Darkness fills my belly (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Darkness fills my belly (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Vorpal Tribble
07-03-06, 11:05 PM Darkcrop

The doors swing with a tortured creak when a massive horned owl as if crafted of shadow swoops down in utter silence. It opens its mouth wide and with a swelling of the throat the skeletal remains of a rat pulls itself forth and leaps to the ground...

Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+6 (22 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 20 (+4 dex, +5 natural, +1 size), touch 15, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-3
Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2)
Full Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2) and bite +3 melee (1d4-2 plus vampiric touch)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Darkcrop, innured of death, vampiric touch
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 17, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +15, Move Silently +19, *Spot +12
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Temperare or Cold Forest
Organization: Solitary or Obit (2-5 Darkcrops)
Challenge Rating: 5 (including swarm and mote)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil
Advancement: 4-8 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -

In unhallowed locales, where evil has seeped into the land itself can be found the Darkcrops. The descendants of once common owls, they have longed been warped by necromantic magics and changed in many startling ways.

A darkcrop appears as a great horned owl with the darkest of smokey feathers. Its head is occupied by two enormous cavernous eyes of a pitch black that seems to drink in light itself, giving it the likeness of a downy skull. These eyes have a keen, predatory gaze that rivals in intensity and malice any true bird of prey. The horns of its head looks normal enough, except that at their tip is a literal point of sharp black bone where nothing but a peak of feathers should be. The beak is considerably enlarge and curves downward like a hawk's. Its legs are thickly scaled, with ridged edges, and ends in lengthy talons.

Darkcrops tend to occupy large aeries built within abandoned buildings, typically decrepid towers or temples. They they hide from the day to go forth in the night to gather their meals and build their small army that they reguritate from within themselves.

Darkcrops stand some three to three and a half feet tall and weigh nearly 15 lbs. Darkcrops understand Common but cannot speak it.

Combat
A darkcrop tends to let its swarm of bone rats distract and confuse its opponents as it and its mote plan appropriate strategies. If worse comes to worse the darkcrop will resort to tearing with beak and claws until its foe is dead or it has reason to flee.

Darkcrop (Su): Like a normal owl, a darkcrop reguritates the bones and other undigestible refuse from its meals. These remains automatically come to unlife as if from the Animate Dead spell. Thus at its command at all times are two swarms of bone rats and a single tomb mote. The stats for these creatures can be found on page 88 and 128 of Libris Mortis, respectively.

At any time a darkcrop may eat the full remains of any creature of Dimunitive size or smaller and animate its bones. The corpse takes a full minute to be eaten and digested enough for use.

The darkcrop cannot keep control of more than 4 HD of undead per caster level (equal to the darkcrop's HD). If it exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under its control, and any excess undead from previous reguritations become uncontrolled.

Innured of Death (Ex): A darkcrop is hearty creature whoes presence to necromantic energies has left it partially immune to such affects. As such it gains a +4 bonus to any save to resist the effects of a necromantic spell, as well as resistance 5 to negative energy.

Vampiric Touch (Sp): A darkcrop that makes a successful bite deals an additional 2d6 points of damage. The darkcrop gains temporary hit points equal to the damage the vampiric touch deals. However, it can’t gain more than the subject’s current hit points +10, which is enough to kill the subject. The temporary hit points disappear 1 hour later.

Skills: Darkcrops have a +10 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +16 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. *They have a +10 racial bonus on Spot checks in areas of shadowy illumination.
R.M.G.C.L.F.
07-04-06, 11:02 AM Nice creature.

I think you should specify the nature of the darkcrop's darkcrop attack a little more. Is it the usual standard action? (I'd make it full-round personally) Don't two swarms of rat skeletons seem redundant?

I notice you've again forgotten to put an "always, often, or usually" clause in the alignment.
The Vorpal Tribble
07-04-06, 11:15 AM I think you should specify the nature of the darkcrop's darkcrop attack a little more. Is it the usual standard action? (I'd make it full-round personally)
Ermm, no, it takes a minute to make a new undead creature. Or if you mean the bone rat attack, they have their own initiatives and everything.

Don't two swarms of rat skeletons seem redundant?
Not particularly... though I guess I could have a few skeletal frogs hopping around. Was just trying to give it as many undead as if it had the spell going.

I notice you've again forgotten to put an "always, often, or usually" clause in the alignment.
Meh, usually remember it. Thanks ;)
R.M.G.C.L.F.
07-04-06, 11:28 AM No. I know how long it takes to create one from a body. What seems to lack is clearly saying how long it takes to barf one up. The impression I got was that it carried them around in its gullet and then spat them out to attack foes.

I just mean, it's a swarm. Its effectively an assortment of individual rats, frogs, voles, and other small animals the owl ate during its life. Two swarms just wouldn't seem necisary. If anything you might advance the current swarm a bit, but why split "lots of dead animals" into two distinct groups?
Spike_Fightwicky
07-04-06, 11:08 PM Darkcrop
[...]
Full Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2) and bite +6 melee (1d4-2 plus vampiric touch)
[...]
Feats: Alertness, Diehard(B), Multiattack, Weapon Finesse(B)

- The wise ol' owl only has 2 natural attacks, and as such does not have the required prerequisites for the Multiattack feat.
The Vorpal Tribble
07-05-06, 07:15 AM No. I know how long it takes to create one from a body. What seems to lack is clearly saying how long it takes to barf one up. The impression I got was that it carried them around in its gullet and then spat them out to attack foes.
It takes the full minute to eat and hack all told.

I just mean, it's a swarm. Its effectively an assortment of individual rats, frogs, voles, and other small animals the owl ate during its life. Two swarms just wouldn't seem necisary. If anything you might advance the current swarm a bit, but why split "lots of dead animals" into two distinct groups?
Well, its easier for the user of this to just say 'Oh, two swarms worth' instead of having to advance the bonerat swarm (which I'm not sure you can do anyways, would have to find my book again).

- The wise ol' owl only has 2 natural attacks, and as such does not have the required prerequisites for the Multiattack feat.
D'oh, had originally given it a horn attack and then got rid of it. Adjusted.
Dracomortis
07-05-06, 05:54 PM Why does it have a tomb mote? It doesn't make sense thematically. Also, as is written now, it has no way to make a tomb mote - it's a Tiny creature, while the darkcrop can only eat those of Diminutive or Fine size.
The Vorpal Tribble
07-05-06, 06:11 PM Why does it have a tomb mote? It doesn't make sense thematically. Also, as is written now, it has no way to make a tomb mote - it's a Tiny creature, while the darkcrop can only eat those of Diminutive or Fine size.
I thought it made very good sense, as tomb motes are made of debris. Along with the bones are fur and fuzz and non-bone pieces of junk such as droppings.

Also, because of this a mote isn't coughed up, it gradually comes into being on its own accord, so it isn't limited to dimunitive size.
Dracomortis
07-05-06, 06:33 PM These tiny, vaguely humanoid creatures are animated accumulations of tomb litter - shards of bone, lone teeth, matted hair, bits of shattered tombstone, and grave dirt.
It's the last two that are bothering me. However, I suppose it could simply occur in the area where a darkcrop nests. But if the darkcrop doesn't spit up tomb motes, can it make another one (if the first one is destroyed, for example)? If so, how does it do this?
pileobone
07-05-06, 06:38 PM I think the Tomb Mote makes sense too. Actually in quite a cool way. I don't know if any of you ever disected owl pellets in high scool, but they're basically Tomb Motes without limbs. Purely just a lump of bones, hair, teeth, and anything else the owl doesn't digest.

Awesome creature, I may throw this at my players in a semi-d20 Modern/D&D mini campaign I'm running. Oughta throw em' for quite a loop. :D
The Vorpal Tribble
07-05-06, 07:54 PM It's the last two that are bothering me. However, I suppose it could simply occur in the area where a darkcrop nests. But if the darkcrop doesn't spit up tomb motes, can it make another one (if the first one is destroyed, for example)? If so, how does it do this?
Well, with all the dead creatures it is basically tomb dirt. All its lacking is actual gravestone pieces. That though would just be getting picky.

And no, a tomb mote just comes into being after awhile and obeys the bird. The owl's presence begins its coming into being, but it doesn't intentionally do anything to cause its construction.

I think the Tomb Mote makes sense too. Actually in quite a cool way. I don't know if any of you ever disected owl pellets in high scool, but they're basically Tomb Motes without limbs. Purely just a lump of bones, hair, teeth, and anything else the owl doesn't digest.
Yeah, thats the basic concept for the darkcrop here.
Dracomortis
07-05-06, 07:58 PM Okay, I was just getting the impression that it intentionally made the tomb mote. Naturally arising from bits of animal stuff makes perfect sense.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Vorpal Tribble 07-03-06, 11:05 PM	Darkcrop The doors swing with a tortured creak when a massive horned owl as if crafted of shadow swoops down in utter silence. It opens its mouth wide and with a swelling of the throat the skeletal remains of a rat pulls itself forth and leaps to the ground... Small Magical Beast Hit Dice: 3d10+6 (22 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 50 ft. (average) Armor Class: 20 (+4 dex, +5 natural, +1 size), touch 15, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/-3 Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2) Full Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2) and bite +3 melee (1d4-2 plus vampiric touch) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Darkcrop, innured of death, vampiric touch Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4 Abilities: Str 6, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 17, Cha 8 Skills: Listen +15, Move Silently +19, Spot +12 Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Weapon Finesse(B) Environment: Temperare or Cold Forest Organization: Solitary or Obit (2-5 Darkcrops) Challenge Rating: 5 (including swarm and mote) Treasure: None Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil Advancement: 4-8 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: - In unhallowed locales, where evil has seeped into the land itself can be found the Darkcrops. The descendants of once common owls, they have longed been warped by necromantic magics and changed in many startling ways. A darkcrop appears as a great horned owl with the darkest of smokey feathers. Its head is occupied by two enormous cavernous eyes of a pitch black that seems to drink in light itself, giving it the likeness of a downy skull. These eyes have a keen, predatory gaze that rivals in intensity and malice any true bird of prey. The horns of its head looks normal enough, except that at their tip is a literal point of sharp black bone where nothing but a peak of feathers should be. The beak is considerably enlarge and curves downward like a hawk's. Its legs are thickly scaled, with ridged edges, and ends in lengthy talons. Darkcrops tend to occupy large aeries built within abandoned buildings, typically decrepid towers or temples. They they hide from the day to go forth in the night to gather their meals and build their small army that they reguritate from within themselves. Darkcrops stand some three to three and a half feet tall and weigh nearly 15 lbs. Darkcrops understand Common but cannot speak it. Combat A darkcrop tends to let its swarm of bone rats distract and confuse its opponents as it and its mote plan appropriate strategies. If worse comes to worse the darkcrop will resort to tearing with beak and claws until its foe is dead or it has reason to flee. Darkcrop (Su): Like a normal owl, a darkcrop reguritates the bones and other undigestible refuse from its meals. These remains automatically come to unlife as if from the Animate Dead spell. Thus at its command at all times are two swarms of bone rats and a single tomb mote. The stats for these creatures can be found on page 88 and 128 of Libris Mortis, respectively. At any time a darkcrop may eat the full remains of any creature of Dimunitive size or smaller and animate its bones. The corpse takes a full minute to be eaten and digested enough for use. The darkcrop cannot keep control of more than 4 HD of undead per caster level (equal to the darkcrop's HD). If it exceeds this number, all the newly created creatures fall under its control, and any excess undead from previous reguritations become uncontrolled. Innured of Death (Ex): A darkcrop is hearty creature whoes presence to necromantic energies has left it partially immune to such affects. As such it gains a +4 bonus to any save to resist the effects of a necromantic spell, as well as resistance 5 to negative energy. Vampiric Touch (Sp): A darkcrop that makes a successful bite deals an additional 2d6 points of damage. The darkcrop gains temporary hit points equal to the damage the vampiric touch deals. However, it can’t gain more than the subject’s current hit points +10, which is enough to kill the subject. The temporary hit points disappear 1 hour later. Skills: Darkcrops have a +10 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +16 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. They have a +10 racial bonus on Spot checks in areas of shadowy illumination.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-04-06, 11:02 AM	Nice creature. I think you should specify the nature of the darkcrop's darkcrop attack a little more. Is it the usual standard action? (I'd make it full-round personally) Don't two swarms of rat skeletons seem redundant? I notice you've again forgotten to put an "always, often, or usually" clause in the alignment.
The Vorpal Tribble 07-04-06, 11:15 AM	I think you should specify the nature of the darkcrop's darkcrop attack a little more. Is it the usual standard action? (I'd make it full-round personally) Ermm, no, it takes a minute to make a new undead creature. Or if you mean the bone rat attack, they have their own initiatives and everything. Don't two swarms of rat skeletons seem redundant? Not particularly... though I guess I could have a few skeletal frogs hopping around. Was just trying to give it as many undead as if it had the spell going. I notice you've again forgotten to put an "always, often, or usually" clause in the alignment. Meh, usually remember it. Thanks ;)
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-04-06, 11:28 AM	No. I know how long it takes to create one from a body. What seems to lack is clearly saying how long it takes to barf one up. The impression I got was that it carried them around in its gullet and then spat them out to attack foes. I just mean, it's a swarm. Its effectively an assortment of individual rats, frogs, voles, and other small animals the owl ate during its life. Two swarms just wouldn't seem necisary. If anything you might advance the current swarm a bit, but why split "lots of dead animals" into two distinct groups?
Spike_Fightwicky 07-04-06, 11:08 PM	Darkcrop [...] Full Attack: Talons +8 melee (1d6-2) and bite +6 melee (1d4-2 plus vampiric touch) [...] Feats: Alertness, Diehard(B), Multiattack, Weapon Finesse(B) - The wise ol' owl only has 2 natural attacks, and as such does not have the required prerequisites for the Multiattack feat.
The Vorpal Tribble 07-05-06, 07:15 AM	No. I know how long it takes to create one from a body. What seems to lack is clearly saying how long it takes to barf one up. The impression I got was that it carried them around in its gullet and then spat them out to attack foes. It takes the full minute to eat and hack all told. I just mean, it's a swarm. Its effectively an assortment of individual rats, frogs, voles, and other small animals the owl ate during its life. Two swarms just wouldn't seem necisary. If anything you might advance the current swarm a bit, but why split "lots of dead animals" into two distinct groups? Well, its easier for the user of this to just say 'Oh, two swarms worth' instead of having to advance the bonerat swarm (which I'm not sure you can do anyways, would have to find my book again). - The wise ol' owl only has 2 natural attacks, and as such does not have the required prerequisites for the Multiattack feat. D'oh, had originally given it a horn attack and then got rid of it. Adjusted.
Dracomortis 07-05-06, 05:54 PM	Why does it have a tomb mote? It doesn't make sense thematically. Also, as is written now, it has no way to make a tomb mote - it's a Tiny creature, while the darkcrop can only eat those of Diminutive or Fine size.
The Vorpal Tribble 07-05-06, 06:11 PM	Why does it have a tomb mote? It doesn't make sense thematically. Also, as is written now, it has no way to make a tomb mote - it's a Tiny creature, while the darkcrop can only eat those of Diminutive or Fine size. I thought it made very good sense, as tomb motes are made of debris. Along with the bones are fur and fuzz and non-bone pieces of junk such as droppings. Also, because of this a mote isn't coughed up, it gradually comes into being on its own accord, so it isn't limited to dimunitive size.
Dracomortis 07-05-06, 06:33 PM	These tiny, vaguely humanoid creatures are animated accumulations of tomb litter - shards of bone, lone teeth, matted hair, bits of shattered tombstone, and grave dirt. It's the last two that are bothering me. However, I suppose it could simply occur in the area where a darkcrop nests. But if the darkcrop doesn't spit up tomb motes, can it make another one (if the first one is destroyed, for example)? If so, how does it do this?
pileobone 07-05-06, 06:38 PM	I think the Tomb Mote makes sense too. Actually in quite a cool way. I don't know if any of you ever disected owl pellets in high scool, but they're basically Tomb Motes without limbs. Purely just a lump of bones, hair, teeth, and anything else the owl doesn't digest. Awesome creature, I may throw this at my players in a semi-d20 Modern/D&D mini campaign I'm running. Oughta throw em' for quite a loop. :D
The Vorpal Tribble 07-05-06, 07:54 PM	It's the last two that are bothering me. However, I suppose it could simply occur in the area where a darkcrop nests. But if the darkcrop doesn't spit up tomb motes, can it make another one (if the first one is destroyed, for example)? If so, how does it do this? Well, with all the dead creatures it is basically tomb dirt. All its lacking is actual gravestone pieces. That though would just be getting picky. And no, a tomb mote just comes into being after awhile and obeys the bird. The owl's presence begins its coming into being, but it doesn't intentionally do anything to cause its construction. I think the Tomb Mote makes sense too. Actually in quite a cool way. I don't know if any of you ever disected owl pellets in high scool, but they're basically Tomb Motes without limbs. Purely just a lump of bones, hair, teeth, and anything else the owl doesn't digest. Yeah, thats the basic concept for the darkcrop here.
Dracomortis 07-05-06, 07:58 PM	Okay, I was just getting the impression that it intentionally made the tomb mote. Naturally arising from bits of animal stuff makes perfect sense.