Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Wyrd Bearer 10-16-05, 04:39 PM	Insidious Doll Small Construct HD: 2d10+10 (21 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 10 ft AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +2 NA, +2 Size), T 13, FF 14 BAB/Grapple: +0/-8 Attack: - Full Attack: - Space/reach: 2 1/2 ft/0 ft Special Attack: Siphon Life Special Qualities: Construct traits, aura of dispair, DR 1/Adamantium, SR 15, innocence of children Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities: Str 6, Dex 12, Con -, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 15 Skills: Disguise +9(+19 posing as a human child), *Hide +12, Move Silently +6 Feats: Skill Focus (Disguise) Climate: Any land (usually where humans are found) Organization: Solitary CR: 2? Treasure: Usually none; if any, then 1/2 standard money, no goods or items Alignment: always neutral evil Advancement: - LA: - With tattered clothing and dirty hair, this creature appears to be a female human child. The creature weeps and huddles in the corner of a dirty alley and for all the while, appears to be a distraught and helpless child. Her flesh bunches and gathers at her joints in a strange manner. Unlike the human girl the insidious doll mimics, it is far from helpless. Actually a malevolet undead spirit bound to a construct, much like an elemental to a golem, an insidious doll possesses no physical attack. Presenting itself in such a fashion that passerbys can't help but stop and try to aid it; once they are close, the doll uses its aura of dispair to dehibilitate the victim before moving in to feed on the prey's essence. An insidious doll speaks common. Siphon Life (Su): Bestows 1d2 negative levels each round the victim is pinned by the doll. An insidious doll only uses this ability against helpless creatures, ones stricken by its aura or otherwise unable to fight back. To a casual passerby, the doll appears to be a tiny child snuggling up against a larger sleeping person. A closer inspection (DC 20 Spot check) reveals a tiny stream of black, crackling energy flowing from the victim to the doll. Aura of Despair (Su): As a free action, the insidious doll can raise or suppress its aura of despair. Creatures within 15 feet of the doll must make a Will save (DC 13) the first time they are exposed to the aura or else suffer the effects of a doom spell that lasts for as long as they remain within the aura. If they remain in the range of the aura for a whole minute, they must make another Will save (DC 13) or else drop to its knees (treat as prone) as its own self doubt begins to cripple the victim. A victim who fails that previous save (and is rendered prone by this effect), must make another Will save (DC 13) a minute later if they yet remain in the range or else fall unconcious. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect. Whenever the insidious doll has its aura active, its eyes drip as if crying. Innocence of Children (Su): Created by a foul necromancer, an insidious doll is a near perfect representation of a human child. An insidious doll has a +10 bonus on disguise checks to pass itself off as a living human child. Also, the nature of the doll prevents casters from thinking of attempting to divine its true nature. Anyone wishing to target the doll with a Divination spell or effect must first succeed at a DC 13 Will save to even use the spell or effect (even if successful, the effect may fail due to the doll's SR). *As a tiny creature, the doll gains a +8 size bonus on hide checks. ======== So, is this creature about CR 2? It would decimate commoners, as it should, but I think PCs would be quite resistant to it.
Wyrd Bearer 10-18-05, 08:48 PM	Fishing for a :bump:
Hedstrong 10-18-05, 10:41 PM	Scary, i had a dream bout one of these things the other night, scared the **** outa me, cold sweat and all. Looks great to me, not really much i cans ay other then great job.
Wyrd Bearer 10-19-05, 12:18 AM	Scary, i had a dream bout one of these things the other night, scared the **** outa me, cold sweat and all. Looks great to me, not really much i cans ay other then great job.Wow, you had a dream about something like this? Ick. I haven't dreamt of these but they were inspired by a conversation with my g/f. She suggested that I make a monster that uses people's fears against them and from that this was spawned.
Hyrael the Dreamer 10-22-05, 01:17 PM	WOW. Very creepy. this belongs in heroes of horror. very inspired. I am so using this in my new capaign, once my party levels up to 2. It doesnt fit the far realm theme, but it works as a short interlude, and creates the feeling of creeping terror i'm going for.
Hedstrong 10-22-05, 08:59 PM	Wow, you had a dream about something like this? Ick. I haven't dreamt of these but they were inspired by a conversation with my g/f. She suggested that I make a monster that uses people's fears against them and from that this was spawned. Yes, i am known in my area for having the craziest dreams, this wasnt the EXACT same thing, but pretty friggin close. it is very well done, and one of the PC's in my campaigns, got a lil girl, PERHAPS shell receive a "gift" from that nice old man down the street. :plotting:
Wyrd Bearer 10-24-05, 06:15 PM	Cool, I'm pleased to see people taking interest in using this critter. I've been meaning to work it into my campagin (I printed off the stats and every thing and brought it to the last two sessions but completely forgot to have the PCs "hear a quiet sobbing coming from a side street." If people do include it, if its not too much of a bother, could you talk back on how the Aura of Despair works out? I'm feeling that its pretty clunky right now and I'm working to polish it up into a smoothly working mechanic (maybe if I acquire HoH I could see how the Dread mechanics work and work them into it if they're decent).
Benjamin Regis Death 10-24-05, 08:17 PM	Nice job this thing will scare the crap out of the people playing in me game i intend to use it great job
Hyrael the Dreamer 10-24-05, 09:40 PM	I do think that the per/minute time scale is a bit off. and, it should be a Small construct, not Tiny, thus giving it +10 HP. this thing is the size of a cat? Most constructs have info on construction, maybe you should include that. though, i shudder to think what kind of player would want to make one of these. What I intend on doing is this: right now, my PCs are about to enter a magic shop in Middle Dura. as they are making purchases, a pair of karanathi skeleton courriers will walk in, bearing a box between them. the owner will be glad, but cautious when he accepts his delivery, and asks everyone to step back 15 feet. he places a ward on the box, which is rocking slightly, and tells the skeletons to put it in the back room. later, after they deal with a pazuzu-worshiping flock of kenkus, they will be heading home, and will overhear the shop owner being very distraught and fearful, mentioning that 'it got out'. then, a few events later, they "hear a quiet sobbing coming from a side street."
Hyrael the Dreamer 10-25-05, 05:12 PM	:bump:
Argon_Asimov 10-25-05, 06:09 PM	Do remember that the MM states that the minimum HD for a monster should be equal to its CR, and no more than 1.5 x it CR. The Insidious Doll appears to be CR 2, and have only 1 HD, but that is a quick fix. I feel that this monster should be raised to as high as CR 3, based on the situations in which it could attack the players. With its non-threatening appearance and disguise skill, it could be difficult to even determine that is represents a challenge. For example, with an intelligence of 10, the doll could easily form a plan to convince the players that it is an orphan. Strongly good-aligned players might take her in it its sob-story is endearing enough, then, when the players are isolated, or trapped in a small confine, it can began using its aura of despair. Even if the players discern its malign intentions, will they really be willing to kill what still appears to be a young girl but becuase "she was depressing"? Let them tyhink about it for several minutes, so the DC gets nice and high... Alternatively, you could use the doll as a trap. Put it in a dungeon, or what-have-you that belongs to someone with really severe psychological issues and a bad childhood. Have the players discover the doll traped in a cage set into the wall, sobbing uncontrollably. When they approach, the doll pleads with the party to save her, when suddenly, they hear the unmistakable click and whir of a mechanical trap going into motion. Pointy spikes / whiring blades sloooowly begin to protrude from holes in the interior walls of the cage. Trigger aura of despair. The doll will continue to sob as the harmful implements approach... over the course of several minutes... To go off correctly, the doll has to plead with the party to stay with her and stop the trap (rather than running off and trying to find some control mechanism). Also, you could include a dummy-lock on the cage that is impossibly difficult, so the rogue will have to take 20 to open it. In fact, make it a series of locks, none of which will actually open the cage. The trap opens from the inside once everyone has fallen unconscious, allowing the doll to Siphon Life. If it goes off correctly (and none of the players get wise) it will be a voluntary TPK :eek: . Note: the blades never actually harm the doll, they just get really, really close after several minutes. Well, maybe they do, depending on just how severe the trap-makers issues are. Also note: this will not work as intended on evil parties.
Wyrd Bearer 10-25-05, 08:29 PM	Ah, people bumping my thread! Sorry, I've multiple projects running at once and I haven't been exactly checking recently (silly school). I've liked the suggestions that I've seen so far and I'm re-writing this creature off-line, which will be posted when finished. Thanks for the critique.