Author Topic: Biblical Weirdness  (Read 42252 times)

Offline veekie

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #60 on: March 30, 2012, 08:05:25 AM »
Hmm, seems a little weak for the CR, though its AC bonus would help at lower base CRs. Maybe if it came with one of the gifts by default?
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #61 on: April 12, 2012, 09:43:53 PM »
hows it look now?

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #62 on: April 14, 2012, 04:02:34 PM »
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhampir
http://dhampir.info/


Dhampir

In Gypsy folklore vampires are notoriously sexual beings, often exhausting their lovers to the point of death.  In some odd cases a child is born from pregnancy, and this is where the myths diverge from place to place.  This unfortunate offspring was called a Dhampir, but could also be called a Vampir (male) or Vampuiera (female) or alternatively the Vampijerovic or Lampijerovic.  According to stories the child was always male, or died soon after birth because of a jelly like body, or couldn't come from the family of an Orthodox or a Muslim Cleric, or was just a normal human.  Some were the only beings capable of detecting vampires which were invisible.  In Serbian legends Dhampir have untamed black hair and no shadow. 

Template Type: Dhampir is an Inherited template that can be applied to any Humanoid (Human).

Size and Type: Unchanged.

Hit Dice: Unchanged.

Speed: Unchanged.

Armor Class: Unchanged.

Attacks: Unchanged.

Damage: Unchanged.

Special Attacks: Retains all the Special Qualities of the Base Creature, plus gains the following

Vampire Grappler (Ex): Vampires cannot Fast Heal or Regenerate damage done by you, and you automatically overcome any Damage Reduction they have that isn't granted by a spell or item.  You also gain a +4 Bonus Check on Grapple Checks vs Vampires.

Special Qualities: Retains all the Special Qualities of the Base Creature, plus gains the following:

Vampire Sight (Ex): You permanently have the benefits of a See Invisibility spell (many Balkan vampires and supernatural entities are invisible).

Vampire Resistance (Ex): You gain a +2 Bonus on all Saves against Vampires.

Saves: Unchanged.

Abilities: Unchanged.

Skills: Unchanged.

Feats: Unchanged.

Environment: Unchanged.

Organization: Unchanged.

Challenge Rating: +0

Treasure: Unchanged.

Alignment: Unchanged.

Advancement: Unchanged, but usually by Character Class.

Level Adjustment: +0

Example of creature using template here:


« Last Edit: April 12, 2013, 11:50:25 PM by bhu »

Offline veekie

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #63 on: April 16, 2012, 01:28:26 PM »
That seems to do the trick.
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #64 on: April 12, 2013, 11:50:48 PM »
CR/LA for Dhampir seem fair?

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #65 on: April 21, 2013, 11:55:26 PM »
http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Ekimmu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edimmu

http://www.vampires.be/index.php?title=Ekimmu


Ekimmu

Ekimmu is an Acquired Template that can be added to any Humanoid (Human) who has died a violent or unsavory death, or who has left a corpse mutilated or unburied, or if proper funeral rites were not observed or if there was no surviving family or if nobody cared for the soul.

Size and Type: Size is unchanged.  Type becomes Undead with the Evil and Incorporeal Subtypes.

Hit Dice: All current and future Hit Dice become d12's.

Speed: Gains a Flight speed equal to their land speed with Good Maneuverability.

Armor Class: Gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier plus it's former Natural Armor Bonus (if any, minimum +1).

Attacks: Unchanged

Damage: Unchanged

Special Attacks: Retains all Special Attacks of the Base Creature, and gains the following:

Malevolence (Su): This is identical to the Ghost ability listed in the Monster Manual.  The Ekimmu may only use it to possess those who have violated certain societal and religious taboos.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day: Bestow Curse, Contagion, Suggestion

Corrupt (Su): The EKimmu will tempt men to Evil, and it will use it's Suggestion ability to suggest acts that are evil in nature.  Once a victim has failed a Save vs the Ekimmu's suggestion and committed an evil (or at least unethical) act at least 5 times it's Alignment changes.  The Neutral or Good components of his Alignment become Evil (True Neutral victims become Neutral Evil).

Special Qualities: Retains all Special QUalities of the Base Creature, and gains the following:

Rejuvenation (Su): This is identical to the Ghost ability listed in the Monster Manual.  Ekimmu are notoriously difficult to exorcise, though sometimes the proper funerary rites will dissuade them for their quest for vengeance on the living.

Turn Resistance (Ex): Ekimmu have Turn Resistance +4.

Saves: Unchanged (but may be higher or lower due to changes in Ability Scores).

Abilities: +4 Cha, Constitution become -

Skills: Ekimmu gain a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

Feats: Unchanged.

Environment: Any

Organization: Solitary

Challenge Rating: +2

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil.

Advancement: Unchanged.

Level Adjustment: +5
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 04:24:04 PM by bhu »

Offline veekie

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #66 on: May 01, 2013, 11:15:07 PM »
CR/LA for Dhampir seem fair?
Looks fine since the perks are minor and situational. Might want to slap some drawbacks in though.

How about vampires sensing your presence(but not direction, location or distance) when you're within 30ft?
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #67 on: May 02, 2013, 01:56:09 AM »
is that included in the folktales?

Offline veekie

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #68 on: May 02, 2013, 08:30:40 AM »
Dhampir folktales are crazy varied, but overall the myths don't attribute any powers to them at all. Just thought those drawbacks fit the theme of the strengths you assigned.
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #69 on: May 24, 2013, 09:01:42 PM »
Searched for some local folklore from Central Europe and found something like this (there are contradictory descriptions, this is the best consistent description I could come up with)

Planetnik (pronounced with "Pua") is a mountain spirit of clouds, rain and snow. According to some legends a person who dies by suicide can become one - but they lack any undead traits and are closer to fey.

A planetnik looks like a man wearing plain clothes with a wide-brimmed hat and dripping with water - there is no way to dry him off as the water actually comes from his body.

Planetniks are spirits responsible for weather, creating and moving the clouds across the sky. They are (usually) not malicious unless angered and mostly neutral about everything, but bringing rain is what they do - a planetnik is usually surrounded by an area of bad weather he has brought. (it is possible to befriend one, which is a boon as they can bring rain when it is actually needed as well as direct dangerous weather phenomena away from inhabited areas)

Their powers include flight (possibly gasous form), and weather control (mostly large area effect, though some of them might have more precise abilities like sleet storm or call lightning). They are not the types to directly fight, at least not against humans - if you try to threaten one, he will just use his powers to disappear and then flash-flood your home.

One way to handle a planetnik is to invite him home and sit him next to the fireplace - he will feel treated like a guest should be, but his cold subtype will make him want to leave pretty quickly.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #70 on: May 24, 2013, 10:48:54 PM »
Got any links I could include in a monster descriptions/statblock?

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #71 on: May 25, 2013, 09:22:20 AM »
Sadly, most articles I encountered are stubs. Most of my data comes from an actual book on Polish folklore I read as a kid and can no longer
locate.

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%82anetnik  This is the longest I could find and it's not in English

(a short research showed that most supernaturals from my area would start as humans, mostly stillborn or unchristened children. I might look for more if you'd like)
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 09:26:15 AM by Braininthejar »

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #72 on: May 25, 2013, 03:43:17 PM »
Would it be safe to say I'll be designing this as a template?

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #73 on: May 25, 2013, 03:55:26 PM »
Either that or a just a fey - they don't seem to have much connection with their former life.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #74 on: May 25, 2013, 04:19:32 PM »
                 http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C5%82anetnik&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dplanetnik%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DPV1%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Dfflb

http://czarnaarcher.deviantart.com/art/Planetnik-182961617?comments_view=3&offset=10

http://fuckyeahstrangemythology.tumblr.com/post/38410891067/slavonica-antiqua-planetnik-or-chmurnik

https://www.amazingworldreality.com/2022/02/planetnik-daemon-that-could-control.html

https://brendan-noble.com/planetnik-zduhac-slavic-protectors-of-the-winds-and-weather/

https://lamusdworski.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/polish-mythology-planetnicy/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zduha%C4%87

Much thanks to Kaworu for a better translation of the wiki article than google provided above!

   Planetnik
                      Medium Fey
Hit Dice:             18d6+90 (153 hp)
Initiative:           +9
Speed:                30 ft. (6 squares), Fly 120 ft. (Good)
Armor Class:          21 (+5 Dex, +6 Deflection), touch 21, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:  +9/+14
Attack:               Tree +15 ranged (4d10)
Full Attack:          Tree +15/+10 ranged (4d10)
Space/Reach:          5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:      Weather Control, Alternate Form, Tree
Special Qualities:    Low Light Vision, Endure Elements, Dark Vision 120 ft., Weather Immunity, Spiritual Power, Weather Sense
Saves:                Fort +17, Ref +22, Will +22
Abilities:            Str 20, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 22
Skills:               Concentration +25, Knowledge (Arcana, Geography, Local, Nature, Religion) +25, Listen +25, Sense Motive +25, Spellcraft +25, Spot +25, Survival +25, Use Magic Device +17
Feats:               Adroit Flyby Attack (Draconomicon), Boost Spell-Like Ability (Greater Whirlwind, Book of Vile Darkness), Combat Casting, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Wingover
Environment:          Any
Organization:         Solitary
Challenge Rating:    14
Treasure:             None
Alignment:            Usually Neutral Good or Neutral Evil
Advancement:          By Character Class
Level Adjustment:     ---

Planetnik (also called Chmurnik or Oblocznik) are (in some myths) the souls of men who died from violent death, suicide or drowning turned into 'demons'.  It's also said they were men whose souls left their bodies and ascended into the clouds on rainbows to fight weather or monsters.  Nearby countries also have weather wizards whose souls leave their bodies at night to fight storms, the undead, dragons, demons, each other, etc..  They appear as a small hairy goblinoid, an old man with a bird or straw hat, animals, a young man with long hair, or in some cases a humanoid cloud.  Planetnik haul the clouds across the sky and create or dispel weather and wind..  They send hail and storms, or can be bribed to drive them away.  I will be doing the human Planetnik later under the name Zduhacs, this version is the transformed spirit of a suicide.

Weather Control (Sp): At Will: Call Lightning, Capricious Zephyr (Spell Compendium), Cloudburst (Magic of Faerun), Create Water, Dispel Fog (Shining South), Fog Cloud, Gaseous Form, Gust of Wind, Hailstones (Spell Compendium), Sleet Storm, Thunderhead (Spell Compendium)
3/day: Blizzard (Frostburn), Control Winds, Eye of the Hurricane (Spell Compendium), Ice Storm
1/day: Control Weather, Greater Whirlwind (Complete Divine), Mastery of the Sky (Races of the Wild), Towering Thunderhead (Complete Mage)

Alternate Form (Su): A Planetnik can assume any animal or humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standard action three times per day. The Planetnik can remain in its animal or humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Tree (Su): The Planetik can use the wind to uproot trees and use them as clubs, or hurl debris in the same manner.  This does 4d10 Bludgeoning damage (unlesss the debris is sharp or pointy), and the Planetnik can move it up to 60 feet per round.  It uses it's Cha mod for attack rolls.

Endure Elements (Ex): The Planetnik permanently has the benefits of an Endure Elements spell.

Weather Immunity (Ex): Planetniks do not suffer penalties to attack rolls or skill/ability checks due to weather.  They cannot be knocked down, blown away or checked by winds (see DMG).  Weather does not affect it's movement.

Spiritual Power (Su): A Planetnik adds his Charisma modifier as a bonus on all his saving throws, and as a deflection bonus to his Armor Class. (The statistics block already reflects these bonuses).

Weather Sense (Su): Planetnik know the weather up to a week in advance.

Combat: Planenik prefer to save fling trees for duels with equals.  Everything else gets blasted with spells from a distance.



Capricious Zephyr
3rd Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 Minute
You create a 5 foot sphere of swirling wind that you can move up to 30 feet as a Bonus Action.  Anything whose area the sphere enters (or vice versa) must make a Strength Save or be shoved up to 30 feet in any direction and knocked prone.  The spell ends if the sphere ever moves out of the spells range.


Hailstones
3rd Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (crystal globe)
Duration: Instantaneous
You create icy hailstones to attack your enemies. This is a ranged spell attack doing 3d10 Cold damage.

  At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you get one additional hailstone for every 2 spell slot levels above 3rd (i.e. 2 stones at 5th, 3 stonesat 7th, etc.).


Thunderhead
1st Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (small piece of copper wire)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 Minute
You create a small thundercloud over the head of the target that follows him.  For the duration of the spell the target has disadvantage on Perception (Sight) checks due to rain.  Anytime it is successfully attacked before the spells end, it takes an additional 1d6 lightning damage as the cloud lights it up.


Blizzard
9th Level Transmutation
Casting Time: 10 Minutes
Range: Self (5 Mile Radius)
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 6 Hours
This spell summons blinding winds and snow.  At the end of every hour spend in a Blizzard, anyone in it must make a Constitution saving. On failure, they take 3d4 cold damage and gain one level of exhaustion. They make this check with advantage if you have proper cold weather gear.  All creatures are heavily obscured from any other creature they are more than 20 feet away. All terrain is difficult terrain. The sky is darkened. Flying creatures more than 40 feet up have total cover, and outdoor light does not count as sunlight (for the purposes of sunlight sensitivity and similar traits). Checks using Navigation Tools to determine your location based on celestial observation are made with disadvantage.  Due to high winds, creatures moving must make a Strength Saving Throw to move.  If they  fail by 5 or more they are also knocked prone.  All ranged attack rolls are made with disadvantage.

  At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you x


Eye of the Hurricane
4th Level Abjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self (40 foot radius)
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 Minute
This creates an intense storm in a 40 foot radius around you, and a calm area 10 feet around you in the center.  If you move, the area effect of the spell moves with you.  Anything in the area of the storm is affected as if they had entered a Wind Wall spell.  Additionally, if a hostile creature fails the Strength Save against the Wind Wall effect, it is knocked prone.  If it fails by 5 or nore, it is shoved to the edge of the storms area of effect.


Master of the Sky
8th Level Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 Minutes
This spell causes the winds to enhance your flight and attacks.  While flying, you have advantage on all attack rolls, and use your spellcasting ability modifier for all attack and damage rolls.  You can now Hover, and high winds do not affect your movement.  Melee attacks against you are made with disadvantage, and ranged attacks automatically miss.  Your flight speed increases by +20 feet.  If you have no flight speed, you can now fly with a speed of 40 feet.


Towering Thunderhead
9th Level Conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Sight
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 Minute
This creates a mass of storm clouds in a cylinder with a 400 foot radius and a 60 foot height.  Anything inside this area is affected as if they were in the areas of a Fog Cloud and Wind Wall spells, and all movement is halved.  For the duration of the spell, any other spell cast by you or friendly creatures that does thunder or lightning damage is empowered (When you or they roll damage for a qualifying spell, you can reroll a number of the damage dice up to your spellcasting ability modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.).


Greater Whirlwind
9th Level Conjuration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 300 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 Minute
A whirlwind howls down to a point on the ground you specify. The whirlwind is a 20-foot-radius, 60-foot-high cylinder centered on that point. Until the spell ends, you can use your action to move the whirlwind up to 60 feet in any direction along the ground. The whirlwind sucks up any Large or smaller objects that aren’t secured to anything and that aren’t worn or carried by anyone.

A creature must make a Dexterity saving throw the first time on a turn that it enters the whirlwind or that the whirlwind enters its space, including when the whirlwind first appears. A creature takes 15d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition, a Huge or smaller creature that fails the save must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained and incapacitated in the whirlwind until the spell ends.

When a creature starts its turn restrained by the whirlwind, the creature is pulled 5 feet higher inside it, unless the creature is at the top. A restrained creature moves with the whirlwind and falls when the spell ends, unless the creature has some means to stay aloft.

A restrained creature can use an action to make a Strength or Dexterity check against your spell save DC. If successful, the creature is no longer restrained by the whirlwind and is hurled 3d6 × 10 feet away from it in a random direction and knocked prone..
« Last Edit: March 26, 2023, 04:47:59 PM by bhu »

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #75 on: May 25, 2013, 10:40:32 PM »
The environment would be "cold mountains".

Well, they come from the highlands' folklore - the mountains is where weather can have the most dramatic effects, so it was the locals there tha came up with this story.

The dragons weren't in the version I had, but I don't think they woiuld be anything too powerful. As for mode of movement... definitely flight and possibly cloudwalk too.


(I will drop any further comments into this post to avoid cluttering the thread)
« Last Edit: May 30, 2013, 08:07:00 AM by Braininthejar »

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #76 on: May 26, 2013, 04:37:53 PM »
Wouldn't the environment be any?  It seems like they're responsible for the weather by steering the clouds around.  I could mention that they live in the mountains in the dexcription but it seems like they could be encountered just about anywhere.

Also I'm thinking of making them outsiders.  Since they're the osuls of dead men turned into demons or fey of some kind Outsider (Native) seemed like an optimal choice.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #77 on: May 29, 2013, 10:27:26 PM »
Do the Planetnik fly or are they more like cloudwalkers?

Also are these dragons they're shown fighting actually powerful or just big snakes?

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #78 on: August 02, 2013, 10:50:52 PM »
Sorry I got sidetracked from this BitJ.  If anyone knows hte answer to my previous post I'd like one, otherwise I'll jsut wing it like usual.

Offline bhu

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Re: Biblical Weirdness
« Reply #79 on: November 01, 2013, 11:55:13 PM »
Given what little we know does the spell like ability list seem appropriate?