Dead men at sea [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dead men at sea [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-09-08, 03:13 PM DROUNTH
When men die at sea, their lungs filled with saltwater, their hearts full of desperation and fear and unheard screams, they sometimes leave behind a shadow of their mind and soul, a stain of metaphysical residue.

The sea is full of little deaths. The very water is thick with minute creatures, living and dying, and charged with the quasi-elemental negative energy of salt. The negative energy left by these deaths is drawn to a drowned corpse where it stays behind and accumulates as the body swings back and forth in the current.

As tides come and go, the influence of the moon and the occult background radiation pulls this vague mortal detritis into something more firm and strong, fixing the energies in alignment in the drowned carcass, and the staring clouded eyes turn to follow the movement of fish. The limbs, bloated and discolored like overripe fruit, move of their own accord, against the tide, and a new drounth shambles through sea and shore.

Drounths are simplified shades of their former selves. They tend to haunt the sites where they died, occasionally wandering on shore to visit familiar sites or follow individuals who were strong in their memory.

Drounth Template
A drounth can be created from any air-breathing humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, animal, beast, magical beast, or aberration, provided the creature does not possess the water or aquatic subtype and has no swim speed. The creature’s type changes to undead with the aquatic subtype and its hit dice change to d12s. Class levels turn to undead racial hit dice.

Speed: The creature gains a swim speed equal to its land speed. It’s land speed decreases by 10ft, to a minimum of 5ft.

AC: The creature gains natural armor +2 if it has no natural armor, and if it already has natural armor, the bonus increases by 1. Drounths do not wear armor or shields.

Attacks: The creature retains use of up to one manufactured weapon. If it was an iron or steel weapon, it suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls with the weapon (due to rust). It gains a slam attack dealing damage based on size, and can use two slam attacks instead if underwater.
Size-Damage
Small-1d4
Medium-1d6
Large-1d8
Huge-1d12
Gargantuan-2d8
Collosal-4d6

Special Attacks: The creature loses any special attacks other than improved grab or constrict.

Stench(su): a drounth has a strong reek of saltwater and corpse-rot. Upon initially coming within 30ft of the drounth, living creatures with a sense of smell must make a fortitude save dc:12(+2 racial bonus) +1/2 drounth hit dice or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, concentration checks, and fortitude saves for the duration of the encounter.

Special Qualities: the creature loses any special qualities other than energy or elemental subtypes. It gains the special qualities Saltwater Dependency, Undead Traits, Light Sensitivity, cold resistance 5, and Shadow Memories.

Light Sensitivity(ex): a drounth is dazzled (-1 to attack rolls, home-rule -1 to attack rolls and AC, -2 to spot and search) in a radius of bright light, such as direct sunlight or a daylight spell.

Shadow Memories: a drounth retains the NPC attitudes of its original life. Whenever it encounters a close friend or relative from its former life, there is a 5% chance per point of intelligence that it will trigger some distant recollection from its past life and the drounth will act as if dazed for one round.

Abilities: Str+4, dex-2, Con-, Int 1 point of intelligence for each 5 points of intelligence that the base creature possesse, minimum of 1, Wis+2, Cha3

Saves: undead receive good will saves and poor reflex and fortitude saves.

Skills: The drounth retains 1 skill rank from its past life per undead hit die, and gets to choose and gets to spend three new skill points. It gets a +2 racial bonus to intimidate checks (+12 against somebody who was directly responsible for its death)

Feats: The drounth retains one feat from its past life. The rest are newly chosen according to its number of hit dice.

Environment: Saltwater and beaches

CR: ½ hit dice

Alignment: if 2int or less, always neutral. If 3int or more, as in life.

Treasure: pearl or pearls plus any treasure from life, minus items that are not water-proof

Weaknesses: A drounth is a creature of the ocean, and it cannot travel any further inland than 1 mile per hit die. If it does, it instantly dries up and crumbles into salt and necrotic slime.
A vial or bucket of clear spring water has the same effect on the drounth as a flask of holy water.

Sample Drounth
Pirate Drounth
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid)
HD:2d12+3(16hp)
Init:+1
Speed: 20ft, Swim 30ft
AC:12(+2 natural armor)
BAB/Grapple:+1/+4
Attacks: Rusty Scimitar+3 melee (1d6+2 (18-20/x2)) or Slam+4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 Slams+4 melee (underwater only) (1d6+3)
Face/Reach: 5ft by 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Stench
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft, Light Sensitivity, Undead Traits, Saltwater Dependency, Shadow Memories
Saves: Fort+3, Ref+1, Will-1
Abilities: Str17,Dex11,Con-,Int1,Wis10,Cha3
Skills: Hide+3, Move Silently+3, Spot+2, Listen+1
(+2 racial bonus to intimidate, +12 to intimidate against its murderer)
Feats: Stealthy, toughness
____________
Environment: Saltwater or Beach
Organization: Solitary or band (2-6)
CR:1
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil
Treasure: double coins, double gems, 25% items
Advancement: None

The Pirate drounth has skin that is pale and blue, peeling in places to reveal dark purple tissue. Its body is covered in saltwater and algae, its right eye is clouded and swollen open, its left eye is an empty socket with a hanging strip of retina and nerve. Its right hand grips a rust-covered scimitar and its left hand hangs limply at its side.

This pirate drounth was a typical sea-faring thug with two warrior levels and the non-standard ability array. It swims about its shipwreck and attacks would-be salvagers. Sometimes it wanders onto shore and attacks any individuals if it seas gold, jewel, or silver.

Combat: Pirate drownths are unsubtle. They lash out with their scimitars on land and slam away at the nearest enemy when under water.

Stench(su): a drounth has a strong reek of saltwater and corpse-rot. Upon initially coming within 30ft of the drounth, living creatures with a sense of smell must make a fortitude save dc:13 or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, concentration checks, and fortitude saves for the duration of the encounter.

Light Sensitivity(ex): a drounth is dazzled (-1 to attack rolls, home-rule -1 to attack rolls and AC, -2 to spot and search) in a radius of bright light, such as direct sunlight or a daylight spell.

Shadow Memories(ex): a drounth retains the NPC attitudes of its original life. Whenever it encounters a close friend or relative from its former life, there is a 5% chance that it will trigger some distant recollection from its past life and the drounth will act as if dazed for one round.

Weaknesses: A pirate drounth is a creature of the ocean, and it cannot travel any further inland than 2 miles. If forcibly taken this far, it instantly dries up and crumbles into salt and necrotic slime.
A vial or bucket of clear spring water has the same effect on the drounth as a flask of holy water.
DebiHuman
01-09-08, 05:09 PM This is quite similar to the Drowned One Template from Dragon Magazine 106.

Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-09-08, 05:14 PM I see.

I don't have Dragon Magazine 106
DebiHuman
01-09-08, 06:51 PM Well, look at it this way, great minds think alike. Actually, I didn't want to leave you with the impression that I didn't like this because it's actually pretty good. I think both Saltwater Dependency and Shadow Memories should be Extraordinary abilites.

What base did you use for your sample Pirate Drounth? I noticed that it had two HD.

Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-09-08, 07:54 PM It was a level two human warrior with the nonstandard ability array.

Coulda sworn I had that noted. I'll edit it in now.

Edit: I did say what the base creature was. It's in the description block of the sample.

PS: Thank you. ^_^

I just left them unnamed because having a creature crumble when it goes too far inland seems kinda magical, and the shadow memories thing isn't exactly physical. What type of ability is a vampire's limitations, btw, like the can't cross running water or enter uninvited thing?
DebiHuman
01-09-08, 08:37 PM Actually, the vampire is repelled by garlic and mirrors. It's listed under Weaknesses. However, they aren't HURT by these things. Technically, they are REPULSED which should be in the list of conditions but of course it isn't. Grrr.

Just put it under the category of weaknesses rather than in the combat section and you'll at least be following the vampire template. Stuff like this always makes my brain hurt. I guess weaknesses are their own special condition (ie not supernational, spell-like or extraordinary). This kinda makes sense because it's a penalty for the creature, but this should have been addressed.

Also:
Treasure: pear or pearls plus any treasure from life, minus items that are not water-proof

Pears????

Sorry that make me laugh.

Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-09-08, 10:18 PM Fixed.
ArgulFraster
01-11-08, 11:41 AM Drounth+Drowned (MMIII)=?
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-11-08, 01:47 PM Something that's hard to pronounce unless you drink a lot of milk.

Since they're both undead, and the template can only be applied to live creatures, it couldn't happen.
dengarbountyhunter
01-16-08, 06:31 PM I don't quite understand how a vial (one ounce) and a bucket (many pints) of freshwater could possibly have the exact same effect (2d4 points of damage?)...
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-16-08, 08:32 PM Contact with fresh water is what has the effect, regardless of quantity.
Legdiwena
01-16-08, 09:43 PM Why is the NA bonus lower if they already have NA? To the best of my knowledge, it's always the same bonus regardless if base creature had any NA or not.
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-17-08, 01:59 AM The chemical process which alters the toughness of the skin has a certain threshold point after which it hardens at a different rate.

That, and I want it to.
Echoes of Deception
01-18-08, 05:18 PM Are base creatures with less than 5 intelligence unable to become drounth, or are they just mindless?
R.M.G.C.L.F.
01-18-08, 05:52 PM Good question.

I've edited the ability text to address that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-09-08, 03:13 PM	DROUNTH When men die at sea, their lungs filled with saltwater, their hearts full of desperation and fear and unheard screams, they sometimes leave behind a shadow of their mind and soul, a stain of metaphysical residue. The sea is full of little deaths. The very water is thick with minute creatures, living and dying, and charged with the quasi-elemental negative energy of salt. The negative energy left by these deaths is drawn to a drowned corpse where it stays behind and accumulates as the body swings back and forth in the current. As tides come and go, the influence of the moon and the occult background radiation pulls this vague mortal detritis into something more firm and strong, fixing the energies in alignment in the drowned carcass, and the staring clouded eyes turn to follow the movement of fish. The limbs, bloated and discolored like overripe fruit, move of their own accord, against the tide, and a new drounth shambles through sea and shore. Drounths are simplified shades of their former selves. They tend to haunt the sites where they died, occasionally wandering on shore to visit familiar sites or follow individuals who were strong in their memory. Drounth Template A drounth can be created from any air-breathing humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, animal, beast, magical beast, or aberration, provided the creature does not possess the water or aquatic subtype and has no swim speed. The creature’s type changes to undead with the aquatic subtype and its hit dice change to d12s. Class levels turn to undead racial hit dice. Speed: The creature gains a swim speed equal to its land speed. It’s land speed decreases by 10ft, to a minimum of 5ft. AC: The creature gains natural armor +2 if it has no natural armor, and if it already has natural armor, the bonus increases by 1. Drounths do not wear armor or shields. Attacks: The creature retains use of up to one manufactured weapon. If it was an iron or steel weapon, it suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls with the weapon (due to rust). It gains a slam attack dealing damage based on size, and can use two slam attacks instead if underwater. Size-Damage Small-1d4 Medium-1d6 Large-1d8 Huge-1d12 Gargantuan-2d8 Collosal-4d6 Special Attacks: The creature loses any special attacks other than improved grab or constrict. Stench(su): a drounth has a strong reek of saltwater and corpse-rot. Upon initially coming within 30ft of the drounth, living creatures with a sense of smell must make a fortitude save dc:12(+2 racial bonus) +1/2 drounth hit dice or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, concentration checks, and fortitude saves for the duration of the encounter. Special Qualities: the creature loses any special qualities other than energy or elemental subtypes. It gains the special qualities Saltwater Dependency, Undead Traits, Light Sensitivity, cold resistance 5, and Shadow Memories. Light Sensitivity(ex): a drounth is dazzled (-1 to attack rolls, home-rule -1 to attack rolls and AC, -2 to spot and search) in a radius of bright light, such as direct sunlight or a daylight spell. Shadow Memories: a drounth retains the NPC attitudes of its original life. Whenever it encounters a close friend or relative from its former life, there is a 5% chance per point of intelligence that it will trigger some distant recollection from its past life and the drounth will act as if dazed for one round. Abilities: Str+4, dex-2, Con-, Int 1 point of intelligence for each 5 points of intelligence that the base creature possesse, minimum of 1, Wis+2, Cha3 Saves: undead receive good will saves and poor reflex and fortitude saves. Skills: The drounth retains 1 skill rank from its past life per undead hit die, and gets to choose and gets to spend three new skill points. It gets a +2 racial bonus to intimidate checks (+12 against somebody who was directly responsible for its death) Feats: The drounth retains one feat from its past life. The rest are newly chosen according to its number of hit dice. Environment: Saltwater and beaches CR: ½ hit dice Alignment: if 2int or less, always neutral. If 3int or more, as in life. Treasure: pearl or pearls plus any treasure from life, minus items that are not water-proof Weaknesses: A drounth is a creature of the ocean, and it cannot travel any further inland than 1 mile per hit die. If it does, it instantly dries up and crumbles into salt and necrotic slime. A vial or bucket of clear spring water has the same effect on the drounth as a flask of holy water. Sample Drounth Pirate Drounth Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid) HD:2d12+3(16hp) Init:+1 Speed: 20ft, Swim 30ft AC:12(+2 natural armor) BAB/Grapple:+1/+4 Attacks: Rusty Scimitar+3 melee (1d6+2 (18-20/x2)) or Slam+4 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: 2 Slams+4 melee (underwater only) (1d6+3) Face/Reach: 5ft by 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: Stench Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft, Light Sensitivity, Undead Traits, Saltwater Dependency, Shadow Memories Saves: Fort+3, Ref+1, Will-1 Abilities: Str17,Dex11,Con-,Int1,Wis10,Cha3 Skills: Hide+3, Move Silently+3, Spot+2, Listen+1 (+2 racial bonus to intimidate, +12 to intimidate against its murderer) Feats: Stealthy, toughness ____________ Environment: Saltwater or Beach Organization: Solitary or band (2-6) CR:1 Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil Treasure: double coins, double gems, 25% items Advancement: None The Pirate drounth has skin that is pale and blue, peeling in places to reveal dark purple tissue. Its body is covered in saltwater and algae, its right eye is clouded and swollen open, its left eye is an empty socket with a hanging strip of retina and nerve. Its right hand grips a rust-covered scimitar and its left hand hangs limply at its side. This pirate drounth was a typical sea-faring thug with two warrior levels and the non-standard ability array. It swims about its shipwreck and attacks would-be salvagers. Sometimes it wanders onto shore and attacks any individuals if it seas gold, jewel, or silver. Combat: Pirate drownths are unsubtle. They lash out with their scimitars on land and slam away at the nearest enemy when under water. Stench(su): a drounth has a strong reek of saltwater and corpse-rot. Upon initially coming within 30ft of the drounth, living creatures with a sense of smell must make a fortitude save dc:13 or suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, concentration checks, and fortitude saves for the duration of the encounter. Light Sensitivity(ex): a drounth is dazzled (-1 to attack rolls, home-rule -1 to attack rolls and AC, -2 to spot and search) in a radius of bright light, such as direct sunlight or a daylight spell. Shadow Memories(ex): a drounth retains the NPC attitudes of its original life. Whenever it encounters a close friend or relative from its former life, there is a 5% chance that it will trigger some distant recollection from its past life and the drounth will act as if dazed for one round. Weaknesses: A pirate drounth is a creature of the ocean, and it cannot travel any further inland than 2 miles. If forcibly taken this far, it instantly dries up and crumbles into salt and necrotic slime. A vial or bucket of clear spring water has the same effect on the drounth as a flask of holy water.
DebiHuman 01-09-08, 05:09 PM	This is quite similar to the Drowned One Template from Dragon Magazine 106. Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-09-08, 05:14 PM	I see. I don't have Dragon Magazine 106
DebiHuman 01-09-08, 06:51 PM	Well, look at it this way, great minds think alike. Actually, I didn't want to leave you with the impression that I didn't like this because it's actually pretty good. I think both Saltwater Dependency and Shadow Memories should be Extraordinary abilites. What base did you use for your sample Pirate Drounth? I noticed that it had two HD. Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-09-08, 07:54 PM	It was a level two human warrior with the nonstandard ability array. Coulda sworn I had that noted. I'll edit it in now. Edit: I did say what the base creature was. It's in the description block of the sample. PS: Thank you. ^_^ I just left them unnamed because having a creature crumble when it goes too far inland seems kinda magical, and the shadow memories thing isn't exactly physical. What type of ability is a vampire's limitations, btw, like the can't cross running water or enter uninvited thing?
DebiHuman 01-09-08, 08:37 PM	Actually, the vampire is repelled by garlic and mirrors. It's listed under Weaknesses. However, they aren't HURT by these things. Technically, they are REPULSED which should be in the list of conditions but of course it isn't. Grrr. Just put it under the category of weaknesses rather than in the combat section and you'll at least be following the vampire template. Stuff like this always makes my brain hurt. I guess weaknesses are their own special condition (ie not supernational, spell-like or extraordinary). This kinda makes sense because it's a penalty for the creature, but this should have been addressed. Also: Treasure: pear or pearls plus any treasure from life, minus items that are not water-proof Pears???? Sorry that make me laugh. Debby
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-09-08, 10:18 PM	Fixed.
ArgulFraster 01-11-08, 11:41 AM	Drounth+Drowned (MMIII)=?
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-11-08, 01:47 PM	Something that's hard to pronounce unless you drink a lot of milk. Since they're both undead, and the template can only be applied to live creatures, it couldn't happen.
dengarbountyhunter 01-16-08, 06:31 PM	I don't quite understand how a vial (one ounce) and a bucket (many pints) of freshwater could possibly have the exact same effect (2d4 points of damage?)...
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-16-08, 08:32 PM	Contact with fresh water is what has the effect, regardless of quantity.
Legdiwena 01-16-08, 09:43 PM	Why is the NA bonus lower if they already have NA? To the best of my knowledge, it's always the same bonus regardless if base creature had any NA or not.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-17-08, 01:59 AM	The chemical process which alters the toughness of the skin has a certain threshold point after which it hardens at a different rate. That, and I want it to.
Echoes of Deception 01-18-08, 05:18 PM	Are base creatures with less than 5 intelligence unable to become drounth, or are they just mindless?
R.M.G.C.L.F. 01-18-08, 05:52 PM	Good question. I've edited the ability text to address that.