D&D 3E/3.5 Kraken Variants

[Cleon]

Hmmm, I was kind of thinking that this "aspect" is really just a single tentacle sticking through a portal to another plane. So did you mean that a single tentacle is the size of a whole normal kraken? Or did you mean that it's like a normal kraken's single tentacle? My thought would be to make Khalk'ru itself super-intelligent (as a demon lord level critter should be), but we could reduce the Int for an aspect that's really just a tentacle. It also sounds from the book that the tentacle might be blind and deaf (but with tremorsense or something). What do you think about that idea?

Yes, the Aspect is just a single tentacle.

As for the "blind and deaf" idea, Khalk'ru appears able to hear its priest(s) while its in the Void beyond and reach through to target specific victims with its tentacles so it must be able to sense and target creatures and objects in the Prime Material Plane while its body is in whatever Plane it exists in.

So I'm inclined to give the Aspect the standard sensory abilities of an Outsider, but would be game for adding tremorsight on top of that if you want.

 

[freyar]

Not sure it needs tremorsense on top of usual senses, but we can think about it. So is this tentacle normal-kraken-sized all by itself? In that case, I wouldn't advance an Aspect by adding more tentacles...

 

[Cleon]

Not sure it needs tremorsense on top of usual senses, but we can think about it.

Erm, it was you who suggested making it blind and giving it tremorsense not I, I'd be fine with it without tremorsense.

So is this tentacle normal-kraken-sized all by itself? In that case, I wouldn't advance an Aspect by adding more tentacles...

It just seemed easier giving it the same size category as a Kraken. The tentacle is 50 feet long but there's no information about how thick it is, but 50 feet is within the ballpark for being Gargantuan.

 

[freyar]

Right, I'd like tremorsense if we remove sight but not with sight. Let's just go with the normal senses.

I'll agree with Gargantuan size for a single tentacle aspect. Your proposed ability scores work for me. Shall we work on the dissolution ability next?

 

[Cleon]

Right, I'd like tremorsense if we remove sight but not with sight. Let's just go with the normal senses.

I'm considering giving it true seeing since (a) its mural is described as having eyes that appeared to penetrate to the viewers' very soul and (b) it makes it a lot harder to avoid.

I'll agree with Gargantuan size for a single tentacle aspect. Your proposed ability scores work for me.

Updating Khalk'ru Working Draft.

Shall we work on the dissolution ability next?

I'm not sure about the name.

In the Gods, Demigods, Heroes supplement "It feeds on human souls/energy levels and if the victim doesn't make his or her magic saving throw all his levels are drained" while in the original novel its touch causes its victims to disappear apparently by some kind of entropic annihilation process.*

*Although that's just speculation from the hero after seeing Khalk'ru's victims vanish. For all we now it could have just yanked its victims into whatever plane it dwells in.

Either way, that's nasty and we should come up with a better name.

So which do we use, annihilation or lose all energy levels?

Or both…

 

[Cleon]

Oh, and before I forget.

Khalk'ru has twelve tentacles, not eight like an octopus.

 

[freyar]

How about we give it two possible abilities? One to energy drain all levels, killing the victim (and I guess normally causing them to re-animate as a wight), and another to shift it to wherever Khalk'ru lives? If you don't want both, I think I'd go for energy drain. Annihilation is ok, too, actually, if you have a strong preference.

 

[Cleon]

How about we give it two possible abilities? One to energy drain all levels, killing the victim (and I guess normally causing them to re-animate as a wight), and another to shift it to wherever Khalk'ru lives? If you don't want both, I think I'd go for energy drain. Annihilation is ok, too, actually, if you have a strong preference.

Hmm… I considered the "shift to wherever Khalk'ru lives" option, but the original novel seems to indicate the body is destroyed.

I wouldn't include the standard 3E Energy Drain's "raised as a wight" rule since neither the OD&D or novel versions include it.

Also, draining ALL levels seems a bit extreme for a 15 HD creature. I'm tempted to reserve that to the full version and have the Aspect "only" drain a few energy levels.

In either case, I'd lean towards combining the two into a single ability.

Anyhows, here's a first stab at it:

Touch of Destruction [Aspect?] (Su): Any creature hit by an aspect of khalk'ru's tentacle attack must succeed at a DC X Will save or gain 1d4 negative energy levels. A victim who gains negative energy levels equal to their hit dice must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or their corpse is utterly consumed as if affected by a destruction spell. Creatures immune to energy drain and/or death effects are still subject to the destruction effect it they fail both saving throws. The only way to restore life to a creature destroyed by khalk'ru's touch is to use true resurrection, a carefully worded wish spell followed by resurrection, or miracle. Victims who have merely had all their energy levels drained by khalk'ru may be restored to life by resurrection. In either case, restoration spells can be used to restore the lost levels.

Touch of Destruction [Full?] (Su): Any creature hit by khalk'ru's tentacle attack must succeed at a DC X Will save or gain negative energy levels equal to their hit dice. A victim who fails the Will save must then succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or their corpse is utterly consumed as if affected by a destruction spell. Creatures immune to energy drain and/or death effects are still subject to the destruction effect it they fail both saving throws. The only way to restore to life a creature destroyed by khalk'ru's touch is to use true resurrection, a carefully worded wish spell followed by resurrection, or miracle. Victims who have merely had all their energy levels drained by khalk'ru may be restored to life by resurrection. In either case, restoration spells can be used to restore the lost levels.

 

[Cleon]

How about we give it two possible abilities? One to energy drain all levels, killing the victim (and I guess normally causing them to re-animate as a wight), and another to shift it to wherever Khalk'ru lives? If you don't want both, I think I'd go for energy drain. Annihilation is ok, too, actually, if you have a strong preference.

Hmm… I considered the "shift to wherever Khalk'ru lives" option, but the original novel seems to indicate the body is destroyed.

I wouldn't include the standard 3E Energy Drain's "raised as a wight" rule since neither the OD&D or novel versions include it.

Also, draining ALL levels seems a bit extreme for a 15 HD creature. I'm tempted to reserve that to the full version and have the Aspect "only" drain a few energy levels.

In either case, I'd lean towards combining the two into a single ability.

Anyhow, here's a first stab at it:

Touch of Destruction [Aspect?] (Su): Any creature hit by an aspect of khalk'ru's tentacle attack must succeed at a DC X Will save or gain 1d4 negative energy levels. A victim who gains negative energy levels equal to their hit dice must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or their corpse is utterly consumed as if affected by a destruction spell. Creatures immune to energy drain and/or death effects are still subject to the destruction effect it they fail both saving throws. The only way to restore life to a creature destroyed by khalk'ru's touch is to use true resurrection, a carefully worded wish spell followed by resurrection, or miracle. Victims who have merely had all their energy levels drained by khalk'ru may be restored to life by resurrection. In either case, restoration spells can be used to restore the lost levels.

Touch of Destruction [Full?] (Su): Any creature hit by khalk'ru's tentacle attack must succeed at a DC X Will save or gain negative energy levels equal to their hit dice. A victim who fails the Will save must then succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or their corpse is utterly consumed as if affected by a destruction spell. Creatures immune to energy drain and/or death effects are still subject to the destruction effect it they fail both saving throws. The only way to restore to life a creature destroyed by khalk'ru's touch is to use true resurrection, a carefully worded wish spell followed by resurrection, or miracle. Victims who have merely had all their energy levels drained by khalk'ru may be restored to life by resurrection. In either case, restoration spells can be used to restore the lost levels.

 

[freyar]

Hey, two posts for you, too!

I have to say that I like that for the Aspect. So let's go with it.

I just looked through that book review again and didn't see anything that really adds to special abilities for the aspect, but it seems a bit light. What else do you think would work? Improved Grab and Constrict I think are good, but I'm not sure what else is good for this.