Pyre Creature
Well, it might be a little rough, but that's what you get for waiting months between drafts. Perhaps in a few months I'll go through it all again and fix what I believe might need fixing. Anyway, the CR/LA on this creature is probably not accurate, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how it might be different. No stat bonuses, but enough other bonuses that +2 should be right, though depending on the creature, it might actually be closer to +1. But I think we all have problems with CR/LA anyway, right?
So I don't remember what exactly inspired this, but I do remember that part of my idea was to create a slightly more interesting fire elemental version that simply 'This is a creature of fire'. Elemental creatures and Half-Elemental creatures have always rubbed me the wrong way. Elemental creatures, iirc, become OUTSIDERS, and Half-Elementals don't really have many elemental traits, mainly Spell-Likes. Those have ALWAYS rubbed me the wrong way. So hopefully, this is a more interesting version of a fire elemental template than the previous two.
I don't currently have a sample creature, but I would like to put this into a campaign of mine at some point in time and when I do, I will creature a creature to use as a sample creature. Or, by popular demand, if my numerous [three] fans desire it.
"Burn the Witch!"
"Kill the Heretic!"
Scapegoats are some of the saddest of souls due to the fact that these people take the blame for something which frequently isn't their fault. When something bad happens nearby, the strangest and most odd-looking people are blamed. Those who are the first to point believe that everything will be solved with the Witch's death because if she's the one causing it, then her death will prevent her from continuing her strange acts. They believe that fire will purify the Witch and burn the Evil within her and free their town of her vile acts.
Sometimes, it is quite true that the Witch is the cause of these acts. Some Witches have power and when on the stake being burned for their crimes, they curse the burners, demanding that the evil God the Witch worships will bring punishment upon the burners. Most frequently, the God is happy enough to take the Witch into his hands, but on occasion, when the God believes that the Witch will serve his cause better through death, he will grant her wish and bring her back as a Pyre Creature.
Not all deserve this death, however. Many truly are scapegoats and are completely innocent. Many die with tears of sadness and betrayal in their eyes. On occasion, these Witches may not accept their deaths as something they can singlehandedly prevent and cry out with great emotion. Fear and desperation fills them and these two emotions, while they do not stop her death, do not cause her to continue to the next world. These sorry souls awaken from the midst of the pyre and look around in horror as they realize what had occurred to them. These souls flee from the site of their death and wander the earth, never finding happiness and only finding relief in their death. Most are tracked down and killed because they are feared even more in death than they were in life.
Others become angry at this betrayal. Their possibly innocent souls cry out in rage and as the fires burn their skin, hate races through their blade. The yell at their burners, curse them, scream not in pain and agony but in vengeance. These souls become corrupted and refuse to die until their burners are killed for their treacherous crimes. These Pyre Creatures lash out in the instant of their death, killing any nearby and searching all those who will likely run from the sudden fear which grips their hearts.
Heretics are a slightly different case because they are burned for a good reason. They teach out against the natural order, teach in falseties and lies. These come back in order to destroy the good and the faithful.
"Pyre Creature" is an inherited template which can be added to any living being which is burned at the stake or anywhere else for similar reasons.
Size and Type: Pyre Creatures become Undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or anything.
Hit Dice: All Hit Dice become d12s.
Armor Class: Pyre Creatures gain a +3 natural armor bonus.
Special Attack:
Flaming (Su): While flames flicker all across their body, it seems that the greater part of their flames circle their hands as if the person desired so badly to strike out at their enemies and the fire has answered to their wishes and is focused on the natural weapons the person had available. All natural attacks are flaming and deal 1d6 additional fire damage with each hit.
Flame Wave (Su): The Pyre Creature can point one of their arms and launch the fire forth at a creature within 30 feet. This is a ranged touch attack which deals 4d6 damage and causes the target to make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha modifier) or start on fire. The Pyre creature must spend a move action to reignite the flames upon their hand.
Fiery Explosion (Su): Upon the Pyre Creature's destruction, all the hate and anger or despair mixed within the fire explode outward within a 30 foot radius, dealing 1d6 damage per HD of the creature. Half of this damage is unholy, the other half fire. Reflex (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha modifier) for half.
Special Qualities:
Component Subsitution: Pyre Creatures do not need to worry about material components which cost under 50gp. The fire replaces all. Clerics need no holy symbol beyond the fires.
Increase the caster level of all [Evil] and [Fire] spells by +1.
Undead Traits
DR 5/bludgeoning
Immune to fire
Immune to cold
Abilities: As Undead creatures, Pyre Creatures have no Constitution score.
CR: +2.
LA: Pyre creatures are not fitting to play as Player Characters, thus they have no LA Adjustment.
Variants
Speakers of the Truth
Some of those who are viewed as Heretics are actually the speakers of the truth. These Speakers are killed in order to silence them, to stop the lies which hold the congregation/clergy in line from becoming known and wide-spread. These Speakers come back in similar form, but instead of being twisted by the evil which normal Pyre Creatures fall under, these Speakers are instead purified. Their bones are bleach a brilliant white, the dirt and grime fall from their bodies.
These are treated as Pyre Creatures except for the following:
Any instances of Unholy within the Pyre Creature becomes Holy. Instead of casting [Evil] spells at an increased caster level, they cast [Good] spells at an increased caster level.
Aura of Truth (Su): Those within a 30 foot radius around the Speaker cannot utter a single lie and in fact are incapable of attempting to bend the truth. Creatures within the area may make a Will save DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Wis modifier to avoid being affected by the Aura.
Abilities: Wis +2.
LA Adjustment: +2. Speakers of the Truth CAN be played as Player Characters.