Marsh Tides

Beware the tides of marsh!

This region in Wastaru is filled with mashlands and barrier waters. Looming overhead is a ring of volcanoes which constantly simmer, causing the water to heat up and the local bestiary to panic and stampede. The droopy trees in the marshlands extend out into the ocean about 1/2 mile off of the shore, wherein the water has a black hue and a tar-like consistency. There is death in those waters.

The marsh tides are the home of the kakataur, a prehistoric alligator/lizard/dinosaur beast. These creatures are very deadly, as they blend in to the wilderness and attack with monstrous fangs behind 1/2 ton frames.

The marsh tides are also the home of the slithe, a great serpent of the marsh. These creatures sneak up and then wrap their 20' long, slender bodies around their prey, leaving them no hope of survival.

The tides rise and fall, leaving the area well ventilated and constantly altered. The paths through the marsh change with each tide, so humans rarely venture into this region, and almost never make it out alive.

(map to follow)

Ice Kobolds

Ice Kobolds: These Kobolds have a blue-white color to their scales and a natural resistance to the cold (cold subtype: cold immunity). They worship the white dragons that live on the arctic shelf and throughout the barrier mountains. There is enmity between them and the beast-men that share these mountians, but they do not make war on each other. They come into frequent conflict with the gnomes and to a lesser extent with the dwarves that live to the mountains to the west of them.

Their king is a fighter 5, sorcerer 8, dragon disciple 5. Also of note among them is a powerful sorcerer who builds fantastic constructs for use as war machines, some in the aspect of the dragons they worship. He often must work with other magic-users to complete these constructs, but has the support of the king and good access to the resources he needs.

Ice Kobold Characters

Ice Kobold characters possess the following racial traits.

* Cold Subtype: Ice Kobolds are immune to cold damage, and take 150% of damage from fire.
* -4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
* Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits ¾ those of Medium characters.
* An ice kobold’s base land speed is 30 feet.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Racial Skills: An ice kobold character has a +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.
* Racial Feats: An ice kobold character gains feats according to its character class.
* +1 natural armor bonus.
* Special Qualities (see above): Light sensitivity.
* Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.
* Favored Class: Sorcerer.
* Level adjustment +0.

Athiest Domain

An athiest priest does not believe in any gods, instead drawing their power from the faithless and other forces one can believe in. As such, they are a powerful force that works against the holy and unholy powers that be (or be not). Since they do not draw their power from a particular god, they seek not the favors of deities. Instead, they draw power from those in the local populace and vicinity who are unbelievers. Their power differs greatly in different lands. In holy lands, they are neigh powerless, whereas in more godless lands, they usually wield a power equal to clerics of the holier lands.

They wield a non-holy magic, and their spell damage is less healable by their holy and unholy brethren.

They also gain the ability to cast spells to bring about certain non-holy/unholy effects that are otherwise similar to the divine versions. In fact, most spells are available to athiest clerics, though those with holy or unholy in the name or description are strictly forbidden.

The most effective athiest clerics maintain a true neutral alignment, however, all alignments are open to athiests.

At all levels, athiest clerics may attempt to counter any divine magic, called "disbelieving." This is done similar to the counterspell rules for arcane magic.

Athiest Domain Spells

1st: Shaky Faith - like cause fear but non-holiness.
2nd: Invisibilty to the Faithful - invisibility to anyone of faith. No effect on the faithless.
3rd: Faithlessness - An anti-prayer, same effect but from faithlessness.
4th: Expose - expose one of faith's hypocrisies.
5th: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt - strike fear uncertainty and doubt in the hearts of men.
6th: Faithlessness Strike - Like flame strike, but with faithlesness as the weapon.
7th: Separation of Church and State - create zones where gods cannot meddle in the affairs of men.
8th: Mass Faithlessness - strike fear, uncertainty and doubt in many hearts of men.
9th: Coincidence - like miracle but emanating from a secular place.

GenCon part 4

Here are a few video clips from my favorite part of GenCon 2007 - "Monte Cook Speaks". Here Monte speaks about a variety of things: take a look.



An interview with Monte Cook at GenCon 2007. Monte talks about what it's like to be at GenCon as a participant instead of a vendor for the first time. He goes on to talk about the removal of demons and devils from D&D in 2nd edition,



Monte talks about "A Paladin in Hell", and his experience writing that during a time when TSR had removed the demons and devils from Dungeons & Dragons.



Monte talks about the last days of 2nd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, the reasons for the success of 3rd edition, and what that means for the upcoming 4th edition.



Monte gives some advice on getting into the gaming industry.

For more about Monte Cook, check out his site here.

GenCon part 3

Costumes! There were lots of great costumes at gencon... I didn't want to just stop people all weekend long and take pictures with my crapy camera, though, so I just took a couple here and there. Here's a sample of what was to be seen:





So, till next time, here's me and (young) Old Ben, reminding you to watch who you mess with!

GenCon part 2

So the True Dungoen was awesome. They wouldn't let me take any pictures, so sorry about that. I ended up, totally randomly, being put into a party with my buddy Dan who I haven't seen in a year. I played a paladin. There were two options for the dungeon run, combat and puzzle. We did the puzzle run, which had four or five great puzzles of varying difficulty. Two we just couldn't figure out at all, and the other three involved some trial and error, and some loss of hit points before we finished them. It was very immersive: everything looked really good, from the decomposed skeleton lying on the ground to the monster costumes, to the floating eyeball and the pitch black "passage through the shadow plane".

Then, when you were done, you could hang out in the Green Griffon Tavern, a medieval-looking tavern with a cash bar. Dan and I had a drink and caught up. I'm thinking about opening one such tavern here in Austin, right next to the game store, with a bar, snacks, and tables big enough to game on in the back. Whadda you think? Would you come to a medieval tavern, to hang out or to game at?

After that I went to their "black and white" ball, a dance in one of the opulent hotel ballrooms. The DJs were up on a balcony and responded well to requests accompanied by bribes. They kept doing that annoying thing where they'd shut the music off during the chorus, forcing the crowd to shout the words out loud. So basically they hired wedding DJs. But the dance was lots of fun anyway.

So, my favorite parts of the con? Miniatures. I just love those elaborate playscapes, be they large or small. Here's a couple of pictures of my favorites.

This was the centerpiece of the huge RPGA room: five foot tiles and a life-size troll and beholder.

And of course, lots of small sets (click on any of them for a larger image).

So, check back tomorrow for one more post about my nerd adventures at GenCon, with some of my favorite products I saw there and costumes, costumes, costumes!

GenCon part 1

So just a few quick notes on GenCon. This is my first time at Gencon but I know already it won't be my last. I haven't been to a con in a long time, about 17 years, but I'm really glad I came.

I arrived the first night and just wandered around confused. You'd think that at a gaming convention there would be easier maps. But the real cause of the problem was the sheer size of the thing. GenCon is the entire convention center, all three floors, and all the ballrooms and conference rooms in five or six hotels.

Lots of great costumes too. Another post to come with those pictures soon.







So Thursday was a waste, except for finding out that not only do people still play classic Battletech, but that this company has secured the license and is publishing it, with the rules streamlined, and some sheets for mechs already filled in. It's like they took all the suck out.

Today was much better. I spent all day going to various forums on game design and publishing, which if you read this blog you can safely assume I'm interested in. I also went to all my favorite publishers in the dealer's room and talked to them some. The folks at Goodman Games, makers of Dungeon Crawl Classics, and the people at Paizo, who put out Dungeon Magazine, all said they liked the look of the issues of Claw / Claw / Bite! that I brought with me. Plus, I got to touch Monte Cook! So today was a good day.

Look! I'm saying something and Monte is listening to me!!!! ---->

Anyway, I'm about to go run through the "True Dungeon", a life-size dungeon that you actually adventure through yourself! Footage of that coming soon, if all goes well.

Phase Living

It's just a phase... he'll get over it.

This spell was discovered by the elder wizard Faduardo Gantonín in the Phyloctæte, who was hell-bent on prolonging his life. Sadly for him, he never made it very far (only a round forward and a round back), but other mages have since put this magic to good use in less grandiose contexts. Occasionally, mages will need to cast this on themselves to synchronize with items they have phased out of existence, for instance when an object which has had phase object cast upon it is dispelled or otherwise disrupted while the object is out of time (and thus out of mind).

Phase Living (Time / Transmutation) Lvl 7

Transmutation [Time]
Level: Cleric 7, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Effect: One living being shifts in time in defined cycles
Duration: 1 cycle/level (see text)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

By waving her index finger and repeating the verbal component, Os-Il-Ayt-Mi, the caster shifts the target in time one round forward or back from the present, alternating back-present-forward-present and so on for 1 cycle/lvl. The caster must continue the verbal component at relative intervals (after each cycle) to maintain the spell. This doesn't interfere with other spells since the verbal component is so simple.

If cast on an unwilling target, the caster must overcome the target's willpower.

The Greater version of the spell (9th level) allows the caster to shift a number of beings up to half their level a number of cycles up to their level into the future and past.

Caesinthurirl, deep forest dragon

This Deep Forest Dragon lives in the far northern reaches of Elsemere Wood.

Caesinthurirl CR 13
male young adult iron dragon
Ng large true dragon
Init: +0 Senses: Listen +?, Spot +?
Aura: frightful presence (DC 23)
Languages: draconic, sylvan, common, elvin, gnome, goblin,

AC: 27 (-1 size, +18 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 27
Damage Reduction: 5/magic
HP: (HD 19d12+76)
Immune: acid and electricity
Spell Resistance: 20
Fort: +15 Ref: +11 Will: +15

MV: 40 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Attack: bite +24 (2d8+6)
Full Attack: weapon bite +24 (2d8+6), 2 claws +19 (1d6+3), 2 wings +19 (1d6+3)
Attack Options: Breath Weapons (wind or electricity)
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Base Attack: +19 Grapple: +28

Abilities Str 23 Dex 10 Con 19 Int 18 Wis 19 Cha 16
SQ: DR 5/magic, SR 20, acid and electricity immunity
SA: spells, spell-like abilities, breath weapon
Feats: Name,
Skills: Name +?,

Spells Available: casts as 5th level sorcerer with access to druid spell list and strength domain. Spell DCs are 13 + spell level.
0th: (6/day): resistance, daze, detect magic, arcane mark, read magic, dancing lights
1st: (7/day): shield, mage armor, expeditious retreat, silent image
2nd: (5/day): invisibility, whispering wind

Spell-Like Abilities (Su): 3 / day: calm emotions, wind wall. 1 / day: call lightning. Possessions: horde:

Breath Weapon (Su): A iron dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of wind and a cone of lightning. Creatures within a cone of wind must succeed on a strength check opposed by DC 23 or be moved away from the dragon as though bull rushed (1 ft for every 2 points by which the check is failed). The cone of electricity does 10d6 points of damage, and half that on a successful DC 23 reflex saving throw.

Tinleaf Trupacious

The end result of Faduardo Gantonin's apprentice Yoranda Delane's attempts to create an assistant and friend, sinch she had little emotional support from Faduardo or anyone. Locked away in the lab researching Faduardo's various temporal magicks, she developed the Phase Guardian. Tinleaf Trupacious was meant to be the next step toward more human-like constructs.

It is neither living, nor dead, nor undead. It occupies that space at the intersection of the three. He performs actions as if alive, but cannot think beyond his rudimentary tasks, and does not eat or sleep. It does, however, require maintenance.

Tinleaf Trupacious (CR 4)
Medium Construct

Hit Dice: 7d10+20 (54 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11
Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., find master, guard, low-light vision
Special Defense: Phasing
Spell Resistance: 50%; Immune to all spells when out-of-phase, susceptible when in phase.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

The tall, lanky figure seems to disappear completely every few seconds, reappearing a few seconds later. For a moment, you can make out the symbol of an hourglass, but only for a moment. Its body seems made of a metallic leafy fiber, which wraps around the carapace like scales or links of a chain.

Forever oscillating in and out of phase with the current time, Tinleaf Trupacious is a slave to time and its master. When one is fashioned, the phase guardian is keyed to a particular magical timepiece. Henceforth, it regards the wearer of that timepiece to be its master, protecting and following that individual everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so).

Tinleaf obeys its master's verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for beyond simple manual labor and occasionally a simple conversation. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times, down to six second accuracy, if it's in phase when the alarm goes off. The wearer of the timepiece can call Tinleaf from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.

Tinleaf is 6 feet tall and weighs a mere 100 pounds. It cannot speak, but it understands commands given in any language, though only in six-second increments, when it phases out of time. Its true master can phase with it, as can any mage with phase self.

Combat

Tinleaf was not designed for combat and is thus horrible at it.

Find Master (Su): As long as Tinleaf and its timepiece are on the same plane, it can find the timepiece wearer.

Guard (Ex): If ordered to do so, Tinleaf moves swiftly to defend the wearer of its timepiece, blocking blows and disrupting foes. All attacks against the timepiece wearer take a –2 penalty when Tinleaf is adjacent to its master.

Phase Other (Sp): Forever oscillating in time, Tinleaf must phase through time. If the Phasing is ever dispelled or otherwise disrupted, Tinleaf is trapped in whatever time it is disrupted in, and begins losing hit points at a rate of 1HD/rnd.

Construction

Tinleaf is built of tinleaf, a magical plant-metal alloy. The materials cost Yoranda Delane 15,000 gp. The timepiece also runs on two ounces of magesilver, kept within an hourglass that constantly resets itself every round, the amound of time it takes for the magesilver to flow from the top bulb of the hourglass to the bottom one.

Creating the body required a DC 16 Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (carpentry) check. The keyed timepiece is fashioned at the same time, and its cost (20,000 gp) is on top of the cost of Tinleaf itself. After the body was sculpted, Tinleaf was animated through an extended magical ritual that required a specially prepared laboratory or workroom (she borrowed Faduardo's). A similar lab, such as an alchemist's laboratory would cost 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and the ritual can be performed together.

CL 9th; Craft Construct, limited wish, discern location, shield, phase other, caster must be at least 9th level; Price 40,000 gp; Cost 32,500 gp + 2,300 XP.

Timepiece

If Tinleaf's timepiece is destroyed, it ceases to function until a new one is created. If the wearer dies but the timepiece is intact, Tinleaf carries out the last command it was given.

Drop Vine

This undead plant grows over common dungeon passages and gaps in the forest.

These wandering vines wrap themselves around trees and survive on moonlight through a process called lunasynthesis. They slowly draw nutrients from the soil and their unwilling hosts, invading dimly-lit natural groves, mausoleums and other such locales where they can acquire better sustenance from the fluids of corpses.

Underground, these plants' roots and tendrils will often stick through the soft soil ceilings of natural caverns, which drop down upon their tender prey.

Drop Vine CR 5
Undead plant
Neutral Evil Medium plant
Init: +2 Senses: Blindsight 45 ft. Listen +1, Spot +1
Aura: Fatiguing Radiance 30 ft.
Languages: none

AC: 16 (+5 Natural, +1 Dex) touch 11, flatfooted 15
HP: 70 (HD 8d12)
Immune: Unholy
Fort: +5 Ref: +2 Will: +3
Weakness: Holy

MV: 10 ft.
Attack: +3 vine 1d6+3
Full Attack: 2 attacks with +3 vine 1d6+3
Attack Options: improved grab
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Base Attack: +6 Grapple: +17

Abilities Str 16 Dex 13 Con - Int 3 Wis 12 Cha 13
SQ: undead and plant traits
SA: improved grab, blood drain
Feats: Improved Grapple, Weapon Focus Tendril
Skills: +8 Move Silently

Possessions: whatever was left by previous victims: standard treasure.

Improved Grab (Ex): Upon a successful melee attack, drop vines can attempt to start a grapple with their enemies. Upon a successful grapple, they will draw their victims in toward their central body. If they are successful, they get another attack.

Blood Drain (Ex): At the start of its round, each living creature caught in a grapple with a drop vine will take 1d4 points of constitution damage.

Blindsight (Ex): Drop Vines have no visual organs but can ascertain all foes within 45 feet using sound, scent, and vibration.

Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can use one of those skills instead of Spot to notice the plant. Dwarves can use stonecunning to notice the subterranean version.

Undead and Plant Traits:

- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
- Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain.
- Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
- Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, disease, and death effects.
- Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
- Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.

Deep Forest Dragon

Just in time for GenCon, here's another new True Dragon for you to use in your games. For anyone going to Indianapolis, I'll see you at the gaming table!

-Adam "doom" Thompson


Known variously as Storm Dragons, Iron Dragons, and Deep Forest Dragons, these dragons are very wise and calm, like an ancient sequoia. They spend their time outside of their lairs hiding as part of the landscape once the are old enough to blend in. Often, iron dragons are friendly to druids, as their calmness lends to neutral tendencies. In general they are very reclusive, hiding in forest and mountain terrain. They bear a great enmity to green dragons, who they consider pushy, rapacious and cruel.

Among other elder forests, Deep Forest Dragons live in the untainted part of Elsemere Wood.

Storm / Deep Forest / Iron Dragon
Iron Dragon
Size/Type: Dragon (Earth)
Environment: Temperate forests, hills and mountains
Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2-5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1-2 and 2-5 offspring)
Challenge Rating: Wyrmling 4; very young 5; young 7; juvenile 10; young adult 13; adult 15; mature adult 18; old 20; very old 21; ancient 23; wyrm 24; great wyrm 26
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: neutral good with lawful tendencies
Advancement: Wyrmling 8-9 HD; very young 11-12 HD; young 14-15 HD; juvenile 17-18 HD; young adult 20-21 HD; adult 23-24 HD; mature adult 26-27 HD; old 29-30 HD; very old 32-33 HD; ancient 35-36 HD; wyrm 38-39 HD; great wyrm 41+ HD
Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +4; young +5; others —

A iron wyrmling’s scales are green-gray with iron highlights. As the dragon approaches adulthood, its color gradually dulls into reds until the hide has the color of a moss-covered redwood. Iron dragons have vestigial wings that do not allow them to fly but that assist them in burrowing.

Combat

Iron dragons are generally calm and do not seek out combat except when faced with intrusively destructive or aggressive foes. Stealth and ambush are the chief tactics of iron dragons. After preparing with barkskin and magic fang, they will burrow up beneath foes or lie camouflaged and use call lightning to harry foes before showing themselves.

Breath Weapon (Su): A iron dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of wind and a cone of lightning. Creatures within a cone of wind must succeed on a strength check opposed by the breath weapon DC or be moved away from the dragon as though bull rushed (1 ft for every 2 points by which the check is failed). The cone of electricity does damage as listed below.

Skills: Hide, Wilderness Lore, Knowledge (Nature), and Spellcraft are considered class skills for iron dragons.

Iron Dragon Abilities by Age

Age	Speed	Initiative	AC	Special Abilities	Caster Level	SR
Can also cast druid spells and those from the Strength domain as arcane spells.
Wyrmling	40 ft., Burrow 20 ft.	+0	17 (+1 size, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17	immunity to acid & electricity	—	—
Very young	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	19 (+9 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19	Calm emotions 3 / day	—	—
Young	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	22 (+12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 22	Wind wall 3 / day	1st	—
Juvenile	40 ft.,Burrow 30 ft.	+0	24 (-1 size, +15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 24	DR 5/magic	3rd	—
Young adult	40 ft.,Burrow 30 ft.	+0	27 (-1 size, +18 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 27	Call lightning 1/ day	5th	20
Adult	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	29 (-2 size, +21 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 29	DR 10/magic	7th	22
Mature adult	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	32 (-2 size, +24 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 32	Plant growth 1 / day, Rusting Grasp 1 / day	9th	24
Old	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	35 (-2 size, +27 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 35	DR 15/magic	11th	26
Very old	40 ft., Burrow 30 ft.	+0	38 (-2 size, +30 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 38	Control winds 1 / day, Transmute Metal to Wood 1 / day	13th	27
Ancient	40 ft., Burrow 40 ft.	+0	39 (-4 size, +33 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 39	DR 20/magic	15th	29
Wyrm	40 ft., Burrow 40 ft.	+0	42 (-4 size, +36 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 42	Earthquake 1 / day	17th	30
Great wyrm	40 ft., , Burrow 40 ft.	+0	41 (-8 size, +39 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 41	Control weather 1 / day	19th	32

Iron Dragons by Age

Age	Size	Hit Dice (hp)	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha	Base Attack/ Grapple	Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Breath Weapon (DC)	Frightful Presence DC
Wyrmling	S	7d12+7 (52)	13	10	13	14	15	12	+7/+4	+9	+6	+5	+7	2d6 (14)	—
Very young	M	10d12+20 (85)	15	10	15	14	15	12	+10/+12	+12	+9	+7	+9	4d6 (17)	—
Young	M	13d12+26 (110)	17	10	15	16	17	14	+13/+16	+16	+10	+8	+11	6d6 (18)	—
Juvenile	L	16d12+48 (152)	19	10	17	18	19	16	+16/+24	+19	+13	+10	+14	8d6 (21)	—
Young adult	L	19d12+76 (199)	23	10	19	18	19	16	+19/+29	+24	+15	+11	+15	10d6 (23)	23
Adult	H	22d12+110 (253)	27	10	21	20	21	18	+22/+38	+28	+18	+13	+18	12d6 (26)	26
Mature adult	H	25d12+125 (287)	29	10	21	20	21	18	+25/+42	+32	+19	+14	+19	14d6 (27)	27
Old	H	28d12+168 (350)	31	10	23	22	23	20	+28/+46	+36	+22	+16	+22	16d6 (30)	30
Very old	H	31d12+186 (387)	33	10	23	24	25	22	+31/+50	+40	+23	+17	+24	18d6 (31)	32
Ancient	G	34d12+238 (459)	35	10	25	26	27	24	+34/+58	+42	+26	+19	+27	20d6 (34)	35
Wyrm	G	37d12+333 (573)	39	10	29	28	29	26	+37/+63	+47	+29	+20	+29	22d6 (37)	37
Great wyrm	C	40d12+400 (660)	43	10	31	30	31	28	+40/+72	+48	+32	+22	+32	24d6 (40)	40

Shadow Mastiffs

Here's another encounter from the upcoming adventure The Horror of the Old Ones. A group of shadow mastiffs hunt this portion of the Elsemere Woods.

Here in the deep shadows of the thick canopy, beyond the foliage to the side of the trail, there is a gully with what appears to be a deep cave or burrow in it's side.

Creatures: a pack of shadow mastiffs calls this cave home. Having heard the approaching party, they have spread out along the path in two pairs and wait in the shadows, with total concealment due to their shadow blend ability.

Shadow Mastiffs (4): HP: 27, 27, 28, 29

Tactics: The two pairs will pounce on, flank and trip the two weakest looking party members. If successful in tripping someone, one will take the opportunity on their next round to howl, hoping to panic and scare off those not being attacked. If brought to half hit points the dark hounds will pull back and howl, hoping to thin the numbers of their foes. If unsuccessful in scaring anyone they will flee once brought to 1/4 hit points.

Treasure: Within the cave, amongst the bones of many creatures, there are 200 gold, 2000 silver, a jeweled anklet worth 1000 gold, and a ring of blinking (worth 27,000 gold).

Crafting Artificer Prestige Class

This five level prestige class is for casters who specialize in crafting magic items. Each level reduces the total time to create a magic item by 10%.

Prerequisites:

Skills: Craft (any) 7 ranks.

Feats: Skill Focus (concentration), any three Item Creation Feats

Class Features

Hit Dice: 1d4

Class Skills: The artificer’s class skills are the same as the class skills of the class that they advance their spells / day in. For example, if the crafting artifacer's spells per day goes up for cleric spells, their class skills for that level are the cleric class skills.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The Crafting Artifacer

Level	Base Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Other
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Item craft time reduced by 10%, spells per day +1 level of existing class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Item craft time reduced by 20%, spells per day +1 level of existing class
3rd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Item craft time reduced by 30%, spells per day +1 level of existing class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Item craft time reduced by 40%, spells per day +1 level of existing class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Item craft time reduced by 50%, spells per day +1 level of existing class

Item craft time: As crafting artifacers gain class levels, the amount of time it takes them to craft magic items is reduced. Thus, at 1st level of crafting artifacer, a magic item that costs 1100 gp to create takes one day, instead of two. At 5th level, the crafting artifacer can create magic items twice as fast as normal magic item crafters: 2000gp per day.

This reduction in crafting time does not in any way reduce the other costs related to magic item creation, including XP cost.

Spells per day: When a new crafting artifacer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of crafting artifacer to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Eviscerate

Eviscerate
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None

This spell removes the flesh from already dead corpses, leaving only bone. The caster determines what parts of the body become clear of flesh.

A Touch of Magic or A Touch of Faith

For some people, by an accident of birth, or a confluence of the stars, or a blessing by a fairy godparent, there is a certain natural ability for magic, or a special blessing by the gods. This affinity or blessing allows these people to cast a few small spells every day.

Requirements:
These feats are only available to characters who do not have any spellcasting abilities when they take them. They allow the character to cast a few low-level spells in spite of a lack of extensive magical or ecclesiastical training.

If choosing cleric or druid spells, the character must have a wisdom of 10 or higher. If choosing wizard spells, the character must have a intelligence score of 10 or higher. And if choosing bard or sorcerer spells, the character must have a charisma score of 10 or higher.

Benefit:
Option 1: the recipient of this feat can cast one 0th level spells per day. This spell must be prepared from either the cleric, druid or wizard list. The recipient of this feat must choose which list at the time that they take this feat. If choosing wizard, use the character's intelligence score to determine save DCs, and if cleric or druid, use wisdom. These spellcasting abilities require a holy symbol or a spellbook just as the spellcasting abilities of the classes they mimic.

Option 2: the recipient of this feat can cast two 0th level spells per day. These spells can be cast spontaneously, and require no preparation. At the time the feat is chosen, the recipient must choose three spells from either the 0th level sorcerer or the 0th level bard spell lists as the available "known spells" from which to cast this spell. Use the character's charisma score to determine spell save DCs.

Regardless of which option is chosen, these spells are considered separate from and stack with any spells gained from spellcasting class levels takes after taking this feat. Bonus spells from high attributes apply normally to these spells per day (although according to the ability score table, no one ever gets bonus 0th level spells).

Issue 8

Without further adieu (or delay), here is issue 8, featuring mountain passes and their denizens.

This issue of Claw/Claw/Bite! includes

• Four new creatures, including the Loxodon and Stone Trolls
  
• Several new campaign locations
  
• Two new encounters
  
• Four new magic items, including a spell component that lets casters spontaneously maximize their spells
  
• Two new spells
• Four new NPCs: necromancers, half-silver dragons and more!
  

For a free preview, click here.

Get it HERE now!
And you can check out other issues of Claw/Claw/Bite! HERE

Caricature

Caricature
Illusion (Figment)
Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Save: Will negates

Mirror image's mischievous cousin, caricature creates an image of the target with certain features "accentuated" as determined by the caster. This image superimposes over the target, providing an illusory perspective of the target to onlookers. The image follows the target as she moves. The caricatures mimic the actions of the target, pretending to cast spells when the target casts a spell, drink potions when the target drinks a potion, appears hurt when the target is hurt, and so on.

Enemies attempting to attack or cast spells at the target must roll to see if they hit the illusion or the target. Any successful attack against the caricature destroys it. A caricature's AC is 10 + the target's size modifier + the target's Dex modifier. Caricatures seem to react normally to area spells (such as looking like they’re burned or dead after being hit by a fireball), much like a mirror image.

Common features to be accentuated include the lengthening of the nose, changing the appearance of facial hair, or the appearance of certain facial gestures, such as incessant smiles.