Monster Snippets: Alacritern, Alcove Thing, Anaconda Ivy, Angelwhisper
over 6 years ago – Thu, Dec 05, 2019 at 05:43:41 AM

Ugh, between wrapping things up with Day Job before the Thanksgiving holiday, and general life stuff (not to mention trying to wrap up my latest book to publish shortly), I've been remiss in updating Snippets.

So, today, here's a bunch of critters for you today.  :)

Alacritern

Lore

1. Common: Some birds are much swifter than others.
   
2. Expanded: Long sought after as possible message couriers, Alacriterns are coastal birds capable of very rapid sustained flight.

Environment

1. Alaciterns live on coastlines, though they venture into any terrain inland in search of food.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Alacriterns will typically avoid fighting, escaping using their speed.  If forced into combat, they will dive and dip out of harm's way if possible.  They loathe all other forms of avian life, and will attack any flying creature if they are aware of them.

Story Hooks

1. An alacritern becomes aware of a PC's familiar or animal companion, and attacks it.
   
2. An NPC's familiar or animal companion has been attacked and/or slain by a mysteriously rapid bird; the PCs are asked to investigate or enact revenge.

Actions & SQ

1. Swift Flight: The Alacritern is capable of very rapid sustained overland flight.  If it makes no more than a 15 degree turn each round, and takes no other actions, it may quintuple (5x) its Fly speed for up to 3 hours total time each day.
   
2. Darting Dive: Once every 3 rounds, an Alacritern may take its full Fly move, attack, and take another full Fly move, without provoking opportunity attacks along this entire movement.
   

Alcove Thing

Description: A huddled humanoid, or a shadow thereof--it's difficult to tell what an Alcove Thing truly is.  Ever lurking in the depths of shadows, it haunts out of the way man-made places of all manner and background.  Typically created as guardians of final resting places or treasure caches through dark preparation, Alcove Things are the enbalmed, undead remains of servants or slaves, set on eternal watch duty.

Aura: Lurking Shadows: 10', provides partial concealment from all observers.  Any creature may attempt to overcome this effect using their Perception against the Alcove Thing's Stealth; this requires a swift action and lasts for the duration of the encounter if successful.

Lore

1. Common" Slaves of powerful evil kings are sometimes set to eternal guard duty over the remains of their masters.
   
2. Expanded: Alcove Things are humanoid guards of treasure caches and coffins, set to this duty through dark ritual by evil leaders and necromantic advisors.

Environment

1. Alcove Things always guard a thing or place, and do not venture from this duty.  The target of their guard is typically a coffin, sepluchre, or treasure cache, usually in ruins but potentially in urban settings or even dungeons or caverns or lairs.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Alcove Things will fight to the death any living creature that ventures within their senses.  They will pursue such intruders, but only up to 100' from the center of their guard duty, after which they will return to their normal watch.  When not actively fighting, an Alcove Thing will lurk in shadows, waiting and guarding.  It is extremely unusual to encounter an Alcove Thing that is not already hidden; nearly everyone encountering them is surprised by their presence.

Story Hooks

1. Legend tells of a long-dead king whose body and treasure are guarded by undead servants.  Are the PCs brave enough to seek the loot?
   
2. Through bizarre ritual, a group of Alcove Things has been set to guard an ordinary gravesite, on which a house has been built in ignorance of the grisly history of the earth beneath.  The current owners were renovating their basement, and inadvertently set the Things free.  Only one family member escaped alive, and asks the party's assistance in investigating what happened to his family and house.

Actions & SQ

1. Lurking Stab: Alcove Things have Sneak Attack 3d6.  They may use this ability at reduced effect (-2d6) even when their presence is known, so long as their target has not yet overcome their Lurking Shadows Aura.
   

Anaconda Ivy

Lore

1. Common: Some climbing plants are animate and semi-sentient, and can choke the life out of you.
   
2. Expanded: Anaconda Ivy is a semi-aware plant capable of wrapping itself around victims like the snake of its namesake.  Once the victim dies, the plant waits until scavengers have torn out large chunks, then subsists on the carrion and decay that fosters afterward.

Environment

1. Anaconda Ivy can be found in any forest or jungle, though warmer climates are more common.
   

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Anaconda Ivy prefers to strike with surprise, and will wait and blend

Actions & SQ

1. Plant Blend: Anaconda Ivy may always Take 20 in Stealth or Disguise checks to appear as other, nonvolatile, plant life in the area.  It may not benefit from Plant Blend against targets that are aware of its presence as a hostile life form; that is, if it has already been detected or has attacked.
   
2. Constrict: Against an opponent that has suffered a successful melee attack this round, the Anaconda may follow the attack up by wrapping around the victim.  It may then inflict 1d8 bludgeoning damage per round until it is removed from the victim.
   

Angelwhisper

Description: A rare form of undead that is itself still holy and good in purpose, an Angelwhisper seeks out those about to befall horrid events, in an attempt to warn them toward avoiding dire circumstances such as those that felled the Angelwhisper themselves in life.

Aura: Beneficent Prescience: Non-Evil creatures within 20' gain a +1 insight bonus on skill checks, ability checks, saves.  These creatures also gain a +1 insight bonus on attack and damage rolls against Evil creatures (the evil opponents need not be in the aura's radius).

Lore

1. Common: Good people who die horribly may remain on earth as a benevolent spectre, whispering warnings to those like them.
   
2. Expanded: Angelwhispers hover around non-evil people, whispering quietly.  Though the whispers themselves are indecipherable, they convey warnings and predict the next few minutes of events enough to warn the unfortunate.
   

Environment: Angelwhispers haunt urban environments, or the area where they perished.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Angelwhispers will avoid fighting altogether if possible.  If close to a battle that involves Good creatures, they will approach the fight and lend assistance where they can via their aura and Whispered Warning abilities.  They will avoid actual fighting themselves unless forced to do so.
   

Story Hooks

1. A slain good elf haunts the nearby caverns.  Some say she whispers words of good omen, acting as a boon to those who would venture within.
   
2. An NPC the party knows is slain by a thief or assassin.  Tied yet to life, the NPC rises as an Angelwhisper, and helps the PCs.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Detect Good and Evil: As per the spell, these are constant effects.
   
2. Whispered Warning: Once per combatant, per encounter, an Angelwhisper may chant a message of specific warning, warding against a proximate event.  A Whispered Warning is a full-round action for the Angelwhisper.  The next time that combatant would fail a save prompted by an opponent in that battle, the combatant instead succeeds in the save.  This effect lasts until the end of the encounter.
   

Monster Snippet: Arbor Elemental
over 6 years ago – Thu, Dec 05, 2019 at 05:34:54 AM

Description: An incarnation of the very essence of the forest, an Arbor Elemental is a living, breathing embodiment of nature and trees.  They appear as groups of trees, though in a particular moment, they may shift shape to appear as a single tree or several.  They may also change shape in the nature of the trees they emulate, usually to blend in with the ordinary trees they are next to.

1. Aura: Arborial Potency: Within 40' of an Arbor Elemental, all spells and effects with the Earth descriptor manifest with extra potency.  Such magic benefits from +1 to their DC, and those that inflict damage gain +1 point of damage per die (so for example, a spell which normally inflicts 2d6+3 damage would instead inflict 2d6+5 damage within this aura).  In addition, when a spell is cast that involves, targets, or affects plants or trees (e.g., tree stride, liveoak; the determination is left to the GM as to what qualifies), there is a 20% chance that the spell will not be "lost" or otherwise consumed, and that the caster may attempt to cast it again.  This spell-retention benefit has no effect for innate spell-like abilities that have no daily or otherwise periodic limit, but does apply to spell-like abilities with such a limit: for example, a creature able to cast plant growth 3x/day, who casts it within this aura, and succeeds at the 20% chance to retain it, can still cast plant growth 3 more times that day.
   

Lore

1. Common: The very essence of the forest can become enraged and seek vengeance against intruders.
   
2. Expanded: Arbor elementals are powerful, treant-like creatures who defend forests and jungles.  Natural magics can grow in power in their presence.
   

Environment: Arbor elementals may appear in forests or jungles, though always amidst thick growths of trees.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Arbor elementals will usually remain still, blending in with its non-sentient neighbors until threatened or until it can strike intruders.  It will consider any creatures who destroy plant life in any manner to be intruders, and will try to kill them or run them off.  Arbor elementals will fight to the death any threats that remain among the trees, but will relent if its opponents flee outside of the forest or jungle in which they operate.
   

Story Hooks

1. A nearby forest has been killing farmers, ingredient harvesters, and adventurers.  The exact source of the killings is unknown, however; the local village has asked the party's assistance in investigating.
   
2. The party is venturing in a forest or jungle, and is forced to destroy a plant-based enemy.  A nearby Arbor Elemental takes notice, and attacks.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Tree Blend: This creature may always Take 20 in Stealth or Disguise checks to appear as a normal tree or group thereof in the area.  It may not benefit from Tree Blend against targets that are aware of its presence as a hostile life form; that is, if it has already been detected or has attacked.
2. Rootstrike: As a full-round action, the Arbor Elemental may make one attack against each enemy within a 20' radius, sending spiked roots shooting up from the ground underneath its foes.  Creatures in flight, or hovering at least 10' off of the ground, are immune to these attacks.  These count as melee strikes despite the fact that they are at range.
   

Final Day! Monster Snippets: Arbor Ooze, Ashenlass
over 6 years ago – Tue, Dec 03, 2019 at 08:10:59 PM

Final Day

One more day to go!  This campaign has already been hugely successful, and I'm very grateful to you all for your support and enthusiasm.  

Here are two more monster snippets... :)

Arbor Ooze

Description: Appearing as a thick sludge of flowers, moss, or iridescent grass, this ooze flows and threshes amongst the vegetation of the forest floor, and is often indistinguishable from it.

1. Aura: Arbor Haze: Within 20', creatures suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to Perception checks.

Lore

1. Common: Beware some patches of moss in the forest floor, as they may be creatures ready to strike!
   
2. Expanded: Arbor oozes lie in wait on the forest floor, appearing as moss or grass but ready to dissolve organic life that steps upon it unaware.

Environment: Arbor oozes are common on forest floors, but may also appear in jungles, swamps, or even grassland plains.

Encounter Behavior: Combat: Arbor oozes will lie in wait, and their preferred method of attack is for a creature to simply step upon them.  A creature that steps upon an Arbor Ooze immediately suffers a melee strike that hits automatically.

Story Hooks:

1. Ingredient harvesters have been returning from a nearby forest, claiming to have seen animals dissolve painfully into moss or grass that otherwise appears normal.
   
2. The PCs are wandering the woods, when one of them steps onto a hidden Arbor Ooze.

Actions & SQ

1. Forest Floor Trap: Any creature which steps upon an Arbor Ooze unaware automatically suffers a successful critical strike from the ooze.
   
2. Virulent Slime: An Arbor Ooze inflicts an additional 2d4 acid damage on a successful critical strike.
   
3. Plant Blend: This creature may always Take 20 in Stealth or Disguise checks to appear as normal forest-floor foliage in the area.  It may not benefit from Plant Blend against targets that are aware of its presence as a hostile life form; that is, if it has already been detected or has attacked.

Ashenlass

1. Description: An Ashenlass appears as a floating, haunted, gaunt, and ashen woman of indeterminate age and ancestry.  Her hair and clothing are mutable in appearance, and can often oscillate as an observer watches.
   
2. Aura: Dread Aura: Within 30', creatures suffer a -2 profane penalty on saves and attack rolls.  Against fear effects, this penalty is instead -4.  Any creature may spend a standard action to attempt to overcome the effect; this requires a DC 18 Will save and lasts the remainder of the encounter if successful.

Lore

1. Common: Ash-colored, floating, undead women are capable of dread powers.
   
2. Expanded: An Ashenlass is a powerful undead capable of reducing formidable warriors to piles of ash.
   

Environment: An Ashenlass typically haunts a battlefield, mass gravesite, or other area of significant devastation, death, or decay.  They venture far and wide, however, so can be encountered virtually anywhere, though they return to their place of haunting after a while.

1. Encounter Behavior: Combat: An Ashenlesss hates all living creatures, and will attack them to the death once perceived.
   

Story Hooks

1. Dozens have made pilgrimage to a site of a holy war, only to discover dread undead forces defending it.  The PCs are asked to investigate the cause.
   
2. The PCs (perhaps led by a cleric or paladin associated with the site) make their own pilgrimage to a site of a large battle, either as part of a holy visit, or in the hopes of discovering loot.  An Ashenlass attacks them.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Ashen Touch: A successful full-round melee touch attack at +6 will prompt a living victim to make a DC 18 Fortitude save, or suffer 1d2 Cha damage.  A creature reduced to 0 Cha or less via this effect dies immediately, and turns into a pile of whitish-grey ash.  Only a true resurrection, wish, or miracle spell, or similarly powerful magic, can recover the soul and body of a creature destroyed in this manner.
   

Monster Snippet: Acid Elemental
over 6 years ago – Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 08:10:26 PM

I'll be busy much of the rest of the day, so I'm posting today's Monster Snippet very early.  Enjoy!  :)

Acid Elemental

Auras: 

1. Acidic Mist: 15', Creatures in the aura take 1d6 acid damage per round; DC 14 Fortitude save to halve damage.
   

Lore

1. Common: Typically born of alchemical accident, Acid Elementals may be found in laboratories or dungeons.
   
2. Expanded: Acid Elementals are either created on purpose as guards or warriors, or by accident, via alchemical mistake.  In both cases, they are loyal to their creators.
   

Environment: Alchemical laboratories, dungeons, or lairs; Acid Elementals rarely wander (or are told to wander) far from their place of creation.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: On their own, Acid Elementals will attack any creature they become aware of who is not their master, fighting to the death.  Under the direction of their master, they will attack or not in response to explicit verbal direction.
   

Story Hooks

1. Rival apothecaries in town have been destroyed, one after the other.  Burnt and corroded equipment and buildings are all that remain.  Can the PCs investigate?
   
2. Neighbors of a nearby potion laboratory have complained of an acrid smell that burns the nostrils, far beyond what they are typically used to in this proximity.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Acid Blast: Treat this as a breath weapon in the shape of a cone, with a range of 30'.  A DC 16 Reflex save halves the 2d8 acid damage.
   
2. Corrode: Against anything more vulnerable than stone or metal, the Acid Elemental can pour itself onto a surface or item and attempt to dissolve it.  This takes 1 round per full 2.5' of substance.
   

Monster Snippet: The Accursed
over 6 years ago – Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 08:06:06 PM

As promised, each day for the remainder of the campaign, I'll post a preview snippet of a new monster's description.  As a reminder, terminology defaults to Pathfinder 1E, and numerics refer to the 1L Low quad.

Hope you enjoy!

The Accursed

1. Description: Accursed are humanoids of all flavors who are fallen from their normal race, typically due to an occult procedure or evil ritual gone terribly wrong.  They are cursed, doomed, and their flesh has begun to rot, but they are not truly dead, and therefore not truly undead either.
   
2. Auras: Accursed Aura: 30'.  Those affected are aware of a dread, doomed presence in the vicinity of the Accursed, who takes a -4 penalty on Stealth, Bluff, and Sleight of Hand checks due to their notable existence.  Those seeking to target the Accursed with an attack or other effect take a -1 penalty to do so if they are within this range, as their natural inclination will be to avoid the creature altogether.
   
3. Lore: Common: There are those who are doomed to walk the earth in a fateful trance, not quite dead, but not quite fully alive either.
   
   1. Lore: Expanded: Accursed are humanoids, fallen from the normal features of their race, warped from an evil ritual gone astray.  They seek the living to enact their hateful revenge.
      
4. Environment: Accursed are drawn to wherever there are living creatures.  They frequent ruins, urban settings, and rural farmlands in their quest of hate.
   

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Accursed will seek out the nearest living creature and attack it until it is dead, and then repeat the tactic until they are out of living targets or they themselves are destroyed.  They will never flee a combat if they sense living creatures, but if such presence is hidden from them, they will lose interest and wander off in a random direction.
   

Story Hooks

1. Rural farms are "going dark" one after the other, with the farmers and their livestock sliced open from weapon or claw attacks.  Can the PCs prevent further destruction?
   
2. Dark tales tell of thieves in the night who stalk alleyways.  They seem to seek not the purses, but the very lives, of the living and breathing.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Lifehate: more life a target has, the greater the Accursed's hartred grows.  Against opponents with a higher Constitution than they have, Accursed gain a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls, and on skill or ability checks related to that target.
   
2. Vengeful Vitality: An Accursed's vitality grows after felling a living creature.  Each time they drop an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points, they gain 1d8 hit points, and their maximum hit point value increases by this amount as well.