justicegundam82

[justicegundam82]

Reblogging for great justice.

I end the month with this. If you know what it means, you know.

[justicegundam82]

Don't have much to say at the moment, so... enjoy these cool Newtype siblings!

Image was done on commission by the awesome Neldorwen on deviantArt, here.

[justicegundam82]

3.0 to PF1e Conversion: Formian, Winged Warrior

Welcome back!

This new conversion comes from the 3.0 Fiend Folio, which introduced a lot of cool monsters (and some not-so-cool ones, but hey, can't win them all). The book introduced three new castes of Formian: the Armadon, the Observer and the Winged Warrior. The Creature Chronicle blog already converted the Armadon, but the other two were left in the dust. Until now, of course.

I plan on doing the Observer and another new Formian caste soon enough. Until then, I hope you like this.

FORMIAN, WINGED WARRIOR

Image copyright Wizards of the Coast, from Fiend Folio, by LGW

This creature looks like a strange cross between an ant and a garner, with a glossy bluish-black exoskeleton, two pairs of large insectile wings, and a slender tail tipped with sharp spikes. Its legs end in small hands, armed with pointed claws.

FORMIAN WINGED WARRIOR       CR 6

XP 2’400

LN Medium Monstrous Humanoid

Init+5; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., hive mind; Perception +14 (+18 with hive mind)

------------------

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14(+5 Dex, +4 natural)

Hp 68 (8d10+24)

Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +8;

Resist sonic 10

Spell Resistance 17

----------------------

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)

Melee bite +13 (1d6+2), 2 claws +13 (1d4+2)

Ranged tail spike +13 (1d4+2 / 19-20 / x3 plus poison)

Special Attacks augmented critical, poison, tail spikes

----------------------

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11

Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 25

Feats Flyby Attack, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Shot On The Run (B), Weapon Finesse

Skills Acrobatics +14, Fly +20, Perception +14 (+18 with hive mind), Stealth +15, Survival +12

Languages telepathy 60 ft. (cannot speak)

Special Qualities formian traits

----------------------

ECOLOGY

Environment warm or temperate land or underground

Organization Solitary, team (2-4) or troop (5-10)

Treasure none

----------------------

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Augmented Critical (Ex): A winged warrior’s tail spikes threaten a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 19-20 and inflict triple damage on a confirmed critical hit.

Poison (Ex): Tail spike – injury; save Fort DC 17, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1d2 Str damage, cure 1 save.

Tail Spikes (Ex): Six times per day, a winged warrior can release a spike from its tail as a standard action. Tail spikes are considered thrown weapons with a range increment of 20 feet.

----------------------

Winged warriors are specialized members of the formian hives, and the only formian caste capable of flying under their own power. Within the hive’s rigid caste system, winged warriors mostly act as skirmishers and scouts for their superiors, assessing the lands around the hive and reporting on potential enemies. Needless to say, they are agile fliers, but are clumsy and slow on land, and therefore spend most of their time aloft, only landing to rest or report.

In battle, winged warriors mostly rely on providing ranged support to warriors, armadons and taskmasters. As their more robust brethren keep the enemy occupied, a winged warrior shoots sharp spikes from its tail with tremendous accuracy, favoring obvious spellcasters and healers. Each spike is tipped in a narcotic that sap the victim’s strength, making it easier for the hive to capture them alive. Once a winged warrior’s ranged attacks are depleted, they will switch to hit-and-run attacks, trusting their speed and maneuvrability to see them through the fight.

Formian winged warriors stand about 5 feet tall and weigh 120 pounds. While they are capable of communicating via telepathy, they lack the organs needed for vocalization, and therefore cannot speak.

[justicegundam82]

Dat Judau, Leina and Ple picture:

RIGHT IN THE FEELS MAN! ToT

some uc gundam (and toniya)

[justicegundam82]

New PF1e Creature: Ajatar

Here's a new idea for a creature for your Pathfinder 1e games. This creature is an evil spirit from Finnish folklore, though the idea for the conversion in and of itself comes from the 5e product Dragonix' Deadly Denizens 2. I may not be a fan of D&D 5e, but his works are really good, and I'd really advise taking a look at them.

I hope my conversion works well enough, while at least keeping some of the original myth's flavour. This creature has a lot of natural attacks, so I hope it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Please let me know what you think.

AJATAR

Author unknown, taken from Dragonix's Deadly Denizens II

This creature looks like a winged, reptilian biped with large dragonlike wings and the head of a wretched crone. It stands about twice as tall as a grown man.

------------

AJATAR       CR 11

XP 12’800

CE Large Monstrous Humanoid

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +25

--------------

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (+4 Dex, +12 natural, -1 size)

hp  147 (14d10+70) 

Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +13;

Damage Reduction 10/cold iron and magic

Resist acid 10, cold 10; Immune disease, poison

--------------

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)

Melee bite +21 (2d6+8 plus poison), 2 claws +21 (1d8+8 plus grab), tail slap +19 (1d8+4), 2 wing slaps +19 (1d6+4)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks haunting scream, pestilent gaze, poison

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th, concentration +17)

     At will – dancing lights, darkness, entangle (DC 14), ghost sound (DC 13), gust of wind (DC 15)

     3/day – contagion (DC 16), dimension door, invisibility, major image (DC 16), stinking cloud (DC 16)

     1/day – cloudkill (DC 18), control weather, summon (1d3 fiendish amphisbenas or fiendish emperor cobras, as summon monster VI)

--------------

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 17

Base Atk +14; CMB +23; CMD 37

Feats Cleave, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Hover, Intimidating Prowess, Multiattack, Power Attack

Skills Bluff +17, Fly +14, Intimidate +28, Knowledge (nature) +14, Perception +25, Stealth +22, Survival +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Sylvan

Special Qualities rotting presence

--------------

ECOLOGY

Environment cold forests and swamps

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

--------------

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Haunting Scream (Su): Once every 1d4+1 rounds, as a full-round action, the ajatar can emit a terrible psychic scream that assaults the mind of every non-reptilian creature within a radius of 60 feet from the creature. This attack deals 10d6 points of damage and leaves any victim frightened for 1 round. A successful Will save (DC 20) halves the damage and negates the frightened condition. The save DC is Charisma-based 

Pestilent Gaze (Su): Three times per day, an ajatar can use a gaze attack on a single living creature within 30 ft. of it. A victim must succeed on a Will saving throw or be subject to the curse of the debilitating rot.

Curse of the Debilitating Rot: Type curse; Save Will DC 20 negates; Onset immediate; Frequency 1/day; Effects 1d3 Con damage and the victim is unable to heal damage naturally. An healing spell cast on the victim must succeed at a caster level check (DC 20) or have no effect on the victim.

Poison (Ex): Bite—injury; save Fort DC 22; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4+1 Dexterity damage and slowed, a victim reduced to Dexterity 0 begins taking Constitution damage at the same rate; cure 3 consecutive saves (includes bonuses from rotting presence). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rotting Presence (Ex): The presence of an ajatar makes all diseases and poisons more resilient and virulent. Any disease or poison effect within a radius of 1 mile from the ajatar’s lair requires one more successful saving throw to be cured, and any ability damage they inflict is increased by 1 point. Any attempt to magically heal a creature suffering from disease or poison within the radius of the rotting presence must succeed on a DC 22 caster level check, or the spell does not function. Success indicates that the disease or the poison is removed normally.

--------------

A grotesque being that symbolizes rot and decay, an ajatar infests remote natural places, preying upon unsuspecting animals and travelers and infecting them with debilitating maladies. The ajatar revels in the chaos and suffering she sows, and takes a twisted delight in seeing animals and vegetation wither and die. This makes the ajatar a sworn enemy to all druids, and many druidic orders will go out of their way to exterminate any such creature that settles in their territories.

While an ajatar is not exactly cowardly, it much prefers to weaken the opposition before entering direct combat. An ajatar’s corruptive presence influences a vast area around its territory, making it harder to resist infections and poisons. An ajatar also has a limited control over the weather, which it uses to further confound prey and would-be hunters. When it actually gets ahold of its opponents, the creature tries to fight from the air, summoning foul serpents to keep them occupied or poisonous gases to slowly choke them to death. It can also unleash a bloodcurling psychic scream that leaves most victims shivering in terror or outright dead. Once most opponents are incapacitated, an ajatar typically swoops down on those who are still moving, overwhelming them with a flurry of physical attacks.  

The ajatar’s hatred for natural creatures makes exception for serpents, which the creature regards as pets and servitors. The presence of an ajatar often results in an increase of unnatural reptilian beings in the area, and the creature often enters alliances with evil fey, hags or even black dragons. However, the ajatar’s arrogance and power usually causes it to see itself as the dominant party in these partnerships.

An ajatar is about 9 feet tall on average, and weighs little more than 300 pounds.       

[justicegundam82]

D&D to PF1e Conversion: Gorbel

A simple and straightforward conversion from me, just as a cool exercise - the infamous Gorbel from earlier D&D versions. I think this creature makes for a pretty cool low-level threat, and despite its relative lack of options, can be rather challenging if set up correctly.

Again, as always, tell me where I can improve. XD

GORBEL

Artist unknown, (c) Wizards of the Coast

This balloon-like beast floats a few feet off the ground. Several sinuous stalks, each capped with an unblinking eye, emerge from the top of its body, and a pair of stubby clawed arms dangle under a drooling mouth filled with jagged teeth.

-------

GORBEL       CR 1

XP 400

N Small Aberration

Init +1; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8

--------

DEFENSE

AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)

hp 16 (3d8+3)

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3;

Damage Reduction 3/piercing or slashing

Weakness explosive

--------

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (poor)

Melee 2 claws +3 (1d4 plus grab), bite +3 (1d6, grabbed opponents only)

Special Attacks explosion, grab

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STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 6

Base Atk +2; CMB +1 (+5 grapple); CMD 12 (cannot be tripped)

Feats Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills Fly +3, Perception +8, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception

Special Qualities naturally buoyant

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ECOLOGY

Environment any underground

Organization solitary, pair or pack (3-8)

Treasure incidental

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Explosive (Ex): A gorbel brought to 0 or less hp by an attack that deals piercing, slashing or fire damage must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half the damage taken) or die immediately and explode, dealing 2d4 fire damage to all creatures in a 5 foot radius. All such creatures take half damage if they succeed at a Reflex saving throw (DC 12). The save DC is Constitution-based. A gorbel that is outright killed by the damage taken does not get a saving throw against this effect.

Naturally Buoyant (Ex): A gorbel's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 ft. with poor maneuvrability and grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

--------

Gorbels are subterranean hunters and predators that superficially resemble the dreaded beholder. Sages are uncertain whether they are a case of divergent evolution, a degeneration of a beholder line driven to feral behavior, or the primitive stock from which all beholderkin ended up evolving. Beholders reject any alleged relationship with their dull-witted cousins, and bringing up the resemblances between the two races in front of a beholder is unwise at best.

Unlike beholders, gorbels live in packs, though no real hierarchy has been observed among them as of yet. They simply attack ad try to eat anything that moves, or might have moved in the last few hours. A gorbel is an ambush predator, and mostly hunts by silently drifting down towards their target, then latching onto their victim with their claws, and bringing their hideous mouths to bear. Gorbel packs are known to cooperate to take down bigger prey, and are usually found in terrains that can provide cover for them, such as stalaticte-filled caverns, in order to offset their slowness.

A gorbel has no skeletal structure, its body being mainly composed of flesh, cartilage and hot gases that allow it to float in midair. These gases are a double-edged weapon for a gorbel, though. If exposed to air, the gases may ignite and cause a gorbel to burst in a fiery explosion. Entire packs of gorbels have been killed when a well-placed arrow set off a chain reaction in the group.

Gorbels are around 3 ft. in diameter, and weigh very little even for their contained size.           

[justicegundam82]

Now I'm getting really interested in this creature. Do you think it would be possible for a wizard to have a cabrichocho familiar, probably with the Imprived Familiar feat?

Thank you. ^^

Cabrichocho

“The Lab” © Anna Foley, accessed at her deviantArt page here

[Commissioned by @wannabedemonlord, the last of their Spanish monster series. The original prompt made them sound pathetic and lonely, whereas what sources I could find elsewhere made this creature just super horny and gross. I went for the sadder version. The original is just a blue sheep, but the search for art made me make it truly monstrous in appearance.]

Cabrichocho This small, withered creature looks something like a lamb but with grotesquely distorted features and a vaguely humanoid face. Its fleece is a bluish color.

A cabrichocho is at one disgusting and pathetic, a malformed creature with a kind heart that wants nothing more than to be loved. Feeling that their appearance is so grotesque that they could not be loved at sight, they frequently hide themselves from view and attempt to converse with passersby. They may throw their voices to avoid detection, claim to be an invisible fairy or ghost, or otherwise dissuade their conversation partners from trying to get a good look at them.

Unfortunately for a cabrichocho, their blood and hide is useful for the manufacture of many magical items, making them a tempting target for wizards and alchemists who know their true nature. Some cabrichocho are so desperate for someone to talk to that they let their loneliness get the better of their sense and come into the open and walk into traps. Although they can headbutt opponents and fly magically for short periods of time, their best defense is their own hideousness, which can send enemies retching and unable to act.

A cabrichocho is an omnivore of the most delicate type, feeding on the sap of trees, the nectar of flowers and butterflies. They are peripatetic creatures and rarely stay in one place for very long.  This frequent movement is both in order to try their luck finding new friends and in order to avoid attracting hunters. No two cabrichocho look alike, as their deformities are uniquely awful. One might have an overlong neck barely supporting its head, while another may have many misshapen limbs sticking out at odd angles, and a third could be covered in weeping sores or vestigial eyes and teeth.

Continua a leggere

[justicegundam82]

Well, now THIS is one cool creature! Instant fave, and I love how much its features remind me so much of real-life octopi. XD

Cephalonoid

Image © Terryl Whitlatch, accessed at CG Channel here

[Sponsored by Soluman Blevins, based on art that Terryl Whitlatch did for her book Principles of Creature Design. At one point in development, I intended for this to be one of the illithidae, but found myself getting more and more sympathetic to it, so changed the alignment away from evil. Thus, they became the rarest of monsters; an octopus creature whose behavior is actually based on that of an octopus.]

Cephalonoid CR 12 N Aberration This creature looks like a hybrid of an octopus and a carnivorous dinosaur. Its head is like that of an octopus, except that its beak is on a long stalk, emerging visibly from the nest of tentacles growing from its face. It walks on all fours, but it can rise on its hind legs like a gorilla. Its fingers and toes are jointless and tentacle-like, and a row of suckers runs down its back and along the upper surface of its tail. A coiling shell grows from the crown of its head, with an inflatable pouch beneath it.

Cephalonoids are strange sapient predators that resemble a hybrid of mollusk and vertebrate. They are amphibious, hunting either above or below the waves and then hiding underwater in order to sleep. Cephalonoids are curious and voracious creatures, and spend much of their lives either hunting or playing. These two activities are perhaps synonymous, as cephalonoids seem to enjoy playing with their food.

A cephalonoid’s primary strategy is to grapple prey and crush it while it struggles to escape. Their beaks are more extensible than those of true cephalopods, but still possess a shorter reach than its many grasping limbs. Creatures bitten by a cephalonoid are injected with a numbing venom, all the better to cut their struggle short and make them easier to constrict. A cephalonoid can spray toxic ink, which can form a concealing and enervating cloud both above and below water. They are highly resistant to mind-influencing magic, which has led some scholars to suspect that they have a link to aboleths, illithids, or one of any number of tentacle horrors with mental powers. Cephalonoids show these creatures no love, and may in fact prey preferentially on them if their ranges overlap.

Unlike the octopus they resemble, cephalonoids are long-lived creatures, with lifespans that can extend up to fifty years. They are territorial amongst their own kind and do not tolerate intrusion, except during mating season or in the guarding of eggs. Female cephalonoids lay their eggs in colonies called gardens, where they watch over them, fasting for months until they hatch. The young are then left to fend for themselves, and may be mistaken for mundane octopus for a few years before their skeleton grows in and they begin to move about on land. Cephalonoids do not understand concepts like domestication or private property, and may come into conflict with humanoids above or below the waves for raiding livestock.

Cephalonoid CR 12 XP 19,200 N Gargantuan aberration (aquatic, amphibious) Init +8; Senses blindsight 30 ft.,darkvision 60 ft., Perception +17

Defense AC 24, touch 10, flat-footed 20 (-4 size, +4 Dex, +14 natural) hp 171 (18d8+90) Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +14; +4 vs. mind-influencing effects DR 10/magic and [slashing or piercing]; Immune poison; SR 23 Defensive Abilities decentralized brain

Offense Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee bite +18 (2d4+9 plus poison), 2 slams +18 (2d6+9 plus grab), tentacles +18 (4d8+9 plus grab), tail slap +16 (1d12+4 plus grab) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. (10 ft. with bite) Special Attacks constrict (4d8+15), ink cloud, master grappler

Statistics Str 30, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 12 Base Atk +13; CMB +27 (+35 grappling); CMD 46 Feats Bleeding Critical,Critical Focus,Defensive Combat Training, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack (B), Power Attack Skills Climb +20, Escape Artist +24, Perception +17, Stealth +15, Swim +28; Racial Modifiers +10 Escape Artist, +4 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Aquan

Ecology Environment any ocean or coast Organization solitary, pair or garden (3-8) Treasure incidental

Special Abilities Decentralized Brain (Ex) A cephalonoid’s intelligence is distributed through its entire body. This grants it a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-influencing effects. Ink Cloud (Su) As a standard action, a cephalonoid can create a cloud of ink in a 30 foot radius, either above or below water. This ink impedes vision as a fog cloud spell, and creatures in the area must succeed a DC 24 Fortitude save or be sickened and staggered for as long as they remain in the cloud and for 1d4 rounds thereafter. A cephalonoid can make an ink cloud once per minute. This is a poison effect, and the save DC is Constitution based. Master Grappler (Ex) A cephalonoid gains a +8 racial bonus to CMB checks made to grapple; this replaces the usual +4 for creatures with the grab special attack. A cephalonoid does not take a penalty to grappling without having two free hands, and can grapple up to four creatures smaller than itself at the same time. Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 24; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4+1 Str; cure 2 saves. Tentacles (Ex) The oral tentacles of a cephalonoid are treated as a single primary natural weapon.

[justicegundam82]

D&D 3.5 to PF1e Conversion: Black Rock Triskelion

I have finally converted the last of the evil Elemental Avatars. I give you, the Black Rock Triskelion!

Well, not much to say about this one. I played around with its feats, mostly, so that it could do a better job as a destroyer. It felt a little weak for a CR 18 creature, so I hope this is closer to the mark.

Again, any suggestion is welcome.

BLACK ROCK TRISKELION

Image (c) Wizards of the Coast, illustration by J. Nelson

A living pillar of darkened stone, its frame covered in spikes and sharp ridges, lumbers on three stout, elephantine legs. It has three short arms, each ending in a sharp, hook-shaped point.

BLACK ROCK TRISKELION       CR 18

XP 153’600

NE Large Outsider (earth, elemental, evil, extraplanar)

Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 33, touch 8, flat-footed 33 (-1 Dex, +25 natural, -1 size)

hp 297 (22d10+176); fast healing 5

Fort +21, Ref +6, Will +18;

Defensive Abilities endure pain

Damage Reduction 10/adamantine and good; Immune elemental traits;

Spell Resistance 29; Weakness vulnerable to sonic

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., burrow 40 ft.

Melee 3 piercing arms +34 (2d6+13 / 19-20 / x4)

Ranged 6 spikes +21 (1d8+13 / x3)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks metallic strike, sharp edge, spikes

STATISTICS

Str 36, Dex 8, Con 27, Int 5, Wis 20, Cha 13

Base Atk +22; CMB +36 (+38 sunder, +40 bull rush); CMD  45 (47 vs. sunder, 53 vs. bull rush, 55 vs. trip)

Feats Awesome Blow, Bleeding Critical, Cleave, Critical Focus, Great Cleave, Greater Bull Rush (B), Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (piercing arms), Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Vital Strike

Skills Climb +24, Intimidate +22, Perception +25, Stealth +12 (+20 in rocky terrain), Survival +14; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in rocky terrain

Languages Terran

Special Qualities earth glide, earth mastery, stability

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Elemental Plane of Earth)

Organization solitary

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Earth Glide (Ex): A burrowing black rock triskelion can pass through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. If protected against fire damage, it can even glide through lava. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other sign of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing black rock triskelion flings the elemental back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save (CD 10 + level of the spell + bonus to the caster’s relevant ability score).

Earth Mastery (Ex): A black rock triskelion gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the triskelion takes a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. These modifiers apply to bull rush and overrun maneuvers, whether the triskelion is initiating or resisting these kinds of attacks. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

Endure Pain (Ex): Whenever a black rock triskelion fails a Reflex or Will saving throw against an effect that deals damage, it takes half damage if it succeeds on a Fortitude saving throw against the same DC. This additional saving throw affects only damage, not any other conditions that might apply from failing the original save. Effects that do not allow a saving throw (ex. a scorching ray spell) are not affected by this ability. 

Metallic Strike (Ex): A black rock triskelion’s natural attacks are treated as adamantine, cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and ignoring hardness.

Sharp Edge (Ex): The razor-sharp ridges covering a black rock triskelion’s body make its attacks particularly deadly in combat. A black rock triskelion inflicts quadruple damage on a confirmed critical hit with its piercing arms, and triple damage on a confirmed critical hit with its thrown spikes.

Spikes (Ex): A black rock triskelion can use the spikes covering its body as thrown weapons with a range of 120 feet and no range increment. It can throw up to six spikes each round. The spikes on its body grow back in a few seconds, so the black rock triskelion has a virtually unlimited number of shots.

Stability (Ex): A black rock triskelion is exceptionally stable on its feet. It gains a +8 bonus on its CMD to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground, but not when climbing, flying, riding or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground.

A black rock triskelion is a powerful elemental creature spawned by Ayrzul, the Fossilized King and the lord of evil earth elementals. Like all other elemental avatars, black rock triskelions are not natural creatures; Ayrzul must create a new one whenever he has need for it. Once created, a triskelion serves its elemental masters until destroyed.

Gifted with immense strength but scarce brainpower, a black rock triskelion is good at smashing things and little else. It is usually employed to guard an important site to the cult of the Fossilized King, or as a bodyguard of sorts to a powerful cleric, warding off attacks to protect spellcasters. Therefore, a triskelion is usually a front line against invaders. In certain cases, the cleric is even allowed to ride the triskelion into battle, but the creature will accept no other riders, and will violently, and usually lethally, object to anyone else attempting to ride it. In battle, a black rock triskelion tends to simply wade in the thick of combat and lay waste to its enemies with its three pickaxe-like arms, often trying to destroy the opponent's weapon and armor before finishing them off. Foes who can keep their distance are bombarded with razor-sharp shards of adamantine-hard rock, which the triskelion can fire at will from its rocky body. A black rock triskelion is supernaturally durable, and though it has little dodging ability, it often seems to just shrug off bombardments of destructive spells, advancing unabated to cut down enemy casters. However, it fears sound-based attacks, for such attacks can easily pierce through a triskelion's body.

Black rock triskelions are native to the Plane of Earth, but are often found in subterranean locales, typically in a temple of the Fossilized King. It stands about 16 feet tall, and weighs around 7'000 pounds.  

[justicegundam82]

Pathfinder Fanfiction: Prologue

Well... I thought I might allow myself a little bit of shameless self-promotion. XD

I have started publishing my own Pathfinder fanfiction, featuring my own take on the world of Golarion, and inspired by my gaming group's campaigns throughout the years. Book 1 of "Age of the Lost Omens" has just been published on fanfiction.net. For now it's just a prologue, but I plan on trying to update it as often as I can.

I also plan on publishing stats for the original characters that will appear in this story.

If you are interested in reading more, you can find this story at my fanfiction.net account here

All trademarks here are copyright of Paizo Publishing, Legendary Games or Wizards of the Coast. This story has been written for fun, and I'm not making any money out of this.

With that said, I hope you enjoy!

AGE OF THE LOST OMENS

BOOK 1: RISE OF THE RUNELORDS

PROLOGUE

"Lady Alaznist. I trust you'll pardon the intrusion."

A clear and eloquent, yet distinctly arrogant and cruel male voice echoed in the large, richly decorated sanctuary, just a moment after an imposing figure materialized at the entrance. Two pairs of indignant eyes abruptly turned to the intruder, who advanced with a confidence bordering on hubris, as though he was daring the inhabitants of the sanctuary to try and stop him. "The hour is at hand. Thassilon falls today." the man continued, with the same detachment he would have had if he had been talking about the weather. The magical flames that burned in the braziers neatly arranged in the salon spectacularly illuminated the man's figure - tall, with an impressive physique and a charming countenance, short jet black hair and a matching, well-groomed goatee. Complex runes were tattooed on his chest and arms, instantly giving him away for who he truly was - one of the seven Runelords, the immensely powerful wizards who ruled the satrapies that once were Thassilon.

The first of the two figures already standing in the sanctuary - a tall and statuesque middle-aged woman with long red hair, garbed in elegant red-and-gold robes, her face perpetually contorted in a wrathful expression - imperiously stepped towards the man. "How dare you be so impudent as to violate my sanctum, Xanderghul?" she thundered. "Your much vaunted pride will eventually lead you to your death!"

"You are not welcome here, Runelord!" growled the massive creature covered in purple scales standing next to the woman in red.

The man named Xanderghul, known as the Runelord of Pride, met such threats with an almost bored expression as he smoothed the long green cloak he was wrapped in. His collar, made in peacock feathers carefully weaved together, moved just a little as Xanderghul calmly approached. "Would you be so kind as to silence your creature, Alaznist, lest I be forced to banish it?" he asked presumptuously. "It would be remiss not to inform you that your council chamber can scarcely impress me. I have just come back from the throne room of the Emperor of Azlant himself."

The woman, Alaznist, approached Xanderghul until she was almost an inch away from his nose, trying to invade his space. "Azlant?" she growled. "So you would return to those who exiled us, like a kicked dog to its master? I knew you for a self-centered fool, Xanderghul, but I never thought you a traitor, too!"

Xanderghul gave Alaznist a sidelong glance. "Azlant lies in ruins." he replied. "It is but a shadow, a mockery of its former glory. And the emperor grows old and feeble. He has gone so far as to beg me to take his place upon the Throne of Glass." He swept his gaze around the council room. "And I must admit, it has got a certain ring to it. Xanderghul, Emperor of Azlant."

Alaznist's anger seemed to abate at least a little, and the woman broke away from Xanderghul and sighed. "And yet here you are, across the sea in Thassilon once again. I could not help but notice you are not even wearing a crown."

The showy Runelord of Pride shook his head. "Aroden, the hero of the cult, ruined everything." he replied, with a bitterness that slightly marred his presumptuous attitude. "He claimed the sword of rulership for himself. And since then, a great chaos thundered across the skies."

Xanderghul raised a hand and touched a mural that featured a strange symbol, resembling a seven-pointed star. "Now the empire is being ruled by the veiled masters. In fact, I suspect that has always been the case." he continued. "And when the succession didn't go their way, they summoned a hail of flaming stones from beyond the sky. They demolished the palace and shattered the throne. They want us to remember our place."

Alaznist frowned and stared at Xanderghul as the Runelord of Pride turned back to her with an elegant swirl of his cloak. "Azlant is dead. Thassilon is soon to follow." he stated. "And you... you were always my favorite, Alaznist. Let the other Runelords stay here and rot. You and I shall seclude ourselves from the impending storm, and emerge when the destruction is over. It will be then that you will help restore Thassilon to its former glory."

The woman dressed in red did not react, but she was privately seething with anger. Such arrogance, to think that she, Lady Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath, would stoop to being a stooge to someone else, even Lord Xanderghul. But at that moment, it would be a bad idea to act on her rage. With a considerable effort, Alaznist swallowed her venomous words and continued to stare at Xanderghul, who began to vanish with a simple wave of his hand.

"It is time, Alaznist. Enter your runewell. Prepare for a long rest. It will be many, many years before our next meeting." With these words, Xanderghul vanished entirely, leaving Alaznist and her servant alone in the great chamber.

The purple-scaled creature shook its horned head and waved its hand, showing sharp claws the size of billhooks. "We should have killed him while we had the chance, my lady." he thundered.

Alaznist put a hand on the creature's shoulder, its muscles feeling like hardened steel at her touch. "All in due time, my loyal castellan. All in due time." she replied in a more relaxed tone. "As much of a conceited fool as Xanderghul is, he is right. It is time for me to depart. And you must the fortress until my return. When the thundering is done and the shattered ruins of our kingdom awaken from the long night to come, I shall emerge from my runewell to build a new Thassilon."

The woman walked up to a window that overlooked a bleak landscape of ruin and destruction, a land devastated by the fiery stones that incessantly hailed from the lead-hued sky. "Use the Key I gave you to protect the fortress. The new era will need a proper seat of power. Bend the people to your will. Let them never forget the rule of Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath!"

The demon bowed his head. "As you command, o mighty Lady Alaznist." she replied. "How long will you be gone?"

Alaznist's grim face relaxed into an evil smile. "Do not worry. It should not take more than a few thousand years."

Outside, the meteor shower had intensified, razing everything at the foot of the great mountain... on the side of which stood the wrathful Runelord's sculpted face, staring in cruel contempt at everything that belonged to her.

For now, it was time to go. In time, Thassilon would be reborn, and the whole world would have to bow down to the Runelords once more...

oooooooooo

In another place, at the same time ...

"I figured they would make their move soon enough. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner." the glaive-wielding archmage standing in the center of the great hall remarked, vaguely amused. Dressed quite revealingly, in a sort of red and black leather costume that left little to the imagination, and holding an impressive pole weapon with a curved blade at each end in a single hand, the woman reached the center of the great red pentacle etched on the floor, which seemed to flow as if it had been drawn in blood. The two figures standing in the center of the pentacle silently waited for their mistress, and the woman gazed around the room, as if she wanted to imprint that familiar place in her mind before having to leave it for a long time. "Lord Xanderghul and Lady Alaznist must have already retired to their runewells, mighty Lady Sorshen." said one of the two individuals in the center of the room - an incredibly handsome man who seemed to be in his late twenties, boasting a model's stunning, sculpted physique, wrapped in elegant red robes decorated with golden runes, his bare chest and muscular arms decorated with mystical markings of the same color as the blood that permeated the pentacle... and the walls of the room. "We believe that Lord Karzoug will follow shortly... as for Lord Zutha, Lord Krune and Lady Belimarius, they are also taking the necessary measures."

"The Cenotaph is literally flooded with magical energy." answered the other man, a young man with short black hair dressed in an elegant white silk toga with a pair of golden sandals, silver bracelets on the wrists, and his face and shoulders decorated with small black runes. "Lord Zutha has taken drastic action."

"I understand..." Sorshen, the Runelord of Lust, answered, her mind going to the crisis her kingdom was going through. Never before had Thassilon been on the brink of destruction like it was right now. First Azlant, and now them...

The woman shook her head and pulled back her long, elegant black hair with a smooth gesture of her free hand. "I will admit that sharing my findings on the runewells with Xanderghul and the others... was not really my smartest idea. But right now, it would be pointless to regret it. What's done is done." The archmage walked towards an immense stone altar, on which stood a colossal statue representing the Runelord of Lust, standing completely nude with just her weapon in hand. With a chilling rumble, a few conducts yawned open in the walls as several stone slabs slid to the side, revealing red-encrusted ducts behind them. A moment later, rivers of thick scarlet blood began to flow from the ducts and pour into a great canal that surrounded Sorshen's power center. The scarlet liquid began to glow, bathing the room in a sick crimson glow, and a pungent smell of iron spread everywhere... but neither the woman nor her two attendants seemed disturbed in the least. Sorshen lowered her arm and turned to her two subordinates, tapping the ground with one of the blades of her polearm. "It is time for me to join my esteemed fellow Runelords in our millennial sleep." she stated, her voice tinged with irony. "When Earthfall is over, there will be much rebuilding to be done... and I'd rather it be done without undue interference. You already understand what I mean by that... do you not, Kazsethil?"

The woman gave a mischievous and seductive smile to the man dressed in red, and he responded in kind, bowing his head. The long, wavy brown hair framing his face moved slightly as Kazsethil looked into his lady's eyes. "We will perform our duty to the best of our abilities. Solusen and I will make sure that there will be no issue with your return."

Solusen, the man in toga and sandals, nodded in affirmation, as Sorshen temporarily stared into her subordinates' eyes, as if she was trying to read their thoughts without using magic. "That is satisfactory." the Runelord of Lust answered. "I will leave things in your hands, Kazsethil. I will be counting on you."

"But if you think I trust you completely, you have another thing coming." she added to herself.

oooooooooo

"HEH. FOOLISH HAIRLESS APES. IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU NOW. YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BY NOW, THAT THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO ESCAPE YOUR SERVITUDE."

The alien mind trapped under countless magical bonds in the impenetrable depths of the sea still retained some remnants of consciousness. His enormous psychic powers reacted to the events that were ravaging the surface world, sensing every single life that was being snuffed out, their terror and their sense of helplessness in the face of nature turning against them.

For the mighty veiled master Ochymua, high representative of the alghollthu on Golarion and commander of the ulat-kini legions, this devastation was his revenge.

"MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE DOWNFALL OF HUMANITY BEFORE I FALL TO THIS TIMELESS SLEEP. FOR SURE, FROM NOW ON, NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO OPPOSE THE ALGHOLLTHU DOMINATION... "

Ochymua was unable to articulate another thought before he sank into a timeless stasis...

oooooooooo

On that day, Earthfall changed life on Golarion forever...

But the alghollthu had underestimated the human race.

In time, even as the Azlanti were forgotten, humanity would rebuild what was lost...

The Runelords became nothing but a distant memory shrouded in the mists of time.

The memory of the veiled masters faded from the minds of the surface dwellers...

Ten thousand years after Earthfall, Golarion was a planet rich in cultures and creatures of all kinds. But its story was still troubled by wars, enmities and calamities.

With the death of the living god, Aroden, the world entered what was later known the "Age of Lost Omens". And in this era, Golarion prepares to face an even greater crisis...

oooooooooo TO BE CONTINUED...

[justicegundam82]

Pathfinder 2E to 1E Conversion: Lagofir

I've gotten another retro-conversion done... and before I tackle the last of the four Evil Elemental Avatars, I've decided to convert this oddly cute critter from the Quest For The Frozen Flame AP.

Its 2e stats can be found here

There is nothing really complicated about it, really. Its flammable aura still left me unsure for a while, though. Again, feel free to point out any mistakes I might have made. Enjoy.

LAGOFIR

Image (c) Paizo Publishing, accessed at aonprd.com here

This odd creature resembles an overgrown otter with the ears of a rabbit. Its body is covered in soft brown fur, and appears to be coated in some kind of oily substance.

LAGOFIR       CR 3

XP 800

N Large Magical Beast

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +10

Aura flammable fumes (15 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +3 natural, -1 size)

hp 30 (4d10+8)

Fort+6, Ref +8, Will +3;

Weakness flammable

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

Melee bite +7 (1d8+3 plus grab), slam +6 (1d6+3 plus push)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks flammable fumes, flammable oil, grab, push (5 ft.)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 9

Base Atk +4; CMB +8 (+12 grab); CMD 22 (26 vs. trip, 32 vs. grab)

Feats Athletic, Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills Climb +5, Escape Artist +14, Perception +10, Stealth +5, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +10 Escape Artist, +4 Perception, +4 Swim

Special Qualities cold adaptation, hold breath

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and cold rivers and lakes

Organization solitary, pair or family (3-8)

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cold Adaptation (Ex): A lagofir never suffers the effects of cold, and suffers effects from severe cold conditions as if it was simply cold. This ability does not give the lagofir any immunity or resistance to cold.

Flammable (Ex): The same body oil that the lagofir produce for self-defense makes it easy for them to catch fire. Any time a lagofir suffers any amount of fire damage, it must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + half damage taken) or catch fire, taking 1d6 points of fire damage each round for 1d4 rounds (as per the burn universal monster ability). A creature coated in lagofir oil (see below) suffers this same weakness.

Flammable Fumes (Ex): A lagofir is surrounded by fumes from the flammable oil it exudes. Each nonmagical open flame the size of a torch or larger within the emanation explodes, dealing 2d6 fire damage to all creatures and objects adjacent to the flame (Reflex DC 14 for half damage). The flame is extinguished after dealing damage. The save DC is Constitution-based

Flammable Oil (Ex): Lagofirs excrete a warm, flammable oil. Any creature that grapples a lagofir or is grappled by a lagofir becomes coated in lagofir oil for 10 minutes or until the oil is washed off, which takes 1 minute of vigorous scrubbing. This lagofir also gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple, and to their CMD to avoid being grappled. As long as a creature is coated in lagofir oil, it gains the flammable weakness (see above).

Hold Breath (Ex): A lagofir can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

A lagofir is a semi-aquatic creature of unknown origin, living in family groups near the banks of rivers and lakes. They are highly social and territorial creatures – they form tight social bonds with their brethren, and cannot handle solitude well. Individuals that have been isolated from a family group often sicken until they have found some other group to latch to. For this reason, a lagofir is hard to domesticate, though it is possible to tame and befriend an isolated individual. Once befriended, a lagofir is a stalwart and reliable companion, willing to risk its life for its family group. 

Lagofirs are omnivores, and subsist on fish, crustaceans, aquatic plants and the occasional small mammal, but have been observed engaged in cooperative hunting in order to bring down larger prey. They are clever beasts, with relatively advanced problem solving skills. Their front paws are surprisingly dexterous, enabling them to make use of simple tools, like stones for cracking shells or sticks to reach an elusive meal.

A lagofir costantly exudes an insulating oily substance that coats their fur and allows them to easily survive in cold climates and makes it difficult for prospective predators to latch on them. However, this substance can become a double-edged weapon for the creature, as an open flame can cause the oil or its vapors to ignite. For this reason, lagofirs seldom venture far from water.

Lagofirs measure an average of 8 feet in length and weigh around 300 pounds.  

[justicegundam82]

D&D 3.5 to PF1e Conversion: Holocaust Disciple

Here's the third of my conversions for the avatars of Elemental Evil - which I have turned into a servitor of Ymeri in the Golarion-verse. I've tried to make the Holocaust Disciple into something of a ranged combatant, in order to keep with its role in 3.5; still, there is the fact that a simple protection from elements spell will cripple this creature's offensive - which is why it is usually accompanied by tougher bruisers. Getting a holocaust disciple and a sufficiently aged red dragon with dispel magic to work together would probably make for a really dangerous encounter.

Again, enjoy and feel free to tell me where i can do better.

HOLOCAUST DISCIPLE

Image (c) Wizards of the Coast, from Monster Manual IV, author A. Stokes

Before you stands an imposing humanoid figure whose body seems to be made of pure fire. Its face is contorted in a wrathful grimace, and it wears a plain red robe that somehow is not consumed by the blaze.

HOLOCAUST DISCIPLE       CR 15

XP 51’200

NE Large Outsider (elemental, evil, extraplanar, fire)

Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +24

Aura heat (15 ft., DC 26)

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 18, flat-footed 20 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, +11 natural, -1 size)

hp 216 (16d10+128); fast healing 5

Fort +18, Ref +18, Will +14;

Damage Reduction 15/good; Immune elemental traits

Weakness vulnerable to cold

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., flying 60 ft. (good)

Melee 2 slams +23 (2d10+6 plus 2d6 fire plus burn)

Ranged flame bolt +24 touch (8d6 fire / 19-20)

Special Attacks burn (2d10, DC 26), flame bolt, flame wave, heat aura

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th, concentration +23)

     At will – fireball (DC 20), fire shield (warm only, DC 21)

     3/day – wall of fire

     1/day – meteor swarm (DC 26)

STATISTICS

Str 23, Dex 27, Con 26, Int 15, Wis 22, Cha 24

Base Atk +16; CMB +23; CMD 41

Feats Combat Casting (B), Dodge, Improved Critical (flame bolt), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Shot On The Run, Weapon Finesse, Wind Stance

Skills Acrobatics +21, Bluff +18, Fly +21, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (planes) +21, Perception +24, Sense Motive +18, Spellcraft +21, Survival +22

Languages Common, Draconic, Ignan

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Elemental Plane of Fire)

Organization solitary (plus followers)

Treasure standard, no flammable items

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Flame Bolt (Ex): A holocaust disciple can shoot a bolt of flames at a single target as a ranged touch attack. This attack has a maximum range of 200 feet with no range increment.

Flame Wave (Su): A holocaust disciple can generate a wave of flames rollingout from its body. Any creature within 60 feet of the holocaust disciple takes 15d6 points of fire damage and must successfully resist a bull rush maneuver or be knocked prone. A successful Reflex save (DC 26) halves the damage and negates the bull rush maneuver. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Heat Aura (Su): At the end of each of their turns, all creatures within 15 feet of a holocaust disciple must make a Fortitude save (DC 26) or become fatigued from the intense heat that surrounds the disciple. A creature that is already fatigued becomes exhausted instead. A creature must attempt this saving throw each round it is within range, whether or not it has succeeded on an earlier save. The fatigued and exhausted conditions remain until the creature remains within the disciple’s heat aura, and for 1 minute after it has left the aura. A creature that has resistance or immunity to fire is immune to this effect. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Unnatural beings of malevolent fire, holocaust disciples serve Ymeri the Queen of the Inferno, the ruler of evil fire elementals. They often accompany powerful priests of the Queen or covens of fire giants servitors, but their thirst for destruction causes them to chafe if they remain in stable locations for long. Holocaust disciples are the smartest of the elemental avatars, but they are constantly torn between their responsibilities and their innate destructive urges. Given free rein, a holocaust disciple would like nothing more than burn their mistress’ enemies and turn everything they cherish to ashes, but their position requires them to be patient, cunning and calculating, and to make sound decisions in order to further Ymeri’s will.

An holocaust disciple enjoys combat as a way to vent its perpetual rage. They are cunning combatants, but their impressive intellects are almost exclusively bent towards destruction. Usually, a holocaust disciple hangs back and flies above the battlefield, bathing its master’s enemies in withering flames while minimizing risks to itself. It prefers to work with creatures such as fire giants or red dragons, whose immunity to heat allows them to close in melee while shrugging off the disciple’s fiery bombardment. The very air around a holocaust disciple is overheated, cutting off its enemies’ breath and draining their strength.

In what spare time they have, many holocaust disciples enjoy collecting treasures that can withstand great heat, such as gems and magic items. They also love to collect coins to melt them down and reshape them into strange art objects. Collectors who specialize in alien, planar art forms would pay good prices for such finished works.

A holocaust disciple stands 16 feet tall, but weighs only around 20 pounds.  

[justicegundam82]

Oh, I know where you're coming from. I have rolled up quite a few TTRPG characters, and I've gotten pretty fond of several of them. XD

having brain rot about your own TTRPG character is so embarrassing. yes i love her and i think about her all day and i’ll take any excuse to talk about her. no, there’s no book or anything for you to read. she’s my emotional support rogue. she’s my fidget toy. i wish you could meet her. i made her up inside my head.

[justicegundam82]

[justicegundam82]

I'm positively loving this!

Congratulations on finally publishing Mormo! :D

Great Old One, Mormo

Image © @chimeride, accessed at his tumblr here

[Monster Number 1900! And, in honor of that milestone, I am finally, finally, posting the statistics for Mormo, Goddess of Predators. She's been haunting this blog for about a year now, being one of the prime movers and shakers in the Age of Monsters campaign seed I sewed back last May, and have been teasing with NPCs and articles. She was intended to have been posted as a capstone to the "Monster Girl Summer" theme last year, but life got in the way.

She is also written in tribute to @abominationimperatrix. Of all of the people who I have met through my writing, she is the one who is most dear to me, and the Age of Monsters was inspired by us going from friends and confidants to lovers and soulmates last April. The Age of Monsters is intended to be a campaign that ties into our shared love of thinking with monsters, about deep ecology, weird creatures and world mythology, and of the importance of love and trust in a time of global chaos and destruction. I love you, Goddess, my Dearest Friend.]

Mormo CR 28 N Outsider This titan is a reptilian humanoid the size of a giant. She has a nest of writhing serpents for hair and six arms, each ending in long sickle claws. She is a serpent from the waist down, although a mass of scar tissue reveals she once had two tails that grew like legs from a pair of hips. Her remaining tail ends in a bushel of thorny spines. A pair of wings like those of a primeval reptile grow from her back.

Mormo The First Medusa, Goddess of Predators N Great Old One of ecology, reptiles and terror Domains Knowledge, Scalykind, Strength, Trickery Subdomains Competition, Fear*, Thought, Venom Worshipers druids, goblins, gnolls, naturalists Minions monsters of all kinds (especially hybrids) Holy Symbol a medusa’s head in profile Favored Weapon claw (or sickle) *clerics of Mormo can use the Fear subdomain to modify the Trickery domain

Mormo is the Goddess of Predators. She was born from the fear felt by the first animal with enough imagination to see a shadow and think it a predator. For millions of years, she was bestial, primordial, little more than a serpentine shadow, but as sapience developed and the gods began to take interest in souls, her mind sharpened, and she became as dangerous for her strategies as her teeth and claws. Mormo views the natural world as one to be studied in order to best determine what to hunt and how to hunt it, with the unblinking patience of a snake. Her hunts, and those of her followers, are focused to maintain the active equilibrium of ecological balance—reducing overpopulated species, controlling trophic cascades, and taking out species that consume more than their fair share of resources.

Mormo was once called the Mother of Monsters, and many species of monster found throughout the planes are her descendants. Mormo’s descendants tend to be creatures that combine mammalian and reptilian or avian features; griffons, medusae, chimeras and dragonnes are among her creations. In the past, she had many lovers and created new species with their lineages. The most notorious of these collaborators was Typhon, a Lord of Hell and former asura rana, created from the divine mistake of allowing dragons to proliferate. Despite his evil nature, Typhon truly loved Mormo, and spread cults of her under the alias “Echidna”. Mormo cared little for her humanoid followers, preferring the worship of the powerful individual monsters who hunted by her side. But Mormo also had enemies. And she was gazed upon with hungry eyes by Lamashtu, then a demon of infanticide who sought to become the Lord of Beasts and Queen of Demons. And Mother of Monsters.

Lamashtu ambushed Mormo, and was victorious after a battle that lasted for a full day. Lamashtu ripped the baby from Mormo’s womb and raised him as her own; this is Typhon’s last son, Abraxas. Lamashtu tore off one of Mormo’s twin tails, which regenerated into a cancerous creature on its own right. This was the origin of Geryon, who spread treacherous lies suggesting that Typhon and Lamashtu were lovers. This got Typhon demoted and murdered by Asmodeus; Geryon took Typhon’s place as a Lord of Hell and spent millennia erasing his predecessor from history. The blood that spilled from both combatant’s wounds grew into creatures with serpentine and humanoid traits; Mormo’s blood became the first nagas, and Lamashtu’s the first mariliths. And Mormo was slain, reborn as a mundane snake to regenerate in the First World for centuries, and maintaining her cosmic sulk for millennia more

But now Mormo stirs in her slumber. And she is ready to take her revenge.

As befits a Goddess of Predators, Mormo is a terror in combat. Millennia of dormancy and a closer tie to the natural world than other Great Old Ones has stripped her of an unnatural presence, but her fourfould gaze can petrify, paralyze, terrorize or merely strike enemies dead. She is extremely venomous, and those that have survived her venom report, chillingly, that it induces euphoria even as it breaks down tissue into a bloody mess. She uses her fangs (both in her own mouth and those in her serpentine hair) and claws in melee, and can fire the spines from her tail like arrows. One of Mormo’s most recently developed talents is witchcraft. She has made an arcane bond with the phouka Gigi, and Gigi treats Mormo as a patron even as Mormo treats Gigi as a familiar for storing spells. Gigi spends most of her days separate from Mormo on the Material Plane, and so Mormo usually maintains a small spell selection through Spell Mastery. If she is encountered with Gigi, Mormo has access to a much wider variety of spells (all witch spells from the Core Rulebook at least).

The cult of Mormo is small and scattered, but the First Medusa pays it much more heed than she did in her youth. Religious rituals include studying nature and monsters (either through texts or in the field), hunting for food, and mock chases and hunts among the congregation. Supplicants often use makeup, costumes, and illusion and transmutation magic to appear as different types of predators and prey for these hunts. Once someone is “caught”, the result is play fighting, sex or both instead of actual killing or consumption. Mormo’s worshippers value diversity of all kinds, and are often allies of other divinities with portfolios involving nature, scholarship and hedonism. As goblin and gnoll societies break free of Lamashtu’s influence, they often find Mormo, and her cult is growing fastest among these two species.

Mormo CR 28 XP 4,915,200 N Huge outsider (Great Old One) Init +22; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +42, scent

Defense AC 45, touch 26, flat-footed 37 (-2 size, +8 Dex, +10 insight, +19 natural) hp 688 (32d10+512); fast healing 20 Fort +26, Ref +26, Will +27 DR 20/epic; Immune ability damage, ability drain, aging, cold, death effects, disease, energy drain, flanking, mind-influencing effects, paralysis, petrification; Resist acid 30, electricity 30, fire 30; SR 39 Defensive Abilities freedom of movement, immortality, insanity (DC 38), otherworldly insight

Offense Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft. fly 60 ft. (average) Melee 2 bites +44 (2d6+14 plus poison), 6 claws +44 (1d12+14/19-20), tail slap +39 (3d8+21 plus grab) Ranged 6 spines +38 (1d8+14) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks constrict (2d8+21),devolutionary nightmare, favored enemy (+6, +4, +4, +2, +2), fourfold gaze, poison, powerful blows (tail slap), rend (2 claws, 1d12+21) Spell-like Abilities CL 28th, concentration +40 Constant—freedom of movement, true seeing At will—cloudkill (DC 27), dream, fear (DC 26), greater animal aspect, greater scrying (DC 26), greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs objects only), nightmare (DC 27), pernicious poison 3/day—quickened baleful polymorph (DC 27), quickened bloody claws, finger of death (DC 29), polymorph any object (DC 30), reincarnate, stone to flesh 1/day—discern location, maze, moment of prescience, plane shift (DC 29), shapechange

Spells CL 20th, concentration +32 9th—quickened cure critical wounds (x2, DC 27), dominate monster (DC 31), shapechange (x2) 8th—quickened divine power (x2), quickened enervation, horrid wilting (x2, DC 30), mind blank 7th—extended greater heroism, heal (DC 29, x2), quickened vampiric touch (x2), waves of ecstasy (DC 29) 6th—quickened bull’s strength, greater dispel magic (x3), greater heroism (x2) 5th—cure critical wounds (DC 27, x2), extended divine power, feeblemind (DC 27, x2), quickened mage armor 4th—extended arcane sight, divine power (x2), enervation (x3), neutralize poison (DC 26) 3rd—arcane sight, ray of exhaustion (x3, DC 25), vampiric touch (x2) 2nd—bull’s strength (x2), cure moderate wounds (DC 24, x3), perceive cues (x2) 1st—comprehend languages (x3), divine favor (x3), mage armor 0th—detect magic, read magic

Statistics Str 39, Dex 27, Con 42, Int 34, Wis 24, Cha 35 Base Atk +32; CMB +48 (+52 grapple); CMD 66 (cannot be tripped) Feats Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim,Extend Spell, Greater Sunder, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quicken SLA (baleful polymorph, bloody claws), Quicken Spell, Spell Mastery (x2) Skills Acrobatics +44, Bluff +47, Diplomacy +44, Fly +38, Intimidate +47, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, geography, local, religion) +44, Knowledge (nature, planes) +47, Perception +46, Sense Motive +42, Spellcraft +44, Stealth +35, Survival +45, Use Magic Device +44; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception Languages Aklo, Draconic, Infernal, Sylvan, telepathy 100 ft. SQ no breath, planar acclimation, swift tracking, thagomizer

Ecology Environment any land or underground (First World) Organization unique Treasure double standard

Special Abilities Devolutionary Nightmare (Sp) Any creature affected by Mormo’s nightmare spell like ability must succeed a DC 38 Will save or be affected by a primal regression spell for the next 24 hours. Favored Enemy (Ex) Mormo gains the favored enemy ability of a 20th level ranger, except that she can change what creature types and subtypes count as her favored enemies after resting for 8 hours. Fourfold Gaze (Su) Mormo has a gaze attack with a range of 60 feet. She may change the effects of her gaze, or suppress it, as a free action once per turn. The possible effects are: 1. panicked 1 minute (Will DC 38) 2. paralyzed 1 round (Will DC 38) 3. petrification (Fort DC 38) 4. 200 points of damage (Fort DC 38 negates) This is a mind-influencing effect, and the saving throw is Charisma based. Immortality (Ex) If Mormo is slain, she is reborn as a viper on the First World. Every 100 years, Mormo gains a size category until she reaches Huge size, whereupon she molts her skin and is reborn in her true form. Planar Acclimation (Ex) Mormo is always considered to be on her home plane, regardless of what plane she finds herself upon. She never gains the extraplanar subtype. Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 42; duration 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 2d4 Con damage and stunned 1d4 rounds; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution based. Spells Mormo can cast spells as a 20th level witch with the Strength patron. The spells listed above are the ones Mormo has taken Spell Mastery feats to prepare. Spines (Ex) As a standard action, Mormo can fire six spines from her tail. Treat each spine as a ranged attack roll with a thrown weapon with a range increment of 100 feet. Each spine deals 1d8 damage plus Mormo’s Strength modifier on a successful hit. Swift Tracking (Ex) Mormo does not suffer a penalty to Survival checks made to follow tracks at her normal speed, and only takes a -10 penalty for following tracks at double speed. Thagomizer (Ex) Mormo’s tail slap attack deals bludgeoning and piercing damage.

[justicegundam82]

D&D 3.5 to PF1 Conversion: Cyclonic Ravager

Here's the second of the four Avatars of Elemental Evil I have converted. I hope I've learned my lesson from my previous attempt, and that this conversion hits closer to the mark.

Still, I think I could have afforded to have Strike Of Seven Winds do a little more damage. Please let me know, and as always, enjoy. ^^

CYCLONIC RAVAGER

This creature is a vaguely humanoid-shaped whirlwind whose face only consists of a pair of eerily glowing white eyes. Dirt and debris churn endlessly within its body.

CYCLONIC RAVAGER       CR 15

XP 51’200

NE Large Outsider (air, elemental, evil, extraplanar)

Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +24

DEFENSE

AC 30, touch 26, flat-footed 20 (+7 deflection, +10 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)

hp 225 (18d10+126)

Fort +17, Ref +21, Will +13; improved evasion

Defensive Abilities air mastery

Damage Reduction 10 / good; Immune elemental traits

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect)

Melee 2 slams +27 (3d8+9 plus push) or smite of seven winds +27 touch (10d6)

Special Attacks buffeting winds, powerful blows (slam), push (slam, 10 ft.), smite of seven winds

STATISTICS

Str 23, Dex 31, Con 24, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 19

Base Atk +18; CMB +25; CMD 45

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Stand Still, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse

Skills Acrobatics +25, Bluff +18, Escape Artist +25, Fly +30, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (planes) +20, Perception +28, Sense Motive +20, Stealth +29, Survival +26; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth, +4 Survival 

Languages Abyssal, Auran, Common

Special Qualities deflecting winds

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Elemental Plane of Air)

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against a cyclonic ravager.

Buffeting Winds (Su): Once every 1d4+1 rounds as a standard action, a cyclonic ravager can cause a tremendous surge of storm-strength winds in a 100-foot-radius burst centered on itself. A creature within this area must succeed on a DC 25 Reflex save or be pushed up to 30 feet in a direction of the ravager's choice. A creature may choose to fail this save voluntarily. A ravager can push a creature to a location outside the area of this effect, but the pushed creature cannot end up in another creature's or object's space.

A creature takes a -4 circumstance penalty on this save per size category below Medium. Bigger creatures gain a +4 circumstance bonus per size category above Medium. When the ravager activates this ability, it can choose to affect some creatures within its area while ignoring others. The save DC is Strength-based.

Deflecting Winds (Ex): A cyclonic ravager controls the air around it to knock aside sword blows, arrows, and even magical rays. The ravager gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Constitution bonus (+7 for the average ravager).

Smite of Seven Winds (Su): Once per round, a cyclonic ravager can forgo all normal attacks to execute a melee touch attack on a single target. This attack generates a brief but intense gust of wind that rends the opponent, inflicting 10d6 points of slashing damage. A successful Fortitude save (DC 26) halves the damage, but creatures of the construct and ooze types and creatures of the elemental subtype are immune to this effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

A cyclonic ravager is a powerful elemental agent of Hshurha, doing the will of the Duchess Of All Winds throughout the planes. It is often employed as a defender of sites sacred to Hshurha or important positions in the everlasting war against her opposite number Ranginori, often accompanied by numerous air elemental myrmidons, evil cloud giants or invisible stalkers. They are also often seen assisting clerics of Hshurha and complementing a temple’s defenses. However, Hshurha is a mercurial and unpredictable mistress, and not even her most faithful servants can be sure of her endgame – therefore, a cyclonic ravager can often appear in unexpected locations without any apparent rhyme nor reason, only following the Unseen Whirlwind’s insane whims.

As mysterious as their origins and objectives may be, no one doubts the cyclonic ravagers’ power and cruelty. They enjoy toying with their opponents, using their mastery over the wind itself to unleash punishing gale blasts that push opponents into unfavorable positions or draw them towards the raging elemental, allowing it to batter them to death. A single opponent that earned the ravager’s wrath will be subject to its signature attack: a whirlwind of air currents within the opponent’s body that can tear the victim’s body apart from the inside out. Other than that, a ravager hangs back to direct its allies in melee, using its winds to move them into better tactical positions.  

A cyclonic ravager stands about 16 feet tall, but only weighs about 5 pounds.

[justicegundam82]

Ucelat

“One Fire” © “Atenebris”, accessed at her deviantArt gallery here

[Commissioned by @justicegundam82​. I’ve known about Atenebris’ fanged bird monsters for years, and knew I wanted to use that design for something. This Northern Italian monster fit the bill nicely. Here is the only English language source I could find. Some Italian sources accessed on Google Translate suggested that the hunter was attacked for poaching birds, not just while hunting them. This inspired the “overzealous guardian of nature” approach I took in my flavor text.]

Ucelat CR 7 NE Magical Beast This immense creature is mostly birdlike. Its head bears the ears and mane of a horse, and its mouth is packed with sharp tusk-like teeth. Its muscular legs end in curved talons, and it appraises the world around it with glimmering eyes.

The ucelat is a guardian of primal nature that resents the intrusions of humanoids into the natural world. They are evil, but theirs is the evil of disproportionate retribution—all infractions against the unspoiled wilderness are to be punished by death. As such, they often count among their allies evil druids or more sinister fey. Their greatest enemies are the gods of civilization, who they see as upstarts and worthy only of scorn.

An ucelat commonly patrols its territory from on high, soaring above the hills and mountains it calls home in search of intruders. These it dives upon, often bombarding them with magically conjured rocks to weaken them before swooping down to clutch and tear their flesh. Ucelats have magical control over fire, and can use it to lash out at foes that shelter in places too small for them to reach. It is widely rumored that ucelats can be defeated with holy weapons or turned like the undead, but the truth is that they fear honest faith. A holy relic frightens them less than the prayers of those who believe in that relic’s power.

An ucelat has a wingspan of about thirty feet. They are long lived, and can survive several centuries if not slain in combat.

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