updating the Hyenawere Working Draft.

I expect we should include the LA, and +4 ought to work.

Well our Leopardwere conversion and the Fiend Folio Jackal Lord (= Jackalwere) both have LAs so I guess we ought to give it to the Hyenawere too. I'm having second thoughts about the +4 though. A regular true lycanthrope only has has LA +3, after all. True, Hyenaweres have that nifty Befriend trick and Immunity to Enchantment, but they have Fear of Flames, lower DR than a true lycanthrope, and can't assume a hybrid form to wield weapons.

They feel more a LA +3 to me.

Well, I'm undecided on that point so I'll leave it +4 for the time being.

After that, and the copyright notice, these should be done.

Copyright notice? Do you mean the accreditation. I'll add that in.

 

[freyar]

Well, I'm hardly an expert at LA assignment, but +3 is also reasonable.

Yes, I meant the credit section.

So, let's just decide on the LA and move on. How about we just pick LA +3? Anything you're interested in doing here?

 

[Cleon]

Well, I'm hardly an expert at LA assignment, but +3 is also reasonable.

Yes, I meant the credit section.

So, let's just decide on the LA and move on. How about we just pick LA +3?

I'm OK leaving them with +4.

After some reflection, I can think of all sorts of ways a player can exploit an at-will befriend power.

Anything you're interested in doing here?

Well let's look at the AQ unconverted creatures list...

...hmm...

...you know, this hasn't been updated in a while.

I'd go for the Bird Maiden (the Zakharan version of the Swanmay) or the Ammut.

The Bird Maiden would be my first choice, since its on my "shapechangers to do list".

The Ammut would be my second choice, 'cause he's so cute.

 

[freyar]

Let's go with the Bird Maiden first, so we can eventually post some more shapechangers.

 

[Cleon]

Let's go with the Bird Maiden first, so we can eventually post some more shapechangers.

Will do. I'll post the original stats. Curiously enough, they only seem to be in the Monstrous Manual. There's also an Ecology of the Bird Maiden article in Dragon #218 that we should bear in mind.

 

[Cleon]

Bird Maiden Original Text

Swanmay - Bird Maidens
Climate/Terrain: Tropical mountains
Frequency: Very rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Day
Diet: Omnivore
Intelligence: Average to Genius (8-18)
Treasure:
Alignment: Any
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 7
Movement: 12, or 3, Fl 36 (C)
Hit Dice: 2 to 8
THAC0: As kahina
No. of Attacks: 2 or as kahina
Damage/Attack: 1/1-3 or by weapon
Special Attacks: Spells
Special Defenses: +2 or better weapon to hit
Magic Resistance: 5% per HD
Size: M
Morale: Elite (13)
XP Value: 420 to 3,000

Bird Maidens
In the mountains and cool valleys of the lands of Zakhara lives a race of bird maidens, related to the swanmays. Just like their sisters, they depend on a token to change forms: a colorful shawl or veil of feathers. They can assume many bird shapes, including falcons, swallows, parrots, and even (at 8th level) giant eagles.

Though they have no sorority, bird maidens are loosely united by their faith. All bird maidens are kahina, idol priestesses who believe in the divinity of all things. They live as wandering teachers, protecting the land from those who despoil it. They get along best with those who respect the land: desert riders, mystics, and fisherfolk. In the fertile river valleys, they preach the faith and maintain the fertility of the land and livestock. Some tribesmen believe bird maidens are hama, spirits of the departed, who return to help the living. Bird maidens deny this and may cut themselves to prove that they are flesh and blood.

Bird maidens’ Hit Dice are equal to their priestly level, from 2-8. They have major access to the All, Animal, Divination, Elemental, Healing, Plant and Weather spheres and minor access to the Creation, Protection, and Sun spheres. They carry spears, darts, and slings, but may not wear armor or shields (even magical) heavier than hide. If they do, they cannot use spells. Bird maidens cannot turn undead.

In bird form, bird maidens can peck and claw, but most don’t fight as birds. Only a bird maiden’s shawl or veil changes with her when she shifts form. All other equipment is unchanged and must be hidden or cared for by others until the bird maiden again changes her form.

Bird maidens are sometimes forced to marry men who steal their shawls; if they ever recover them, they leave their husbands, killing their sons and taking the daughters with them to become bird maidens. If the feathered garment is destroyed, the bird maiden dies as well.

Rumors tell of a great wooden fortress among the clouds of the high hills, called the Crown of All Feathers, where young bird maidens are taught the rituals and duties of kahinas by the Aarakocra.

Originally from Monstrous Manual (1993).