Post/Author/DateTime	Post
R.M.G.C.L.F. 06-29-05, 05:22 PM	Inspired by the Dead Marshes in Lord of the Rings. Corpse Candle Diminutive Undead HD:1d12(6hp) Initiative:+1 Speed: Fly 20ft(perfect), swim 30ft AC:15(+4size,+1dex) Attacks: Bog burn+5 touch Damage: Bog Burn 1d4 cold Face/Reach: 1ft by 1ft/0ft Special Attacks: Ghoulish Glow, Dredging Special Qualities: DR5/+1, SR7, Fire Resistance 10 Saves: Fort+0, Ref+1, Will+3 Abilities:Str1,Dex13,Con-,Int2,Wis12,Cha6 Skills: Spot+2, Listen+2, move silently+3 Feats: Weapon Finesse _________________________ Climate/Terrain: Swamps Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-5), or haunting (6-9) CR:1 Alignment: Always Neutral Treasure: None Advancement:2-5hd(diminutive) A Corpse Candle appears as a soft floating light when animate, but reflective surfaces and other indirect methods of viewing show them as a severed hand grasping a candle or a human skull with a lit candle in it. When slain, their true form is revealed to be neither, but a twisted mass of softly glowing brain tissue, lobes and nerves wriggling like worms in their death throes. Corpse candles are strange undead resembling willow wisps but sharing little beyond a resemblance. Their light produces an unwholesome effect, distorting things seen on the water and conjuring grim phantasms. When a person falls and stumbles into a boggy mire, the poisons of the swamp set to work at once altering their mind. This toxin sometimes enables the brain to function longer than usual after the body has died. In a place so rich with death, venom, and decay, the abundant negative energy quickly seeps into the brain to snuff out this neural activity, and in overabudance usually reanimate it as a new thing. Possessed of only a crude imitation of thought, giving of light of neuro-luminscence combined with the fire of swamp gas and decay, it radiates images of death and rot into the world with its grim rays. Combat: Ghoulish Glow(su): Corpse candles shed a 20ft radius of light (becoming at a level of intensity equal to a daylight spell where two candles' lights overlap). Within this the surface of still water with decayed plant and flesh shines back portents of death. Either living creatures walking upon it see themselves reflected as rotting undead, or they see the floating bodies of those who died and rotted to nothing in the swamp long ago (the former caused by corpse candles of the skull variety and the latter of the hand variety). Either way, the effect is the same. They must make a will save dc:16 (wisdom based dc, +2 racial bonus, +3 circumstance bonus) or be shaken for as long as the images remain visible. The corpse candle can resume or supress this as a free action. A creature that successfully saves against this is immune to any ghoulish glows for the rest of the day. Dredging(su): Once per day, a corpse candle can, either by channeling restless spirits or gathering soulstains and negative energy from the dead tissue around them (which method is unknown), summon forth one of the reflected illusions in the ghoulish glow into quasi-reality as a shadow-shape to spring forth and attack the viewer. The person attacked must make a will save for disbelief (dc:11 plus one per each other corpse candle present to a maximum of +7) or take 1d8 subdual damage and be rendered prone (which may risk further harm depending on the firmness of the ground in that area of the bog). Corpse candle familiars: A corpse candle can be chosen as a familiar at level ??? How's the CR, and what would a good familiar level be?
was_fired 06-29-05, 05:37 PM	It seems fine for the CR. As for familiar level I have no idea off hand. Very well written creature btw.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 06-29-05, 09:15 PM	Thank you. ^_^
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-02-05, 12:17 AM	Bump
Great Cthulhu 07-02-05, 12:50 PM	This monster is really cool, but I think it may need to be CR 2.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-02-05, 04:25 PM	Why do you think that? Is it the damage reduction? AC too high?
malykoth 07-02-05, 04:40 PM	Just curious, but why would they become familiars? Maybe to a necromancer that lived in such a swamp, but that's more of an NPC thing, no? I do think that they're pretty cool, though! :D
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-03-05, 12:09 AM	Well, they seem like a good familiar creature for that task. One thing that would have to be clarified is what kind of water is needed for the reflection ability.
Veton 07-03-05, 12:38 AM	rpse candles shed a 20ft radius of light (becoming at a level of intensity equal to a daylight spell where two candles' lights overlap). Within this the surface of still water with decayed plant and flesh shines back portents of death. Either living creatures walking upon it see themselves reflected as rotting undead, or they see the floating bodies of those who died and rotted to nothing in the swamp long ago (the former caused by corpse candles of the skull variety and the latter of the hand variety). Either way, the effect is the same. They must make a will save dc:16 (wisdom based dc, +2 racial bonus, +3 circumstance bonus) or be shaken for as long as the images remain visible. The corpse candle can resume or supress this as a free action. I noticed that there is no 24 hour waiting period. Monsters that have abilities like these tend to have anyone who succeeds on a save immune to that effect for the rest of the day. Is this something left out, or does a character have to make a Will save every round they are in the area?
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-03-05, 12:59 AM	Fixed.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 07-08-05, 05:22 PM	Need more feedback on the CR and familiar level. :bump: