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Sunday, 24 August 2014

Jawatha - Desert Dwarven wanderers & bandits

Jawas from Star Wars were always a favorite creature of mine. A friend and I had created our own language and made so many jokes about their size, demeanor and cuteness. They were always seen by me as dwarf or gnome-kin when I thought of them in the fantasy gaming genre, so here is the fantasy version.

Jawatha

Sand Dwarves (Jawatha) CR 3
CN Small monstrous humanoid (Desert)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +2

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, + 2 natural, +2 leather)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.
Melee: Dagger +2 (1d4)

STATISTICS

Str 8 Dex 14 Con 13 Int 13 Wis 10 Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Skill Combat Expertise, Imp Trip
Minor Skills: Appraise, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Magic), Knowledge (Desert), Handle Animal, Stealth +2
Major Skills: Disable Device +5, Use Magic Device +5
Languages Dwarven, Elven, Tenderfoot, Any 3 others

ECOLOGY
Environment: Desert
Organization: Scouting Party (1-6), Caravan (100-300)
Treasure Normal

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Stone Immersion: With one round of concentration, a Jawatha can temporarily merge themselves with stone or sand. They cannot travel or walk through the stone, merely step into it. They can perceive their surroundings with 75% reduction in range. They are able to stay in the stone for ten minutes per point of constitution.

Immortality: A Javatha`s spirit upon physical death leaves their body and returns to their spirit crypt, and if family has raised their stone copy, they are reborn. It takes ten days after rebirth for them to have full control and emerge from their stone crypt. There is a 75% + 2% / level chance that any Jawatha will have their stone copy ready. Reduce this by 25% if they had died in the three months previously.


One of the first generations born in the Phastian desert, they are unique because they are considered both mortal AND planar beings. Shorter and thinner than regular dwarves, they cover themselves in heavy robes, usually only their hands and glowing eyes can be seen. They cannot grow beards and no one can ever recall seeing any female Jawatha, they do exist but seem to be at most 20% of the population.

As planar beings, they are technically immortal as they do not die from either starvation or from old age.
They erect stone statues that perfectly imitate one of their kin, when that specific person is killed their spirit is reborn; but if their statue is not ready, their spirit is lost forever. Sometimes, one will awaken though it is not a old spirit, this very infrequent event is treated the same as a birth. 

They do not eat or drink in a traditional manner, they absorb their nutrients via touch, usually during the hour before sunrise or sunset. This is a highly personal act that they rarely share with outsiders. While many stories are told of them swimming in pools of refuse, this is untrue, they merely need to touch the food with any part of their skin, usually the hands or in the company of non-kin with mouths. While they do not starve, when overwhelmed by their surroundings, they go into a comatose state emerging when the environment is safer. 

Wonderful carvers, fighters, singers with a curiosity around magic especially crafted items. For the most part, these dwarves live in caves far from civilization. A smaller number roam the desert in caravans, eternally searching for items to buy and sell.

Advancement as Humanoid for Saving Throws, and BAB
4 HD +2 to any ability score; +3 in skills; +2 to Desert Reaction
5 HD Gain Any 1 Minor Feat; +3 in skills; +1 in Natural AC
6 HD +2 to any ability score; +3 in skills; +2 to Desert Reaction
7 HD +1 in Natural AC; Gain Desert Adaption
8 HD +2 to any ability score; +2 to Desert Reaction
9 HD Gain Any 1 Minor Feat; +3 in skills
10 HD +2 to any ability score; +3 in skills, +1 in Natural AC; Gain Any 1 Major Feat
11 HD Bypass Magical Traps or Locks, +2 to Desert Reaction
12 HD Gain Any 1 Minor Feat; +3 in skills, +1 in Natural AC, Magic Resistance 20 on traps
12 HD +8 in skills; +1 in Natural AC; Gain Any 1 Major Feat **
14 HD +4 to any two ability scores; +3 in Natural AC;

Desert Inhabitants Bonus Reaction: Jawatha's have terrible initial reactions from desert inhabitants, as their fame for scrounging for food, magic or simply their curiosity leave many feeling upset at just the sight of these scavengers. However, as they age and gain experience, they learn how to temper their unseemly ways and to reach out to others. These reaction bonuses are the daily total bonuses from desert creatures that are aware of the Jawatha's. Thus a 10 HD Jawatha can use one +10 reason bonus once a day, or any combination, so two +5 bonues, etc.

Minor Feats:
Speak with Stone: as per the spell, twice a day
Stone Teleport Level I: Twice a day during their stone immersion, they can jump from one stone to another as long as it is within 100 feet.
Stone Teleport Level II: Five times a day they can jump from one stone to another within 500 feet
Walk thru Stone: After stone immersion they can walk through stone at ten feet a round. They can stay moving in the stone 1 round per 3 points of constitution. They can do this once a day
Stone Elemental Minor Resistance: 10

Major Feats
*Stone Shape: Able to change stone shape as per spell of the same name three times a day
*Stone Familiar: Create an animal familiar that lasts for 10 minutes. As base animal, except may have one unusual feature: +5 AC, Fly (Speed 30), Attack +2, Dmg +4
*Stone Elemental Resistance 20

Stone Teleport III: Twice a day during a stone immersion they can teleport themselves and allies within twenty feet of them to another stone within 100 miles.(Require ST I & II)

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