Life and death, scales and sand

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Torrga

Type: Large Monstrous Humanoid (Psionic, Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 4d8+20 (40 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 18 (+2 dex, +6 natural)
BAB/Grapple: +4/+14
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Attack: Claws +10 melee (1d6+7)
Full attack: 2 claws +10 melee (1d6+7)
Special Attacks: Psionics
Special Qualities: Desert Inured, Immune to blinding powders, Low-light vision, Resistance to fire and poison/5
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Endurance, Heat Endurance
________________________
Environment: Warm Desert
Organization: Family (3-9), Band (10-24), Clan (25-60)
CR: 5-6
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Treasure: 50% coins and goods
Advancement: -

A torrga appears as a massive, semi-humanoid being of great stature with wide, powerful backs and shoulders that hunch forward greatly, with an almost gorilla-like stance. They have long, thick legs however, ending in three long, splayed toes with thick webbing between them and equipped with blunt, unretractible talons. The arms are thick, though not overly muscular, and unlike the toes, end in sharp, curving claws. Their heads are overly large even for their size, with muzzles of slitted nostrils and fleshy-lipped mouths. The mouth has a collection of flat teeth, with two slightly protruding incisors of an omnivore. The tiny eyes are greatly deepset, with nictitating membrances protecting the pinprick pupils. Its forehead slants sharply backwards to a collection of flat, flashy protrubances that meet on either side of the neck with large, wrinkled sacks. These oddities are refered to as 'hornsacks', and can be inflated with ease to allow Torrgas to speak through raging sandstorms or call one another over great distances.

The entire being is covered in what almost appears as an exoskeleton, but is in reality large sections of leathery natural shields that stretch from joint to joint. Between these plates are slightly more sensitive pebbly scales that spread over its fingers, toes, and face. The color of these shields and plates are of a deep, dark umber.

A torga stands at just a tad over 9 feet and weighs between 800 and 1050 lbs. Torga's speak Draconic and Torrgan Signing.

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Torrga are very communal peoples, roaming the harsher expanses of deserts in great numbers, with the stronger ones forming a wind break in front. They move their entire lives, learning the ways of the land and moving from area to area.

Combat:
Torrgas rarely fight alone, and usually use their matter agitation abilities to burn and frighten predators. If this proves unsuccessful they attempt to herd about their adversaries, striking out with powerful swipes of their poisoned claws.

Camouflaged (Ex):
A torrga's natural coloring gives it a +4 to hide checks.

Desert Inured (Ex):
A torga gains a +6 to its fortitude save to resist any kind of blinding light or wind affects.

Psionics:
3/day - Matter Agitation, Prevenom, Synesthete.

Torrgan Signing:
Torgan's have an advanced type of sign language that they use while in the midst of sandstorms that require them to keep their mouths closed. It is also this with which they communicate with the torrgan starets.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Torrgan Starets

Type: Large Undead (fire, psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d12+6 (60 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 21 (+3 dex, +8 natural)
BAB/Grapple: +3/+13
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Attack: Claw +10 melee (1d8+7 plus 2d6 fire)
Full attack: 2 claws +10 melee (1d8+7 plus 2d6 fire)
Special Attacks: Aura of Heat, Claw Afire, Psionics, Ribbon of Flame
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Resistance to Fire/15, Undead Traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 16, Con -, Int 17, Wis 19, Cha 12
Skills: Concentration +11, Diplomacy +5, Heal +14, Knowledge (Geography) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +13, Knowledge (Psionics) +8
Feats: Inquisitor, Lifesense, Psionic Body, Speed of Thought(B)
________________________
Environment: Warm Desert
Organization: Elder (1), Tradespeaks (2-3), Council (4-8)
CR: 9
Alignment: Lawful good
Treasure: None
Advancement: -

Torrgan starets are undead advisors and leaders of the Torga. When a Torga shows itself to be of great wisdom and knowledge it is preserved for over a century.

The reknowned torrga elder lets be known its wish to die normally or aid the tribe. Those that give permission to be preserved fashions for itself a psicrystal which it keeps till its death. Upon dying its mind seeps within the crystal. The crystal is then buried in clean, prepared sand, which immediately starts to warm. It continues to heat for a full day. During this time a special mixture known as Guttirun, made from the venom of a large carnivorous desert archnid, is introduced into the body. This concoction quickly disolves bones and cartilage, and liquifies muscles and organs, though leaves intact the scales and skin of the corpse. The body is then drained, and filed with the burning hot sand by those who risk their life to face the dread temperatures. All orifices and the eyes are sewn tightly shut and glued so as to never reopen. Within several hours the psicrystal disolves within the pure sand and a crystaline matrix has formed. Once this is complete, the elder rises for a hundred and twenty years.
At the end of this period the elder is allowed to find peace. This ritual takes it far out within the deepest desert, where with a knife it cuts a line in its chest to release the sand, and so crumples.

The torrgan starets appear much as they did in life, though their scales appear rougher and dull. As well, their normally deflated hornsacks stretch with the weight of the sand within them. Waves of heat continue to raise off them from its inner temperatures.

Combat:
Torrgan Starets are slow to battle, trying to lead away dangerous beings from the bulk of the living Torrgans. If speech nor deception work, they launch themselves upon their attackers, burning the very lungs of their attackers and slashing at them with flaming claws. They will continue to harry their opponents with their ribbons of flame for as long as they can, chasing them well away. They will not kill unless pressed, and will give their enemies the option to turn away.

Aura of Heat (Ps):
Those breathing air within 5 feet of Torrgan Starets take 1d6 points of damage per minute. In addition, those wearing metal armor are affected as if by a Heat Metal spell.

Claw Afire (Ps):
A Torrgan Starets can activate this ability as a move-equivalent action. Flames engulf one of its hands (but does it no harm). The undead's unarmed attacks with that hand are treated as armed. Such attacks deal an extra 2d6 points of fire damage.

Psionics:
At will/Control Flames; 3/day Call to Mind. Manifester level 4th.

Ribbon of Flame (Ps):
A Torrgan Starets can release a writhing, energetic line of fire 80 feet long that does 1d8 points of damage as a ranged touch attack.

 

[Krishnath]

Cool, very original. Just one suggestion and one question:

1. Suggestion: I think that the Torrga should be a Monstrous Humanoid rather than a giant on account of their appearance. Of course, this is entirely up to you.

2. Question: Shouldn't the Torrgan Starets be large as well?

 

[Ferret]

Everso Original, Great flavour as well. Two Three thumbs up.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

1. Suggestion: I think that the Torrga should be a Monstrous Humanoid rather than a giant on account of their appearance. Of course, this is entirely up to you.

I've always wondered what the difference between Monstrous Humanoids and Giants anyways. But these guys seemed more giantish than monstrous humanoid...ish.

2. Question: Shouldn't the Torrgan Starets be large as well?

Whoops, tyop fixed.

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Two Three thumbs up.

Radiation exposure does wonders for one's physiology

 

[Krishnath]

From the Monster Manual glossary:

Giant Type: A giant is a humanoid-shaped creature of great strength, usually of at least Large size.
Examples: Hill Giant, Ogre, Troll,

Monstrous Humanoid Type: Monstrous Humanoids are similar to humanoids, but with montrous or animalistic features. They often have magical abilities as well.
Examples: Centaur, Minotaur, Sahuagin,

As your creatures are basically large reptilian humanoids with psionics and other abilities, monstrous humanoid is more fitting.

Also, the monstrous humanoid type has better BAB and saves than the giant type.

 

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Ok, there, monstrous humanoid... *harumphs*