Dog Moon's Creatures [Updated 10-05-13]

[Dog Moon]

The Amalgam Template is essentially combining two creatures, like the Owlbear, for example. It's the ultimate experimental template.

Tauric is basically like the centaur, just using different tops and different bottoms.

Yeah, I know that the Homebrews section is low traffic. It's a pity, and I don't just mean for my thread. I like to believe that more people would post if it had more traffic and this Forum would be awesome with much more traffic and postings.

 

[Dog Moon]

Paper Golem!

Okay, this isn't quite ready IMO, but I'm posting it for Jdvn1's sake. It's technically ready to go, but I feel like it's missing something and I can't quite figure out what it is. This isn't an NPC, but is just a miscellaneous creature, a Golem, if you will, so it doesn't have a background or adventure hook, though it does have a brief idea of how I pictured it.

I used the base Paper Golem found in this thread: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2857025&postcount=1 and modified it a little, giving it a base Intelligence [personal thing; I like the idea of Intelligent Golems].

Modifications: Add a couple of abilities such as Changing Attack and Wounding, advanced it several HD, and gave it a modified Swarm-Shifter because I thought it was fitting and believe it should be allowed for more than just Undead as long as it is fitting in a theme [Normal shape was bats, but I changed it to paper]. I also gave it a couple of qualities from the Ablative Template, the ones I thought most fitting.

I'm not entirely sure CR 7 sounds right though. It just doesn't seem QUITE that buff, but it does have several useful abilities. Couple levels of Fighter would make it scary.

Oh, and if anyone has any additional options for variant versions, that would be great.

Advanced Paper Golem Swarm-Shifter (CR 7)
Medium Construct
HD: 6d10 ; 67 hp
Init +7
Spd: 30 ft
AC: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13

BA/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: 2 Paper Cut +7 melee (1d8+1)
S/R: 5 ft./5 ft.
SA: Changing Attack, Flaming Limbs, Swarm Attack 2d6, Wounding
SQ: Construct Traits, Darkvision 60ft, DR 5/Slashing, Flammable, Immunity to Magic, Swarm Form

AL Chaotic evil
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Str 12, Dex 17, Con -, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 1

Skills: Listen +5, Spot +4
Languages: Common [understands commands in common, but cannot speak it]

Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack, Weapon Finesse
Advancement:

Changing Attack (Ex): A Paper Golem may, at will as a move equivolent action, change its form to accomodate either a Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing attack, bypassing the appropriate DR.

Shapelessness (Ex): By spending one full-round action to become shapeless, a Paper Golem can squeeze through openings of incredibly small size (as little as 1 inch in diameter). The creature can move along small fissures, ooze under doors, pour into containers of its size or larger, and perform other similar feats. Land speed, climbing speed, and burrowing speed in this formless state is reduced by half, and the creature retains many vague, distorted features of the base creature. A shapeless amorphous cannot fly using wings. Another full-round action is required to regain the base creature’s original shape. While in shapeless form, the creature’s natural armor bonus is halved. A shapeless amorphous can bear any object it carries along with it, but such equipment may impede the creature’s movement in shapeless form. For instance, the static shape of his plate armor would burden an amorphous knight. Many amorphous creatures elect to eschew cumbersome equipment for this reason.

Stretch (Ex): An amorphous can double its natural reach by stretching its arms, legs, tail, and other appendages in combat. This increase of reach can be initiated as a move action and maintained for a number of rounds equal to 1 + the amorphous creature’s Constitution bonus (minimum of 1 round). The creature may use the ability again 1d3 rounds later.

Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic. This can only be used when the Paper Golem is using a Slashing attack.

Paper Swarm
Diminutive Construct (Swarm)
Speed: 5 ft, fly 40 ft. (good).
Special Attacks: A Paper Golem in Paper Swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do no result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic.
Special Qualities: A Paper Golem in Paper Swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.

Hive Mind (Ex): A swarm-shifter with this ability is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate).

Swarm Form (Su): The base creature can take the form of a swarm of papers at will. Changing shape to or from swarm form is a standard action The golem cannot change from swarm form to its normal form in an area where its body could not normally fit. As with the alter self spell, the base creature's items are absorbed into the swarm form and provide no benefit. When it would normally be dispersed to damage taken, the swarm reverts to the base creature's form and is destroyed. Although the use of this ability is a supernatural effect, remaining in one form or another is not supernatural, and the base creature in swarm form does not change into its normal shape in an antimagic field. True seeing and similar magic reveals both forms.

Encounter:
Paper Golems are frequently found in libraries or laboratories, guardians of the information inside. They tend to hide among the papers, appearing as nothing more than papers spread out on tables tops or even places within books, but not bound to the spines. When someone approaches who is not their creator, the papers fly out from their positions and turn into the Paper Golem. Frequently, there is writing on the pages to give the further appearance of being normal papers, but most often, these pages contain pointless writing, poetry, for example.

Variants:
Not all Paper Golems are created the same. Several optional variants are listed below.

Fire resistant
These Paper Golems are dipped and soaked thoroughly and repeated in a substance to prevent them from starting on fire. These Golems lose their Flammable Quality, but they also lose their Flaming Limbs attack.
CR: +0.

Spellruned
Some casters write runes on the papers, giving an added surprising. When one of these runes strikes a person, the spell is triggered. These spells can only be touch spells or ranged touch spells which losed their range aspects but can only target a single creature. Unlike normal, these do not become touch attacks, so the Golem must make a normal attack, but these spells also do not need to be cast. [Treat these spells as being held charges, released only when the Golem specifically attacks with that page] Otherwise, treat all spells as normal.
Spell Runes: The Spellruned Paper Golem gains 2 first level spells of which can be cast a total number of 4 times per day, the numbers which must be set when created. Thus a Golem who has the spells Shocking Grasp and Ray of Enfeeble can be created to cast 3 Shocking Grasps and 1 Ray of Enfeeblement per day. Neither the spell nor the number of times can be changed. If made by a Cleric, the Spellruned Golem can cast Cleric spells; if made by a Wizard, the Spellruned Golem can cast Wizard spells. The Caster Level is equal to 1/2 the Golem's HD and the DC is equal to the level of the spell + Wis modifier.
Abilities: Wis +2.
CR: +1.

Playtest notes: Two things I noticed: I think the creature should have a 16 Strength instead of 12. I know Strength is desirable, but even with the Wounding, the 1d8+1 really isn't enough damage against characters of levels 5-7 where they might be fighting it to be threatening much. The Spell Runes may give it enough damage to make up for the low Strength, but at 1-2 attacks per round and a maximum of four damaging spells, they may or may not enough overall.

It is a fairly defensive creature, however, and our group realized that in Swarm Form, since it's a golem, it's immune to pretty much everything they could conceive of to attack with it. Most spells were already not an option, but as the Wizard was about to cast an Orb spell, he realized that it was immune to non-ae spells in Swarm form and that physical attacks couldn't even damage it.

Also, I ended up having the swarm-form change as part of a move action. The tactics became as followed, but the group never noticed it, for some reason: if it can hit multiple creatures within the 10' swarm-form, it did that. If it couldn't, it stayed in humanoid form. This was something I did in order to prevent it from being immune to the current characters by always staying in swarm form [and not to make it more powerful, actually], which I wouldn't really see any reason why it wouldn't, honestly. This tended to allow it to switch forms every 1-2 rounds depending on the characters' movement.

I also thought of two different variants, neither of which I used:

Paper Shred: By taking 25% damage upon itself, it can shoot a great amount of the papers currently holding it together. This allows it to take an attack on all opponents within a 15 foot cone. It uses the creature's current attack and damage values. It can do this however often as it likes unless subtracting 25% damage from it's current total would drop it to below zero.
CR: +0

Absorb Paper: If there is paper around the golem, which there frequently is because it's usually placed within a library of sorts, it can take a standard action to grab several books and rip out the paper, absorbing the papers into it's own body. It 'repairs' 3d8+6 damage. Caster level is the same as the HD and the spell used is equal to the max spell level a cleric of equal HD could cast. Therefore a normal one cast use a 3rd level spell due to effectively having a caster level of 6, which can cast 3rd level spells. A 17th HD golem could use a 9th level spell to cure itself of 9d6+4/level. Well, this is how it works in my campaign. I guess normally, it would go until Cure Crit at 7HD+.
CR: +1.

Ablative Template [Modified]: Book of Templates [Silverthorn Games]
Paper Golem: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2857025&postcount=1
Swarm-Shifter [Modified]: Libris Mortis

 

[Jdvn1]

I don't know if this is useful or not, but the flesh golem is a CR 7, is large, and it has 79 hp, and an AC of 18. And Full Attack: 2 slams +10 melee (2d8+5).

Much fewer special attacks, though. Just something to chew on.

 

[Land Outcast]

Nice to see this stuff back here, (testimony to the low traffic of the Homebrew forum, last time I looked I didn't see this... that means +or- three weeks at least).

Actually I'm enthusiastic because of the paper non-tauric golem, that is the kind of thing I do most of the time when I feel like creating, I take a base creature and start adding and substracting to my leisure.

Will we be seeing more stuff along those lines in the future?

 

[Dog Moon]

Nice to see this stuff back here, (testimony to the low traffic of the Homebrew forum, last time I looked I didn't see this... that means +or- three weeks at least).

Actually I'm enthusiastic because of the paper non-tauric golem, that is the kind of thing I do most of the time when I feel like creating, I take a base creature and start adding and substracting to my leisure.

Will we be seeing more stuff along those lines in the future?

You mean more stuff as in non-Tauric, right?

If so, the answer is yes. I just went through a Tauric phase a while ago in which I had a thread along that theme, and I'm pretty sure that I have non left. Occasionally, I may make another Tauric creature, but for the most part, all the current ones are already posted.

Jdvn1, I decided for the Golem to keep it's CR 7 atm, though I did give it a second attack. Still trying to decide whether or not I should lower it, but if nothing else, anyone who might want to use it should know that CR 7 might be too high.

And sorry for the slowness this past week or so, but I've had to make 4 Pbp characters for new games, so most of the time I'd spent on creatures was spent on those. Should pick up shortly.

 

[Dog Moon]

Grentok, Advisor of the Brokenclaw Tribe

Okay, he doesn't have 2 Adventure Hooks [only 1, and it's kind of simple, sorry], but I figured I would post it cause he's been done for a couple days except for the Adventure Hooks.

This is Hlikar's Advisor. As weird as it sounds, he doesn't have any sort of templates attached to him.

Grentok
Gnoll Druid 3/Divine Oracle 6(CR: 10)
Medium Humanoid (Gnoll)
HD: 5d8+6d6+11 ; 16 hp
Init +0
Spd: 30 ft.
AC: 13 (+1 natural, +2 leather armor), touch 10, flat-footed 13

BA/Grapple: +6/+8
Attack: Quarterstaff +7 (1d6+1)
S/R: 5 ft./5 ft.
SA: -
SQ: Animal Companion, Darkvision 60ft, Divination Enhancement, Nature Sense, Prescient Sense, Scry Bonus (+1), Trackless Step, Trap Sense (+2), Uncanny Dodge (Improved), Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride

AL Chaotic evil
Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +11
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 8

Skills: Concentration +13, Kn (Geography) +16, Kn (History) +16, Kn (Local) +18, Kn (Nature) +4, Kn (Religion) +15, Survival +4
Languages: Common, Gnoll, Sylvan, Undercommon

Feats: Combat Expertise, Education, Skill Focus (Religion), Sudden Empower
Advancement: By class

Spells: 5/5/4/2/1
Domain: Oracle
1st- Entangle, Omen of Peril, Shillelagh, Speak with Animals, Wood Wose D: Identify
2nd- Animal Messenger, Briar Web, Share Husk, Snake's Swiftness [Mass]x2 D: Augury
3rd- Plant Growth, Speak with Plants, Spike Growth, Vigor [Mass, Lesser] D: Divination
4th- Burrow [Mass], Lay of the Land D: Scrying
5th- Commune with Nature D: Commune

Equipment 19,950gp.
Horn of Fog 2,000gp.
Ring of Detect Thoughts 10,800gp.
Wand of Cure light Wounds (37 charges) 700gp.
Potion of Fly 750gp.
Potion of Invisibility 300gp.
Figurine of Wondrous Power [Blue Quartz Crystal] 5,400gp.

Detect Thoughts (Underdark)
On command, this ring allows the wearer to read thoughts, as though with the detect thoughts spell.
Faint divination; CL 3rd; Forge Ring, detect thoughts; Price: 10,800gp.

Blue Quartz Eagle (Races of Faerun)
A blue quartz eagle becomes an eagle on command, but with vision akin to that granted by eyes of the eagle (+5 circumstance bonus on Spot checks). Another command sends it aloft. It will not attack, even to defend itself, but it will obey the telepathic commands of its owner as long as it remains within one mile of her. If forced to move beyond that distance, a blue quartz eagle will immediately revert to statuette form (usually shattering if it falls a great distance to the ground). While the figurine is transformed, its owner can mentally view everything the eagle can see, although the owner must use a standard action to observe what the eagle sees in that round. It can maintain its nonfigurine status for only 24 hours per tenday, but the duration need not be continuous.
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects, clairaudience/clairvoyance; Market Price: 5,400 gp; Weight: -.

Description
Grentok appears similar to all other Gnolls, except that he doesn't wear army and he isn't as strong as those around him. He clutches his staff close to him, using it to walk and makes himself appear older than he truly is. Parts of his fur is dyed white to continue his disguise, hoping that he is underestimated.

Background
Grentok was different from other Gnolls when growing up. He wasn't as bloodthirsty as the others and when the opportunity arose, found himself as a novice to the tribal shaman. Unfortunately, he found that he quickly surpassed the knowledge and power of the shaman. The only option left for Grentok was to join the army, which he did. His spells quickly became useful and he was considered almost a hero. His lucky day came when the Gnolls invaded and conquered a small monostary. The books inside were about to be burned, saved only because of his reputation and what the Gnolls had seen him do. When he requested the books as his share of the treasure, they could not deny him.

He took the books back to the Gnoll encampment. He studied and learned from them. The monastary books held secrets of war which he memorized. Using what he learned from the books and his experiences from the battles, he became a skilled tactician. It shouldn't be surprising that as Hlikar began to raise himself to power, Grentok quickly attached himself to the other Gnoll and helped him out, lending his powers when needed. Although Hlikar desires to conquer all the nations, Grentok recommends waiting, moving slowly, knowing that in the past, lack of caution may have surprised the other peoples, but had in the end caused their downfall. He works to help Hlikar's dreams only because of the prestige it grants himself as well. He has no true goals and in fact doesn't even desire to become the Gnoll leader because he will then become a target and blamed if things go wrong. He is enjoying his position and will not let anyone come between him and his life of luxury.

Tactics
Grentok is a tactician more than a fighter. He uses his abilities to scout out the enemy fortifications and armies and to prepare for the best positions for Hlikar's army. If forced into a battle, he stays back if possible and either uses his AE spells to the best of his ability or begins summoning creatures if he believes that his more divining spells cannot be used for a time, though he tries to keep one so he can watch out for where to retreat or to chase those retreating.

Adventure Hooks
1.Hook: The PCs are hired by a couple of monks [not the class] to retrieve a valuable book that had been stolen from them by a Gnoll.

Background: The monastary which had been looted of its books had one important book to the faith. They members of the faith want it back.

Adventure: Grentok has the book in his personal home in the center of the Gnoll village attached to that of Hlikar. The PCs must break into there and grab the book. Killing Gnolls is optional, though no one is going to care if violence is necessary.

Continuing the Adventure: Well, if Grentok lives, he will likely want the book back. This could go one of many different ways, including him disguising himself and hiring adventurers to grab it back or sending Gnolls to fetch it. If this occurs, the monks will want Grentok permanently disposed because of the trouble he is causing.

Alternatively, the monks may not actually be a part of monastary at all and they want what they had tried to do but weren't successful at before: grab the book. The book is a powerful tome. These monks want the book at all costs and they believe their chances are better now than ever before. This means that if given the book, these monks will use its powers for badness and the PCs will be forced to stop them.

Divine Oracle Prestige Class: Complete Divine
Druid Class: Player's Handbook
Gnoll: Monster Manual

Hlikar, leader of the Brokenclaw Tribe: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2847271&postcount=15

 

[Dog Moon]

Fire Wolf

Okay, for this, I took a Winter Wolf, changed it to a fire wolf [partly by adding the Half-Elemental Template to it], advanced it a little bit, and added the Shapelessness quality from the Amorphous Template. IMO, it's the only thing about that template that is fitting for this creature. As for the Winter Wolf itself, I removed the natural bonus to hide checks, you know, cause it's like made of FIRE. Also, it doesn't gain a bonus to hide in snow or whatever like it used to for previously mentioned reason, although I am giving it a bonus when hiding in fires.

Fire Wolf
Advanced Amorphous [modified] Winter[Fire]wolf
Size/Type: Large Outsider (fire)
Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (92 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 100 ft
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17

Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+18
Attack: Bite +14 melee (1d8+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Full Attack: Bite +14 melee (1d8+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, flaming bite, trip
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, low-light vision, scent, vulnerability to cold

Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +8
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10

Skills: Escape Artist +14, Hide +12, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (nature), Listen +17, Move Silently +17, Spot +17, Survival +16

Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Track

Environment: Elemental Plane of Fire, Large Fires
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3-5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items
Advancement: 11-18 HD (Huge)

Burn (Ex): Those hit by a fire wolf's natural attack also must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 10 + one-half the elemental creature’s Hit Dice + its Constitution modifier) or catch on fire. Creatures hitting a fire wolf with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the fire wolf's attack, and they also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save. Creature lit aflame by this ability stay on fire for 1d4 rounds, unless they take active measures to put out the fire (see Chapter 8 of the DMG).

Shapelessness (Ex): By spending one full-round action to become a shapeless form of fire, a fire wolf can squeeze through openings of incredibly small size (as little as 1 inch in diameter). The creature can move along small fissures, pass under doors, pour into containers of its size or larger, and perform other similar feats. Land speed is reduced by half. Another full-round action is required to regain the base creature’s original shape. While in shapeless form, the fire wolf's natural armor bonus is halved.

Breath Weapon (Su): 15-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 4d6 fire, Reflex DC 18 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Trip (Ex): A fir wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the fire wolf.

Skills
Fire wolves have a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. A fire wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. *Their natural coloration grants them a +7 racial bonus on Hide checks in firey areas such as a burning building.

Description
Fire crackles from all around, heating your body beyond normal temperatures. Beads of sweat drip down your forehead and as you wipe them away, you see flames beneath the door. The flames pass under the narrow opening and continue to approach. You ready your weapon as the flames leap into the air, changing shape as they do so. The vague form of a wolf snaps its jaws at you, it's entire body made from fire.

Encounters
Fire Wolves are not found in the wilderness because they tend to burn things that they touch. For the most part, they are kept as guardians, summoned from the Elemental Plane of Fire. However, when the flames become great or hot enough from a fire [such as a spreading fire within a town or forest], Fire Wolves are said to be able to break through the barrier between the Elemental Plane of Fire and cause even more havoc than necessary.

Variants
Greater Fire Wolf
Generally, Fire Wolves are the typical reddish-orange color, but occasionally, there are reports of people who have encountered white versions of these wolves. These tend to be even hotter than normal, so hot, in fact, that they ignite unattended objects within a 15 foot radius around them. These objects have no save. Creatures entering this range suffer 1d6 damage per round from the heat and are treated as being Burned [Ability as described above]. However, they cannot take preventative measures to avoid being burned as long as they are within the radius. These hotter wolves deal more damage with their flames, 1d8 instead of 1d6 for their bite and 4d8 instead of 4d6 for their breath attack.
CR: +1.

Dual-Natured
Thought to not be existent because such a thing would go against all logic but has recently been seen on rare is a Wolf combined of fire and snow. People who have claimed to see this are laughed at by most, but some are indeed curious about the true nature of these beings.

Their bodies are in constant motion, a swirling of blues and reds/oranges.

Notes: Dual-Natured Wolves are of both Cold and Fire Subtypes. They are immune to both fire and cold. When attacking, their elemental damage is half fire and half cold [their bite as well as their breath]. They lose the Burn quality and do not gain the bonus on Hiding in the firey element [nor do they gain any bonus to hiding in a snowy environment either].

Amorphous Template: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Half-Fire Elemental Template: Manual of the Planes
Winter Wolf: Monster Manual

 

[Jdvn1]

Special Attacks: Breath weapon, freezing bite, trip
Environment: Cold forests

These things just stuck out to me.

 

[Dog Moon]

These things just stuck out to me.

Heh. Wouldn't it just figure that I spend the time to make sure that all of the abilities say Fire Wolf instead of Winter Wolf, and yet I totally miss those two little things.

 

[Jdvn1]

Yeah, I was reading through the description and was thinking, "These would be cool to see in the Elemental Plane of Fire, I wonder if that's their environ--cold forests?!"

 

[Dog Moon]

Yeah, I was reading through the description and was thinking, "These would be cool to see in the Elemental Plane of Fire, I wonder if that's their environ--cold forests?!"

I don't know. Personally, I'd love to use the Fire Wolf in a cold setting cause it would never be expected.

Well, my players might. They might be kinda used to that about me by now.

 

[Dog Moon]

Speigliai [Advanced Dire Porcupines]

Okay, so I was browsing through some of the old Homebrewed threads and found the Dire Porcupine. I thought it could make a cool modified creature, so I did so. I had to modify it a little bit because this was a 3.0 version, but hey, it was pretty easy, so it's all good.

Technically, Insectoid Creatures are not allowed on Animals, but I liked it better than Arachnoid and liked the idea of multiple legs, so I added it on anyway. If you wanted, you could give it two claw attacks, assuming it could stand on the hind four feet, if you really wanted to, but this time, I didn't. Wouldn't be hard though.

I modified the Bone Creature template. Normally it's supposed to change the AC to like +3, but I felt that totally weakened this creature, and I'm not even sure if Bone Creature is technically allowed on anything not Humanoid. You should know me by now that I like Intelligent things, both Undead and even Golems.

Woodling version. Only thing different is that I added a higher Intelligence, but I explained that, so it should all be good.

Description
The Speigliai is a fighting machine, designed this way using selective breeding, growth methods, and, of course, Arcane Magic. There are three kinds of Speigliai. The first is used as siege creatures and guardians. They by themselves are rare, used mainly used by a individuals and a secret sect of people hiding in an anti-Wizard nation who are constantly experimenting on things. It is said that they have sold the secrets on how to breed these and even several samples of the Speigliai to other groups of people.

One of these other groups is the Elves. They have decided that they need to protect their forest and view the Speigliai as a means to do that against the lumberers and others who would harm their forests. They have taken the Speigliai one step further, making them more like the forests they are designed to protect. They have bred intelligence into the Speigliai and their relation has become more of an alliance than the Elves purely ruling over the Speigliai. The Speigliai have come to realize that they are as much of the forests now as any other forest-dwelling creature and that all within the forest must be protected. The Elves are proud of their 'creations' though some become close to the Speigliai and view them as a sort of child.

Several individuals have taken these creatures and turned them into Undead versions of themselves. These individuals are, of course, Necromancers and other that deal with the dead. The Undead threat is growing and these are almost perfect siege creatures. They can climb over walls and sense creatures coming from any direction. It is thought that some of the Undead underground are working on trying to create versions that can burrow underground, which would increase their strength dramatically. These Undead Speigliai still have a minor touch of Intelligence to them, but no more than their living versions.

Appearance
Living Speigliai are six-legged porcupines that are larger and much more fiercer than their normal 'cousins.' Their backs are covered with sharp, deadly spines and their maws filled with sharp fangs. Undead Speigliai are similar in appearance, but their bones are leaner and their eyes have a hint of rage within them. Their lips are almost always found curled into angry snarls. Forest Speigliai have bodies similar to that of trees and their bodies change depending on the season.

Speigliai
Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (128 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 27 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +14 natural)
BA/Grapple: +6/+18

Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic, Immunities, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Wide Vision


Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 18, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Temperate, warm, and cold forest, plains, and hills
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Combat
Dire porcupines are passive until threatened. When faced with possible combat, the dire porcupine raises the quills on its body, spins around smashing an opponent with its quill-covered tail as it does. Dire porcupines can bite an opponent, but rarely do. If it does bite an opponent, 1d4 quills break off from its body and lodge in the opponent’s body (see text below).

Quills (Ex): When the Speigliai strikes with its tail, it dislodges 1d6 quills that automatically break off and lodge in the opponent’s flesh. A lodged quill imposes a –1 circumstance penalty to attacks, saves, and checks. Each 1 minute thereafter the quill moves deeper into the opponent’s flesh dealing 1d2 additional points of damage. Removing the quill takes 1 full round and deals 1d6 additional points of damage. If the quill has been embedded for more than 10 rounds, a Strength check at DC 10 is needed to remove the quill. For every minute after that, the DC to remove a lodged quill increases by +1.
An unarmed or touch attack against a dire porcupine causes 1d4 quills to break off and lodge in the attacker.

Skills: Speigliai receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks.

Wide Vision (Ex): Because of its multiple eyes and wide angle of vision, a Speigliai has a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and cannot be flanked.

Felling Strike (Ex): Once per day, when a Speigliai scores a successful critical hit, it can elect to make a felling strike by rolling again. If the result of this third roll would hit the target, the target takes the full damage from the critical hit as normal but must also make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.

Punishing Strike (Ex): Once per day, a Speigliai may make a mighty attack against any one opponent, adding its Charisma bonus (positive only) as a bonus on the attack roll and its Hit Dice total as a bonus on the damage roll. Use of this ability must be declared before making the attack. If the attack misses, that punishing strike attempt is wasted.

Rapid Strike (Sp): Twice per day, a Speigliai may grant itself the effects of a haste spell (self only). Caster level 8.

Immunities (Ex): Speigliais are immune to disease, poison, paralysis, stunning, and all mind-influencing spells and effects.


Undead Speigliai
Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught Bone Creature
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d12 (96 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 29 (-1 size, +6 Dex, +14 natural)

BA/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic and 5/Bludgeoning, Immunities, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Undead Qualities, Wide Vision

Alignment: Always evil
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 22, Con -, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Immunities (Ex): Immune to Cold.


Speigliai of Nature
Woodling Insectile Dire Porcupine Dreadnaught
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+64 (128 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft, Climb 30 ft.
AC: 34 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +21 natural)

BA/Grapple: +6/+18
Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+8) and 1d6 quills +11 melee (1d8+4)
Face/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Felling Strike, Punishing Strike [+1/+8], Quills, Rapid Strike, Spell-Like Abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 8/magic and 5/slashing, Immunities, low-light vision, Plant Traits, Resistance to Electricity and Fire 10, Scent, Skill Bonuses, SR 18, Tremorsense 60 ft, Vulnerability to Fire, Wide Vision

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 18, Con 26, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 13

Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14

Feats: Alertness, Endurance [Bonus], Improved Natural Attack [Quills], Multiattack

Environment: Temperate, warm, and cold forest
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Advancement: 4-7 HD (Medium-size); 8-9 HD (Large)

Spell-Like Abilities: Entangle 1/day, Summon nature's ally II 1/day, Speak with plants 3/day, Summon nature's ally IV 1/day. Caster Level 8; DC 11 + spell level.

Skill Bonuses (Ex): A Speigliai's skin and hair resemble bark and leaves. Every part of the creature has a distinctly plantlike look that changes with the seasons. It is light green in early spring, darkening during the summer. In autumn, it turns yellow, orange, or red like a deciduous leaf. In the winter, it is a dry brown. A Speigliai has a +4 bonus on Hide checks and Move Silently checks in aboveground natural environments.

Speigliai
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species

Undead Speigliai
Bone Creature Template [Modified]: Book of Vile Darkness
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species

Forest Speigliai
Dire Porcupine: Dire Porcupine
Dreadnaught Tempalte: Book of Templates [Silverthorne Games]
Insectile Template: Savage Species
Woodling Template: Monster Manual III

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Damn. Thats a mean porcupine. A request if you will: Dire Quail.

I was walking to my mailbox, I can't remember when, but thought of how PCs would react meeting of a Dire Quail head on. I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

 

[Jdvn1]

Ah, the things a PC can find in the dark recesses of a K(Nature) Library...

 

[Dog Moon]

Okay, I admit. I have no idea what a Quail looks like nor do I have any idea if they live in Minnesota, but the Raven stats are said to fit most non-aggressive birds, so I just used that. Found the Tome of Horrors WE which contained the Dire Animal, and simply applied that to the Bird.

I also wanted to do SOMETHING interesting, so I added Shadow Creature to it. In my mind, I picture these almost as the perfect little spies, birds hiding in trees spying on whoever they're directed to spy on, and then reporting back to their masters what they see. I even created a new spell for it, though I admit that this is probably the first spell I've ever created, so I don't know how well it works.

Also, looks like I'll be DMing next week, which is what I've been working on instead of new creatures. I'm sure I'll be making more creations I can stick here though, so everything should be good, but plenty of time will be spent on that, I'm sure.

The Dire Quail
Dire Quail
Size/Type: Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (10 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft, fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 nat.), touch 14, flat-footed 14

Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-8
Attack: Claws +3 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: Claws +3 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6

Skills: Listen +5, Spot +7

Feats: Alertness, Weapon FinesseB

Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Advancement: —


Shadow Scouts
Dire Quail Shadow Creature
Size/Type: Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (10 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft, fly 75 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 nat.), touch 14, flat-footed 14

Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7
Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, DR 5/magic, Low-light vision, Report, Resistance to Cold 6, Shadow Blend

Alignment: Always neutral
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6

Skills: Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +7

Feats: Alertness, Weapon FinesseB

Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: —

Shadow Blend (Su): In any conditions other than full daylight, a shadow creature can disappear into the shadows, giving it total concealment. Artifi cial illumination, even a light or continual fl ame spell, does not negate this ability, but a daylight spell will.

Report (Su): Shadow Scouts record what they see with their eyes. This can be easily accessed with a standard action by the one who considers it its master. The Shadow Scout can hold 1 hour of information in its eyes before needing to return to the master.

Appearance
It's a bird!

The Shadow Scout has the same appearance as the Dire Quail except it's feathers tend to be much darker and seem to blend into the shadows. In the day, these Shadow Scouts are generally out of place, their dark nature easily revealed by the light of the sun.

Dire Template: Tome of Horrors WE [Necromancer Games]
Quail: Monster Manual [Raven entry]
Shadow Creature Template: Manual of the Planes

New Spell
Summon Shadow Scout
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell summons a Shadow Scout to your presence. This bird serves you unerringly for up to 1 hour per level, scouting or spying on the person/area you want. However, the Shadow Scout must fly from your position, so there are limits to the Shadow Scout's range.

This spell has additional benefits depending on the level of the caster.

5th: The Recording lasts for 1 hour/level instead of the Shadow Scout's normal 1 hour.
7th: The Shadow Scout automatically knows where to go as if the caster had previously scryed upon the person to be spied upon to determine his or her location.
9th: The duration of the bird lasts for 1 day/level
11th: The Shadow Scout is capable of Teleporting between the caster and its current location at will.

Special: To be able to spy on a person, the caster must know the location of the person and the bird must be able to fly there.

Focus: A picture of the target to be spied upon or a picture of the area to the spied upon.

 

[BOZ]

Okay, I admit. I have no idea what a Quail looks like

like so?

oh wait, that's a Quayle. you probably want this:

 

[Jdvn1]

Quail?

Add the Shadow template to that!

 

[Dog Moon]

Siamese quail?

 

[Dog Moon]

Tarod

Okay, it's been a while, I know. I'm an entire week behind but know that I have not forgotten about this thread! Unfortunately, this next person is done a little quickly, so I'll probably go back a little bit later and touch up on his stuff.

Important Note: Although I used the idea of the Amalgam Template, I did not actually use it when making Tarod. What I did was cut the HD of the Entombed by 1/4th to 4HD and reduce the Strength of it. So I used the Entombed/Human crossbreed.

Also, this was an NPC in an adventure I ran that I never actually statted up, but I have wanted to for a while and am now getting around to it. So the idea behind the Adventure Hook is mainly based on what I ran. Of course there are dozens of Adventure Hooks for Assassins/Thieves Guilds that could be used for him. IMC, the Undead are working on taking over [a la Kingdom of the Ghouls].

Tarod
Entombed/Human Rogue 3/Assassin 8 (CR: 13)
Medium Undead (Cold)
Hit Dice: 15d12 (138 hp) [4 HD from base creature]
Initiative: +11
Speed: 30 ft, burrow 40 ft. (ice only)
Armor Class: 25 (–1 size, +4 natural, +5 dex, +7 armor), touch 14, flatfooted 20

Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+12
Attack: Slam +16 melee (2d6+3 plus 2d4 cold)
Full Attack: 2 slams +16 melee (2d6+3 plus 2d4 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Create spawn, Death Attack DC 20, freeze, icy touch, immure, improved grab, Sneak Attack +6d6, Spells
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, ice glide, immunity to cold, tremorsense 60 ft., undead traits, vulnerability to fire

Alignment: Neutral evil
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +15, Will +9
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 20, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17

Skills: Bluff +31, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +7, Forgery +20, Hide +25, Listen +20, Move Silently +25, Perform (sing) +13, Sense Motive +20, Spot +20, Tumble +13
Languages: Common, Dwarf, Giant

Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Weapon (Slam), Leadership, Quick Reconnoiter, Staggering Strike, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse (Slam)

Spells
Spells Known: 4/4/4/3
Spells/Day: 4/4/3/1

1st - Critical Strike, Obscuring Mist, Sticky Fingers, True Strike
2nd - Alter Self, Feather Fall, Illusory Script, Spider Climb
3rd - Deep Slumber, Fangs of the Vampire, Find the Gap, Wraithstrike
4th - Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Modify Memory

Equipment 60,800gp
Mask of Disguise [As hat; painted solid white] (2,000gp)
Choker of Eloquance, Gr. (24,000gp)
Amulet of Mighty Fists [+1] (6,000gp)
+3 Glamored Mithril Chainshirt (12,800gp)
Gloves of Dexterity +4 (16,000gp)

Description
Tarod's face is never revealed, always covered by the white mask he wears. Some say he is horribly scarred, but others say it is to hide his identity because he is, after all, an Assassin. His frame is lean and only partially muscular, but his entire body is encased in a shell of solid ice except where the mask covers his face. He always wears black robes to cover the ice, but it cannot hide is somewhat bulky icy figure.

Background
Son to a common whore and a pirate, his life was inevitably drawn to one of thievery. He was a skilled thief, but what truly brought him greatness was his tongue. He could weave a story like no other and people tended to believe him. He used that to get close to people and then take what he needed. Later, he used the same skill to assassinate targets, gaining even more money.

Tarod used the money to purchase a business and use that as a front for his mischevious deeds. Criminals were drawn to him and he weeded out those who either had great skill or those who had great potential. Those he mistrusted he quickly and efficiently killed. The Guild he created he named as the White Visages after the mask he always wore. His Guild prospered and crushed any contending Guilds.

His life changed when he encountered the Undead. They had interest in taking over the city of Saydar. The cold weather kept out most except the inhabitants of the land and the Undead, being immune to it, thought to take control of the frigid wastelands in the beginning of their conquests. They didn't act rashly though; they don't want the rest of the world to know about their presence quite yet, so they used Tarod, granting him Undeath in exchange for his services.

Tactics
Tarod prefers to not have to fight his own battles. Fortunately, he has been given control of three Entombed as an additional reward. He uses the well in the frozen wasteland he lives in and uses his own ability in conjunction to theirs, moving through the snow and attempting to Sneak Attack others, using Staggering Strike to prevent characters from moving quickly.

Tarod also has a small army within his Guild, of which there exist several casters. If necessary, he can use their services to buff himself in any way. Also, he can likely find many magical items if he truly desires them, especially potions. He can be given any number of potions [I have not given him any, but I would assume he would carry sever Cure Potions and probably Fly and Gaseous Form as well.

Adventure Hooks
1. Hook: The ambassador that was sent to smooth relations between the frozen nation of Rilous and Chigo turns up missing one night. The PCs were assigned to protect him...

Background: Chigo is a new nation and does not have (m)any allies, so they are attempting to gain help from various nearby nations, of which Rilous is one. The PCs have helped the nation of Chigo so they are asked/hired to protect the ambassador. The Undead want to have the nations fighting against each other and this is but one of the ways they are attempting to do so.

Adventure: The PCs, after questioning locals, determines that the Guild in town is the best place to look for assassins. They are ambushed on the way by men with white masks, a sure sign that the Guild is responsible. They must find the Guild, deal with them, and locate the assassin.

Options: As above, quite simple. They fight numerous thieves, devastating the White Visages, and are finally confronted by Tarod.

OR

The Guild has been set up. The Undead of decided that now is the time to act and that they desire Tarod's death [perhaps he is not agreeing to all of their demands or something]. Those with the white masks who ambushed are not really the White Visages, but are instead Undead.

Ending the Adventure: The adventure ends if the person responsible for the assassination is brought to justice, whether it be Tarod or the Undead.

Continuing the Adventure: Either way, the Undead are still behind the scenes and desiring the city for their own. If the PCs learn of their existence nearby, the city will ask for them to investigate and deal with the matter. Depending on how far you want this to go, it could either lead to an entire campaign of the Undead attempting to take control of the world, or that this is just a rare occurrance.

Amalgam Template: Advanced Bestiary [Not that I used it, but just sayin']
Assassin Class: DMG
Entombed: Frostburn
Human: PH
Rogue Base Class: PH

 

[Dog Moon]

I hope you like the Quail, Frukathka. I'm always leery about doing requests because I'm paranoid that no matter what I do, the person who requested it won't be happy.

Also, if y'all don't like the format of the creatures in either info or statblock, just let me know. I started this a long while ago for some reason. I mean seriously, why did I originally put alignment above the saves? I just don't know; it boggles my mind.