Blog Archive

Saturday 16 March 2013

A two for 1 special; spawning creatures and their never lonely mistresses

A two for 1 special; spawns and the spawning maiden mistresses!

Again what I looked for and not finding what I wanted in any d20 type material. Spawned creatures, that are fairly common in video games, yet, nothing really usable in the core material. The threat of these creatures should be enough to put the fear into your players, or make them never want to leave the dungeon until they max out!.

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Template: Spawn

Spawn are a horrid abomination that arise due to magical plants which mutates other creatures into lesser versions of the original. The spawning maiden or one of its spawn slaves usually takes a wounded creature and takes it back to Maiden`s lair and is then buried in the soil around the spawn-maiden.  After twenty hours, the Spawning Mother can release a monstrous replications of the specimen host. They can copy the beast again by taking two hours for every base HD of the copied beast.  All spawn-children are telepathically controlled.

The original creature is unharmed in the process and must be alive at the end of the twenty hour process. Once the first copy is made, the original host may be killed, released or just ignored by the spawn's monstrous replications depending upon the need of the spawn clan.  While these replications are much weaker than the original host, the spawning rift is able to replicate at an incredibly fast rate.  A specimen host can provide spawn no more than once per point of constitution, so the spawning rift must always be careful in its tactics. It can use its own created spawn as a new specimen host, but all of the penalties are increased and they do not gain the benefit of a higher constitution.

Spawn are mind weakened creatures that exist to serve the spawning maiden that created it. They know nothing more than battle or any other task as they are commanded. These abominations are unable to reproduce and have no emotions or memories of their own.

CREATING A Spawn
“Spawn” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead or other aberrations).

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to aberration. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. They appear the same as the base creature, except their colouring and odor seems off in some small ways; survival DC 11+HD to notice something wrong.

Hit Dice: Spawn lower than 3 HD, lose 1 HD, but never have less than 1 HD. Spawn lose 2 HD if greater than 4 HD, they lose 3 HD if lower than 9 HD, and 4 HD if their base is higher than 10 HD. It is extremely rare for spawn to gain levels or grow in size or HD, but if they do, they advance as a fighter regardless of what their base creature’s advancement rules.

Speed: Remains unchanged.

Armor Class: Natural armor bonus is unchanged.

Attacks: A spawn retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature, adjusted for their lower strength.  However, often these spawn do not have access to equipment – so they are forced to use slam attacks.

Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally.

Special Attacks: A spawn retains all of the base creature’s special attacks.

Special Qualities: Spawn creatures retain any extraordinary special qualities and gain the following special qualities.

Hive Mind: All spawn are under telepathic domination from its Spawning Maiden when within 5 km of its creator and follow orders explicitly. If farther away from the rift, will follow its last orders, if the orders no longer make sense, they return to their lair to receive new orders. If the Spawning Maiden is killed, the spawn become free but will always act as one group, attempting to establish a territory of its own and continue to take prisoners.

Corporeal Instability: Spawn are made with instable material, once they are brought down to fewer than zero hit points they immediately lose form, collapsing into a puddle of icky, sticky, messy ooze.

Improved Formation fighting (Ex): Spawn can act as apart of a unit it fighting with their Spawning Maiden.  When fighting with their Spawning Maiden they gain +1 for every ally attacking the same foe.

Saves: Recalculate based on new ability scores and HD.

Abilities: A spawn’s strength and dexterity, decreases by -2, it’s intelligence and charisma drops by -4 (never lower than 3) and it’s constitution increases by +4.

Skills: Spawn keep all skill points from its base creature, even if they should normally lose them from the drop in HD or ability points.

Feats: A spawn keeps any feats it has from its base nature (even if they should lose based on decreased HD.) and gains Improved Formation fighting.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Colony.
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always neutral evil.
Advancement: As fighter.

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Spawning Maiden  CR 10

NE Large Plant
Init +4;low-light vision,scent; Perception +17

DEFENSE
AC 17  touch 7, flat-footed 17 (-1 Size, -2 Dex, +10 natural)
HP 102 (12d8+48 con)
Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +8

OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft.
Melee 2 tentacles +13 (2d6+6)
SA Natural Camoflage, Poison, Improved Formation fighting, Blindsight, Plant Qualities

STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 7, Con 19, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 10
Base Atk +9 CMB +13 CMD 21
Feats: Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Improved Initiative, Imp Trip, Imp Sunder, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Skills  Intimidate+8,  Knowledge ((Plant, Local, Dungeon)+12), Perception +17

Environment: Any Underground
Organization: Solitary
Treasure: Double

Alignment: Always neutral evil.
Advancement: 13 - 18 HD (Large), 19 - 32 HD (Huge)


A mottled tan coloured mushroom 6 ft tall, with splotches of brown and yellow spots cover the exterior, while odd looking it does not seem to be dangerous. It's tentacles look like regular roots except when in use strangling opponents.

Spawning Maidens on first glance tall mushrooms found in isolated locales surrounded by small mushrooms growing on the ground and possibly cave walls around it. But those who represent a threat will immediately see a hundred “eyes” appear where its eyes were as it co-ordinates the attacks of various spawn creatures that are all around it. These smaller mushrooms are the replicated which burst open once the spawned creatures are mature.

Long before ever directly facing a spawning shroom, the party will likely face encounters will be with dozens or hundreds of spawned beasties. While incredibly prolific in spawning, these Spawning Maidens carefully watch production, as they may not need nourishment, the replicated beasts do. Spawning Maidens may send their “children” to battle but will not willingly create creatures just to see them starve. They can only copy or spawn creatures that are smaller then they are. They are more likely to spawn lesser HD creatures (gnolls, goblins, etc) that they can order to come into the underground depths.

Combat
Spawning Maiden do not negotiate or even converse with other creatures, whenever a non-spawn is in it’s lair it will usually command it’s spawned offspring to attack. The only exception are those who may not recognize the Maiden for what it is and could potentially pass-by without causing difficulty.

Natural Camoflage: Unless an opponent recognizes the Maiden, (knowledge nature DC 22), it will appear to be a tall but innocuous plant.

Tentacles: It has 10 feet reach, and will use trip and sunder attacks to weaken enemies as appropriate.

Poison: Once per five rounds, Spawning Maidens can release poisonous spores which affects all non-spawned creatures in a 60 feet radius. (Fort DC 17, slow / 1d6 str)

Control Spawn: Spawning Maidens telepathically control all spawn within a five mile radius; this is a free action.  It cannot be stopped or usurped in any known way.

Improved Formation fighting (Ex): Spawning Maidens act as apart of the formation, so they gain +1 for every spawned ally attacking the same foe as them.

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Medusa Elder



One of the buffed Master creatures that I have created to use to surprise players so they don't get complacent. These Medusa are not evil, they do not seek to cause suffering unless you enter into their courts uninvited, try and steal from them or you fail to entertain them. They have no desire to harm song-boys or artists or those obviously weaker under their care. They can be bargained with, and keep true to their word, if you can get them to make an agreement.

Medusa Elder

CR10 LN Medium monstrous humanoid
Init+6; Senses all-around vision,darkvision 60 ft.; Perception+17

DEFENSE
AC 18,touch15, flat-footed 13 ( +5 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 105 (10d10+50)
For +8 Ref +12, Will+9

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger+13/+8 (1d4/19–20), (four) snake bite +13 (1d4 plus poison)
Range: mwk longbow +14/+9 (1d8/×3)
Special Attacks gaze attacks

STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 14, Wis13, Cha 17
Base Atk +15; CMB+11;CMD 26
Feats Improved Initiative Point-Blank Shot Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +12, Disguise +12, Intimidate +15, Perception +17, Stealth +16;
Racial Modifier +4 Perception
Languages Common

Medusa Tyrants or Elder Medusa appear the same as mythlogical Medusa, except they have magical snakes in their hair, far greater then the legendary ability to turn creatures to stone. Some scholars believe they are either an advanced form or are descendants of the primal Medusa creature.

They enjoy music and stories and grand displays of arrogance, they always seem to be lonesome figures and always want to be entertained over acquiring more wealth. If pleased, they reward their jesters lavish though non-magical gifts. Their favorite pets are bards, who are well treated, often staying with their patron for days until getting close enough to realize what their mistresses are.

Prefer not to raid or attack other humanoid lairs. Will lure their guests first to a dungeon complex, and then eventually to a mini-palace, where the Medusa is holding court, to a mix of lower level good, neutral and chaotic creatures. These Ladies rule the court, but few realize just who or what she is as she always keeps her snake-hair well hidden. She will often challenge adventurers to a Gaunlet or Challenge, and in the middle of the challenge this is when the Medusa and her retinue will attack. Most often, the adventurers will perish without ever knowing their Lady is also the mysterious Medusa that attacked them suddenly.

Their inner lair is completely light-less cave, that has only one secret entrance. Few creatures that are ever invited, return. 

Most Medusa have three gaze attacks, roll below to determine type. Once a creature saves agaisnt that gaze, they are immune to it for the next week.  Thirty foot Gaze Attacks: As a 12th level spellcaster, DC 18; 

Roll 2d6 to determine gaze type
2. ESP
3. Hold Person
4. Charm Person
5-8 Petrifying Gaze
9. Freezing Gaze (as stone, except it lasts for 1d12 hours)
10. Paralyzation Gaze  (as stone, except it lasts for 10d12 minutes) 
11. Polymorph Gaze (rat or rodent)
12. Feeblemind Gaze