Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lyinginbedmon 10-11-07, 06:30 PM	These three creatures are from an undersea city called Highfaeth. In the past few years, it's fallen into decay due to storm damage and the arrival of a pair of villains looking to use it for their own ends. Read now, and see how it has fallen, the city of wisdom. Security Golem Large Construct Hit Dice: 11d10+30 (90 HP) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. Armor Class: 18 (+1 Dex, +8 Nat, -1 Size), touch 10, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16 Attack: Crossbow +8 ranged (3d8 [18-20/x2]){120 ft.} or Slam +11 melee (2d8+4 [20/x2]) Full Attack: 2 Crossbows +8 ranged (3d8 [18-20/x2]){120 ft.} and 2 Slams +11 melee (2d8+4 [20/x2]) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Infested Attack, Distraction, Innate Crossbows, Revision Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/adamantine, Fast Healing 5, Immunity to Magic, Infestation, Innate Crossbow, Low-light vision, Repair Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5 Abilities: Str 24, Dex 12, Con –, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +11, Jump +11, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +8, Listen +6, Search +4, Spot +6 Feats: Improved Multiattack, Multiattack, Rapid Reload, Two-Weapon Fighting Environment: Highfaeth Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Gang (3-4) Challenge Rating: 10 Alignment: Neutral From down the corridor comes the sound of slow pounding footsteps. A large humanoid creature appears cloaked in metal plates arranged like clothing, with a sphere of iron dotted with glowing porthole about its head. Embedded in its arms are powerful crossbows, and under the clanking noise of its approach you can just hear the sound of quiet squeaking somewhere within… Security Golems were created during the early days of Highfaeth, to defend it from intruders and to keep order within. After the Great Storm critically damaged the city, they were also charged not only with ensuring law was maintained inside but with ensuring the city did not fall into such a state as to compromise it to the ocean outside. Ironically, for creatures tasked with the upkeep of the city, security golems have become largely infested themselves with cranium rats that have escaped from one laboratory or another. The rats don’t interfere with the golem’s operations, but they occasionally scutter about inside or peek out of holes in the shell, giving a disconcerting aesthetic to the once treasured creatures. The golems are fairly docile, and usually do not engage targets unless provoked or when they bear witness to an illegal act. However, they have trouble recognising the deranged and the transfigured residents of the city, and usually pay closer attention to them than most other activities. Most inhabitants have learned to avoid the golems unless absolutely impossible. Security Golems cannot speak, but can understand Draconic, Elven, and Common. Combat Security Golems typically prefer to begin combat from range, where they can use their crossbows for significant damage before closing to capture the target and eliminate them. Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to the damage from an infested attack (see below) that begins its turn in a square adjacent to a security golem is nauseated for 1 round. A successful DC 18 Fortitude save negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells while adjacent to a security golem requires a concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a successful DC 20 Concentration check. Infestation (Ex): If a security golem is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed but the swarm that nests within it is released. One average cranium rat swarm is immediately placed in the space previously occupied by the security golem. This swarm has full hit points, regardless of damage to the security golem, and acts independently of any control that golem was under. A golem that is repaired by its Clockwork Mender swarm is soon inhabited by another swarm. Infested Attack (Ex): Any creature struck by one or more of a security golem’s slam attacks is dealt 3d6 points of damage from the cranium rats’ swarm attack at the end of the security golem’s turn. Any effect that reduces or negates swarm attack damage, such as damage reduction, is applied separately to both the slam attack and the swarm attack. Immunity to Magic (Ex): A security golem is immune to the effect of any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A dispel evil, dispel good, dispel chaos, dispel law, or dismissal spell resets a security golem’s Revision bonus to +0 and dazes the creature for 1 round. A banishment spell also resets a security golem’s Revision bonus but dazes the golem for 1d4+1 rounds. While the golem is dazed by either of these effects, its Fast Healing ability is suppressed. Innate Crossbows (Ex): Each arm of a security golem is fitted with a great crossbow. Each crossbow is connected to an extradimensional pocket inside the golem that stores up to 100 bolts. Each day, the pockets are magically refilled with 100 bolts, and the golem can insert bolts that it finds during its rounds with a move action. The golem must still reload an empty crossbow as normal. The bonus on attack and damage rolls from Revision (see below) also applies to the golem’s crossbow attacks. Repair (Su): As an immediate action once per day, a security golem can summon a Clockwork Mender swarm (MMIV) from Mechanus. If the golem is destroyed, a swarm is summoned instantly the next round and begins repairing it. In this case, the golem becomes operational again once its hit points would exceed zero from the healing (Any excess damage below zero hit points must be healed first). The swarm dissipates once the golem reaches full hit points or its task is completed. For example, a security golem is destroyed after being hit by a Weird Henry by taking enough damage to reach –8 hit points. The next round, the Clockwork Mender swarm appears and begins repairing it at the normal rate of 1 hit point per round. After 9 rounds, the golem reaches 1 hit point and its own Fast Healing begins to repair it as well, until finally after 15 rounds it reaches 90 hit points and the swarm dissipates. If, for whatever reason, the golem is unable to summon the swarm (Such as due to a dimensional anchor or an antimagic field) it remains destroyed and cannot summon the swarm at any point. If the swarm is destroyed before the golem reaches 1 hit point, it cannot summon another. Revision (Ex): When it strikes, a security golem adapts its attack to take advantage of weaknesses in the opponent’s defenses. Each round that it successfully damages a creature, it gains a cumulative +1 insight bonus (maximum +5) on attack rolls and damage rolls against that opponent. This bonus remains in force until the golem deals damage to a different creature. For example, the first time a security golem damages a foe, a +1 bonus applies to each of its attacks against that target in subsequent rounds. The next time it hits that foe, the bonus increases to +2. During any round that it misses the target, the bonus does not increase. If the security golem hits a different target at any point in the progression, the bonus against the first target is lost, and a new bonus begins to accrue against the new target. Large Aberration (Augmented Humanoid) Hit Dice: 15d8+60 (128 HP) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. Armor Class: 25 (+1 Dex, +15 Nat, -1 Size), touch 10, flat-footed 24 Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+21 Attack: Slam +17 melee (2d8+6 [20/x2]) Full Attack: 2 Slams +17 melee (2d8+6 [20/x2]) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, Swallow Soul Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 5/adamantine, Fast Healing 5, Immunity to magic, Improved Grab, Incarnum Investiture, Low-light vision Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +9 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 5 Skills: Climb +12, Jump +12, Listen +12, Search +14, Spot +14 Feats: Combat Brute, Improved Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Lifesenseb, Power Attack, Pulverize Foe, Quick Recovery Environment: Highfaeth Organization: Solitary or Pairing (1 Witchburn & 1 Weird Henry) Challenge Rating: 10 Alignment: Neutral A large man-shaped creature of some sort lumbers along the corridor, a rusted piton sticking out of its back. It is covered head to toe in armoured plates, save its almost reptilian orange eyes, which pierce the blackness ahead. What little flesh you can make out flickers inside with a faint bluish light. Weird Henrys, named for Professor Henry Tenenbaum, are large hulking creatures created from recycled witchburns that have worn out their usefulness. The curse is temporarily lifted and they are immediately subjected to an intense regimen of alchemical and magical treatment, which transforms them further from their natural state to the state called Weird Henry. Though powerful, this process leaves the briefly free witchburn in a vegetative state in which their creator can control them not unlike a dominated creature. As a Weird Henry, they have every compulsion to defend and protect their former fellows, to the point of risking their lives entirely. They often taxi witchburns about as they cling to them by pitons. Weird Henrys cannot speak any language, but are capable of understanding any languages they knew as ordinary children and typically communicate with grunts and howls akin to a wounded whale. Though precise figures are unknown, there are thought to be 3-4 Weird Henrys to every witchburn in Highfaeth, meaning between 194-256 stalk the hallways. Combat When in combat, a Weird Henry uses their brawn rather than much brain to fight adversaries. Above all, protection of any witchburns in the vicinity is paramount, even to their own survival. If they have any soul points, they usually invest them in gaining combat bonuses to dispatch the target quickly, whilst using fortunate fate and shield other on the nearby witchburns. Otherwise, they try to avoid combat, to avoid placing the witchburns in harm’s way. When a creature appears that may present a threat, they work to cast shield other and fortunate fate on their charge before things get hairy. Immunity to Magic (Ex): Weird Henrys are immune to the effect of any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a Weird Henry (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw. A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on them and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause them to exceed their full normal hit points, they gain any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a Weird Henry hit by a lightning bolt heals 3 points of damage if the attack would have dealt 11 points of damage. A Weird Henry gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Weird Henry must hit an opponent with their slam attack. They can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Incarnum Investiture (Su): By expending soul points garnered from the souls of the fallen around it, a Weird Henry can augment their existing abilities. Combat Power: The Weird Henry gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls per soul point invested. Damage Reduction: The Weird Henry’s damage reduction increases by 2 points per soul point invested. Land Speed Increase: The Weird Henry’s speed increases by 10 ft. per soul point invested. Teleportation: The Weird Henry can use a move action to teleport 20 ft. per soul point invested. They can take other creatures it is carrying with it, provided they do not exceed their maximum load. Each of these investitures last for up to an hour, regardless of the quantity of soul points invested into them. Investing any number of points into a single ability is a standard action. Spell-like Abilities: At will – fortunate fate, shield other, 1/hour – dimension door. Caster level 10th. Swallow Soul (Su): A Weird Henry that is present when a sentient creature is killed (Such as being reduced to –10 hit points or having a Constitution of 0) can take a full-round action to capture and consume the soul of the victim. This grants them a number of soul points equal to the hit dice of the consumed creature. A typical Weird Henry is found with 10 soul points to spend, though this is the absolute maximum they can have at any one time (Including points they have invested). Skills: Weird Henrys have a +8 racial bonus to Search checks and a +6 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks. Small Aberration (Augmented Humanoid, Extraplanar) Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (75 HP) Initiative: +3 Speed: 50 ft. Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +2 Nat, +1 Size), touch 14, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+10 Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d8+3 [20/x2]) Full Attack: Slam +10 melee (1d8+3 [20/x2]) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Disembody, Skirmish +3d6/+2 AC Special Qualities: Blindsense 60 ft., Cursed, Darkvision 120 ft., Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, Illuminated Eyes, Immunities, SR 21, Superior Low-light vision, Uncanny Dodge Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +10 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 16, Cha 1 Skills: Climb +6, Hide +21, Listen +14, Move Silently +16, Spot +14 Feats: Blind-Fightb, Dodge, Hammer and Piton, Improved Grappleb, Improved Natural Attackb, Improved Toughnessb, Mobility, Spring Attack Environment: Highfaeth (Plane of Shadow) Organization: Solitary or Pairing (1 Witchburn & 1 Weird Henry) Challenge Rating: 13 Alignment: Neutral Evil A little girl, easily no more than nine years old, clambers out of a neglected air vent nearby, her simple white dress dirty and tainted with dried blood. Around her waist is a belt with four climbing pitons dangling from it, and her figure is wrapped in a foreboding darkness. Her eyes beacon forth with a eerie light and you hear powerful footsteps approaching… Witchburns, named for their creator, Meredith Witchburn, are small children that have been alchemically and magically altered to go around Highfaeth retrieving components and resources for the black market. Children were chosen because of their small stature, allowing them to navigate smaller areas than most of the inhabitants, and girls were found to be more susceptible to the transformation than boys, so the majority are female. Witchburns live in a state of domination by the council, cursed to follow their commands, and because of the alchemical serums in their bodies they are stunted at a childlike state for the duration of their lives. They can typically be found being accompanied by a Weird Henry, who protects them when they venture out into the open, and keep guard of them while they go about gathering resources. Witchburns speak whatever languages they knew before their transformation, though they are very childish in their language and rarely talk to their targets. Combat Witchburns rarely enter combat alone or from out of cover. They typically stick to dark areas and hide from whatever enemies they detect, more afraid of them than anything else. However, when in combat, they like to keep mobile, lashing out at the opponent before moving out of their grasp. When they finally whittle the target down, they engage them in a grapple and rip them apart. Cursed: To keep them in line, a witchburn is cursed during their creation. This reduces their Intelligence and Charisma scores to 1 each and binds their will to the one performing the ritual process. A single creature can have no more witchburn bound to them than one for each point of ability bonus in their primary spellcasting ability, but for each witchburn they control they age half as fast, though the witchburn heals naturally at half the normal rate. To remove the curse, you must first remove the portion of the creator from the witchburn’s body, this requires that they be restrained or helpless and a DC 21 Search check allows the discovery of the item. Removing it requires a DC 15 Heal check, at which time the witchburn regains their normal freedom and their Intelligence and Charisma scores change to 11 and 7, respectively, and their alignment reverts to Chaotic Neutral. A limited wish, miracle, or wish spell is required to return an uncursed witchburn’s to their original state (Be it human, elf, halfling, etc.). Disembody (Ex): A witchburn that pins an opponent in a grapple can make a grapple check to rend the target’s body apart. If they succeed, the subject is killed immediately. They can attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 18) to survive, in which case they take 1d4 points of Constitution damage (Or 5d12 points of damage, if the target has no Constitution or is immune to ability damage). Witchburns can use this ability against helpless targets without establishing a grapple beforehand. Illuminated Eyes (Ex): A witchburn’s eyes glow strongly with a slightly orange light. While open, they illuminate a 60 ft. cone. Immunities (Ex): Witchburns do not need to sleep and are immune to magical sleep effects. They have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Improved Grab (Ex): A witchburn must hit a target with their slam attack to use this ability. If they establish a grapple and pin the opponent, they can disembody the following round. Skills: A witchburn has a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks and a +6 racial bonus to Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Unless the curse is removed, they cannot use Intelligence or Charisma-based skills.
Sudnji_cas 10-11-07, 06:44 PM	This looks familiar...
Lyinginbedmon 10-12-07, 02:15 AM	Well, I've been posting them all about trying to get some opinions and/or help on them and the Highfaeth setting they're from, but I imagine you'll mostly think they appear similar to BioShock creatures. You'd be partially right, because that's what inspired Highfaeth itself :P Though I should note, the Witchburns are very different from the Little Sisters they resemble, and the Weird Henrys that protect them are unlike anything I've yet seen out of BioShock. The Security Golems certainly resemble the Big Daddies, but again are very different.
Dead_Weasel 10-12-07, 09:11 PM	Why are the Big Daddies - excuse me, Security Golems - (Incarnum) creatures? They do not have essentia, the ability to shape soulmelds, or any other abilities to invest essentia in. Weird Henries do not have a limit to how many Soul Points they can have at one time, nor to how many they can invest into any single ability (essentia is limited in both regards). Each of these should have a reasonable limit, to prevent the Weird Henry from teleporting around and one-shotting anything like Cleave has gone out of style. The Witchburns' Curse entry do not state the consequences of a failed Heal check to remove the "item," nor that there are no consequences for failing the check. Perhaps unnecessary, but in my opinion a worthwhile clarification. Are you sure you want Witchburns' Illuminated Eyes to illuminate a radius instead of a cone (ex. my light)? I am curious as to where are you going with this - I presume that you are not playing a straight Bioshock campaign, just using the premise/environment? Also, why is the Witchburn a beast in combat, instead of the defenseless Little Sisters they are based upon? Aside from soul point investment (and "Weird Henry loves Witchburn"), a Weird Henry does not even have any "bodyguard" abilities to compensate for the fact that they are weaker than the Witchburns.
Lyinginbedmon 10-13-07, 06:59 AM	Yay! Comments and criticisms! :) Why are the Big Daddies - excuse me, Security Golems - (Incarnum) creatures? They do not have essentia, the ability to shape soulmelds, or any other abilities to invest essentia in. Rats, I must have left that in by accident, I was using a Hivenest Incarnum Golem as my baseline. Weird Henries do not have a limit to how many Soul Points they can have at one time, nor to how many they can invest into any single ability (essentia is limited in both regards). Each of these should have a reasonable limit, to prevent the Weird Henry from teleporting around and one-shotting anything like Cleave has gone out of style. Hmm...let's say 10 points maximum? The Witchburns' Curse entry do not state the consequences of a failed Heal check to remove the "item," nor that there are no consequences for failing the check. Perhaps unnecessary, but in my opinion a worthwhile clarification. Are you sure you want Witchburns' Illuminated Eyes to illuminate a radius instead of a cone (ex. my light)? ------------------- Also, why is the Witchburn a beast in combat, instead of the defenseless Little Sisters they are based upon? Aside from soul point investment (and "Weird Henry loves Witchburn"), a Weird Henry does not even have any "bodyguard" abilities to compensate for the fact that they are weaker than the Witchburns. You're essentially performing field surgery on the kids to get the item, so I imagine there'd be something if you fail. Any suggestions? Damage is the most obvious. 60 ft. cone would make more sense given the ocular locale, though imagine the connection between magically and alchemically modified child and eery glow... Witchburns are only powerful as long as they're moving. Their +10 grapple modifier is pretty pathetic at CR 13, especially when it's used for their finishing move. The job of the Weird Henry is to keep the targets occupied against moving too close to the Witchburn before she strafes them, and to nab them off of her if they grab her prematurely. Shield Other and Fortunate Fate allow it to grant a healing and meat shield function for them. I am curious as to where are you going with this - I presume that you are not playing a straight Bioshock campaign, just using the premise/environment? That would be Highfaeth (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=933621) itself
Dead_Weasel 10-13-07, 03:02 PM	Hmm...let's say 10 points maximum?I am still of the opinion that that is too high - remember, pre-epic non-specialized essentia investment caps at 4, and this ability produces comparable results to soulmelds/incarnum feats. Up to you though - as long as the ability has a limit that is closer than the sky, I am done pestering you about it.You're essentially performing field surgery on the kids to get the item, so I imagine there'd be something if you fail. Any suggestions? Damage is the most obvious.Well, I seem to recall a burst of light on a successful removal from a Little Sister. Perhaps with an unsuccessful removal, that burst of light is a little more... exciting? On the other hand, the removal is a Heal check, so failure would indicate that the item was removed but the Witchburn is in for some unpleasant side effects, for which some colorful and extremely unpleasant innovation will be required. A rod of wonder made by Asmodeus, essentially.60 ft. cone would make more sense given the ocular locale, though imagine the connection between magically and alchemically modified child and eery glow...If you want a radius, use a radius. I was just pointing out that a cone made more sense to me, so long as their eyes are not generating enough light to pierce their cranial matter.Witchburns are only powerful as long as they're moving. Their +10 grapple modifier is pretty pathetic at CR 13, especially when it's used for their finishing move. The job of the Weird Henry is to keep the targets occupied against moving too close to the Witchburn before she strafes them, and to nab them off of her if they grab her prematurely. Shield Other and Fortunate Fate allow it to grant a healing and meat shield function for them.I absolutely did not see that they had spell-likes; that clears that angle up a little. Their CR is absolutely what I was getting at - why make a weak CR 13 that tries to flee? Why not just kick them down to a CR 4? Granted, they do have a save-or-die, but it just seems random to me for them to have any real combat functionality, when (from an ecological point of view) they are scavengers.That would be Highfaeth (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=933621) itselfExcellent, thank you. It makes it harder to consider a creature that is tailored to a specific environment without the environment itself - and you made it clear earlier that although Highfaeth is inspired by Rapture, it is not identical to it. Something I neglected to mention earlier is that I was very impressed by the selection of incarnum to represent the mutations going on in Rapture. Despite being a loud supporter of the incarnum system and a massive video game addict, it did not even remotely occur to me to use the one to represent the other. I realize that, aside from the Weird Henry's soul point mechanic, you might have moved away from it, but I think that (with the proper tweaking and reinterpretation) using incarnum to mimic ADAM use is an excellent idea.
Lyinginbedmon 10-13-07, 09:09 PM	Well, I seem to recall a burst of light on a successful removal from a Little Sister. Perhaps with an unsuccessful removal, that burst of light is a little more... exciting? On the other hand, the removal is a Heal check, so failure would indicate that the item was removed but the Witchburn is in for some unpleasant side effects, for which some colorful and extremely unpleasant innovation will be required. A rod of wonder made by Asmodeus, essentially. Either way in Rapture, dealing with a Little Sister nets you a benefit. In D&D, you can intentionally fail skill checks. In this scenario, successfully removing the item that controls the Witchburn nets you a fairly powerful, if not useful, ally. We'll call that the "Save" option, for our little comparison. The opposite of the Save option is the Harvest option, which, it is implied, kills the Little Sister but gets you more resources. Typically, the Harvest option is the "evil" one. The benefit of the Harvest option needs to be potentially equal to the Save, but for the immediate time it needs to look greater (There's little difference overall between Harvesting and Saving Little Sisters in BioShock). Their CR is absolutely what I was getting at - why make a weak CR 13 that tries to flee? Why not just kick them down to a CR 4? Granted, they do have a save-or-die, but it just seems random to me for them to have any real combat functionality, when (from an ecological point of view) they are scavengers. The Little Sisters are designed to be scavengers, because they have no offence and can collect ADAM only from the dead. The Witchburns are different. The most common source for their goals is a living (Or unliving) creature wandering about. They need that offence. The only reason they flee is that they are still little children at their very core, whose main advantage requires mobility and the knowledge that their targets won't chase after them, they need the Weird Henrys to ensure their triumph.
Dead_Weasel 10-13-07, 11:54 PM	The opposite of the Save option is the Harvest option, which, it is implied, kills the Little Sister but gets you more resources. Typically, the Harvest option is the "evil" one. The benefit of the Harvest option needs to be potentially equal to the Save, but for the immediate time it needs to look greater (There's little difference overall between Harvesting and Saving Little Sisters in BioShock). The problem is that, as you have it so far, there is no benefit to "Harvest," and from a D&D perspective I find it hard to find an option to suggest - some random beneficial spell effect? Anything permanent might be a little much. As you mention, D&D has the option of failing a skill check - Bioshock has no such option. Perhaps one option or the other can be chosen, and each has its own consequences for failure?The Little Sisters are designed to be scavengers, because they have no offence and can collect ADAM only from the dead. The Witchburns are different. The most common source for their goals is a living (Or unliving) creature wandering about. They need that offence. The only reason they flee is that they are still little children at their very core, whose main advantage requires mobility and the knowledge that their targets won't chase after them, they need the Weird Henrys to ensure their triumph. As long as you have a reason for why they are different in Highfaeth, I am content.
Lyinginbedmon 10-14-07, 02:15 PM	The problem is that, as you have it so far, there is no benefit to "Harvest," and from a D&D perspective I find it hard to find an option to suggest - some random beneficial spell effect? Anything permanent might be a little much. As you mention, D&D has the option of failing a skill check - Bioshock has no such option. Perhaps one option or the other can be chosen, and each has its own consequences for failure? Hmm...the Witchburns go around the city snatching up resources, so it would seem reasonable to be able to retrieve something from a corpse (They certainly wouldn't hand something over alive). Logically, potions, oils, and alchemical items would be the most probable things to retrieve from inside a Witchburn corpse (I think they should certainly die if the removal is unsuccessful).
Lyinginbedmon 10-14-07, 07:44 PM	I thought I'd try something a little new, perhaps you could consider this the "Splicer" of Highfaeth? Medium Aberration Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 HP) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. Armor Class: 21 (+3 Dex, +8 Nat), touch 13, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+14 Attack: Thinblades +10/+8 melee (1d8+5 [18-20/x2]) Full Attack: Thinblades +10/+10/+5 melee (1d8+5 [18-20/x2 plus skirmish]) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Skirmish +3d6/+3 AC, Swallow Soul Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., Evasion, Fast Healing 3, Hide in Plain Sight, Immunities, Incarnum Investiture, Innate Thinblades, Low-light vision, Uncanny Dodge Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +9 Abilities: Str 20, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +9, Jump +12, Swim +10, Tumble +10 Skill Tricks: Extreme Leap, Leaping Climber, Quick Swimmer, Speedy Ascent, Tumbling Crawl, Twisting Charge, Wall Jumper Feats: Bounding Assault/Mad Alchemistb, Dodge, Leap of the Heavens/Grenadier, Mobility, Spring Attack, Telling Blow, Two-Weapon Fightingb Environment: Highfaeth Organization: Usually solitary Challenge Rating: 10 Alignment: Neutral Evil Rummaging through the belongings of an elderly corpse, what looks like a young elven girl, no more mature than a teenage human, but with a decidedly mad element. Her clothes are dirty and torn, and jutting from her forearms, fused with her almost-elegant pale flesh, are a pair of rapier-like steel blades… The Halfburns were created as prototypes for the Weird Henrys. The process for transfiguring a Witchburn into a Weird Henry was later perfected, and the hundreds of halfburns were cast off. They now comprise the majority of the raving lunatics that used to be residents in Highfaeth, wandering the hallways and corridors. They are often at odds with their Weird Henry successors, since their soul swallowing alleviates their harrowing emotional state. Halfburns tend to speak Elven and Common, though other languages are possible. Combat Depending on their focus of melee combat or the use of salvaged items, halfburns medicate their attacks between slashing wildly at their target and dousing them in alchemical mixtures. Immunities (Ex): Halfburns do not need to sleep and are immune to magical sleep effects. They have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Incarnum Investiture (Su): By expending soul points garnered from the souls of the fallen around it, a halfburn can augment their existing abilities. Combat Power: The Halfburn gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls per soul point invested. Defensive Talent: The Halfburn gains a +1 insight bonus to AC and saving throws equal to the number of soul points invested. Fast Healing: The halfburn’s fast healing increases by 1 point per soul point invested. Land Speed Increase: The Halfburn’s speed increases by 10 ft. per soul point invested. Each of these investitures last for up to an hour, regardless of the quantity of soul points invested into them. Investing any number of points into a single ability is a standard action. Innate Thinblades (Ex): Each forearm of a halfburn is melded with an Elven thinblade. Swallow Soul (Su): A halfburn that is present when a sentient creature is killed (Such as being reduced to –10 hit points or having a Constitution of 0) can take a full-round action to capture and consume the soul of the victim. This grants them a number of soul points equal to the hit dice of the consumed creature. A typical halfburn is found with 10 soul points to spend, though this is the maximum quantity of points they can have at any one time (Including points invested).
Lyinginbedmon 10-16-07, 01:28 PM	Hmm...the Witchburns go around the city snatching up resources, so it would seem reasonable to be able to retrieve something from a corpse (They certainly wouldn't hand something over alive). Logically, potions, oils, and alchemical items would be the most probable things to retrieve from inside a Witchburn corpse (I think they should certainly die if the removal is unsuccessful). Here's a thought: Alchemical ichor, used in the production of the city's Ironwood currency. That way, killing and looting a Witchburn provides you with the means to create a lot of cash, to bribe and purchase things.