Myths And Legends: The Favor Of The Sea Queen

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The Favor Of The Sea Queen

You want to be a sailor? To challenge the sea itself? Work your ass every day and night in hope of hitting big when you and your ship are the first to outrun one of the great storms and bring the rare and exotic spices or other fancy goods across the seas? Many, many wanted that... Some even succeeded... But even more ended at the bottom of the ocean, forever bound to Her palace...

There was that ship, The Albatross-King, the name itself should tell you something about its captain... A proud man, vain even, and not without a merit. He was a skilled sailor, a masterful navigator, forceful leader, and a devil with a blade, short or long. What's more he was handsome and virile, and as the story goes, a devil in bed as well. That was the captain of The Albatross-King, the man who was willing to challenge anyone, god or demon, face to face...

His antics on the sea were already widely renowned, for like many who venture on these waters, he was a trader when there was bargain to be made, a pirate when there was plunder to be looted, an explorer when the winds brought him to unknown shores, a hunter when beasts of sea emerged, and a warrior when attacked. Whatever the challenge he took on, he succeeded, often with price paid in the blood of his men, although rarely his own, despite him never giving less than his crew. Some say he was charmed, some say he was damned, a few that he captured the eye f the goddess of the wave, the Sea Queen herself...

Did he? Ha! Judge it for yourself.

The storm season was coming, forcing all that plied these routes to stay careful and sail slowly, avoid the worst weather. In such time, the trade grinds slowly, and yet, in such times fortunes are made by the bold, the foolish, and the lucky. One of the princes or kings of a seaside realm was throwing up a wedding, for oneself or the heir, few remember. The important thing was that suddenly the prices of exotic spices from far-away lands went up tenfold, twentyfold even. A royal ransom would await whoever would got there in time. So The Albatross-King took the cargo of spice. Some shook their heads, many warned the captain of the folly of his endeavor, others simply uttered prayers for the departed for the captain and the crew. He laughed at them and set sails for the open sea, right underneath gathering black clouds.

Early in the evening, the storms struck, a dark wall of wind, rain, and waves, where the difference between the sky and the sea blurs. His crew already wary, requesting that they would move out of the storm's path and seek calmer and longer route. He cursed them with names that made them, seasoned sailors blush, called them cowards and proclaimed that he won't back off of the storm, even if sent by the goddess of the seas herself. Thunders struck sending the crew on their knees but he only raised his voice and screamed his challenge to the roaring winds, there and then, he proclaimed that he would go through the storm and past the sea, for he was the the greatest of its captains. There, he promised the Sea Queen Herself, that he would mount Her and ride her like a mare on his way through, giving Her the travel She would never forget.

The sea and the storm responded with a great wave, wave, which the cowering crew was sure would consume the ship with its boisterous captain. The waves struck, shaking the ship, and when they could see from behind the curtains of water, She stood on the bow—her hair black like the storm clouds above, her naked skin dark turquoise like the sea underneath. She stood there, with a cruel crooked smile, face to face with the blasphemous captain.

I am holding you to your promise.

A smile quickly replaced momentary surprise on the captain's face. He bowed to her and led her to his cabin. For a moment, the storm calmed, only to strike again, with even greater force. The crew fought for their life and for the ship, and each time they thought the storm might be passing, it struck again, and again, and again. And yet, the mad wind throwing them on the sea was always behind them, the waves carried them. The storm raged for three nights, carrying them and throwing them around like a toy, giving them no time for rest.

And then, before the dawn of the third morning, the sea went silent. The First Mate gathered the crew on the deck to count them and estimate damages. Then, the door of the captain's cabin opened and She stepped outside, with an enigmatic, capricious smile on her lips, bearing the captain's splendid hat, adorned with the feather of a golden albatross. She stepped out and looked over the crew—for a moment her gaze meet eyes of each and every one of them. Without word she handed the hat to the First Mate, stopped to kiss the youngest and leaped into the sea. The sailors looked on each other, with strange calmness and confidence in their hearts, and then checked on the captain, though later they claimed they already knew what will they find—the captain was still there, naked and drowned on his bed, his arrogant smile forever staying on his face.

The same day, they entered the harbor of their destination, in three days having braved the rout that should take a week with the best winds. They sold the spice for their weight in gold, and as they shared the profits each of them become wealthy man. And yet, all of them sailed until the end of their lives, some sooner some later. The boy seaman who tasted the lips of the sea goddess leaped into the sea a few months later being the first to die. The First Mate remained the captain of The Albatross-King, the best navigator of the fastest ship for years to come. Others split and spread across many ships sailing many seas.

Monsters: Wight-spirits and Greater Wight-beasts

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Wight-Spirits

Wight-spirits—sometimes called wight-wraith or barrow-spirits—are vestiges of malicious will, intangible remnants of evil presences, too ephemeral to be even considered creatures at all. They roam the places infused with corruption and taint of death, usually intimately related to, although occasionally being simply summoned to any sufficiently tainted place that resonates with their ill will.

Wight-spirits lack form, even the immaterial shape of incorporeal undead. They often also lack active memory, they might recall key events and some random smattering of past experiences but they rarely form new memories, or if they do, they are fleeting and vague, often distorted by the mirror of the past. They are also extremely limited in their ability to influence the surrounding world or be influences by it. They can whisper to particularly sensitive individuals—children, dying, drunk, drugged, sick, insane, meditating, magically talented, or those engaging in meditation and spirit-seeking trances, although the communication tends to be one sided. They can, in the right circumstances, possess corpses, albeit their lack ability to animate them on their own—the power to rouse the dead must come from elsewhere, usually the lingering corruption of necrotic energies already accumulated in the surrounding land or the corpse itself. Occasionally, they manage to slip inside a body as it is brought to life or unlife by a powerful caster, giving the new undead unexpected sapience and remnants of personality, or a hidden dangerous passenger to a revived mortal. At times, multiple wight-spirits seem to ride a single being that was particularly strong in life, forming a more powerful entity.

Free wight-spirit are easy to ward off and banish for a time—anything that repels evil or undead works, even methods that are too weak to actually get rid of true undead—but they are quite hard to eliminate permanently. Only cleansing the very land they roam of deathly corruption and taint of evil will destroy them.

Greater Wight-Beasts

Where wight-spirits roam, wight-beasts often arise, if there is sufficient necrotic corruption spreads across the land. When a particularly big and powerful animal, including dire beasts, dies and becomes corrupted, it might attract many wight-spirits and become a greater-wight beast. Such monstrosities might lead packs of lesser-wight beasts, groups of more than two greater-wight beasts are almost unheard of, being clear marks of extreme corruption extending its tendrils into the lands of the living.

Greater Carrion-Wings (CR 4) form out of dire ravens and big vultures. Size Medium; Init +3; Perception +10; AC 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural); hp 30 (4d8+12); Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +7; DR 5/magic and silver; Atk beak +7 (1d8+4 plus energy drain); Str 18, Dex 16, Con —, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 17; CMB +7; CMD 20; Skills Fly +10, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, Perception +10, Stealth +10. Special Abilities Carrion-mark subject doubles damage from bleeding and dying, and has a –4 penalty to saving throws against death effects, negative energy levels, massive damage, and coup d'grace attempts.

Greater Wight-Fangs (CR 5) are corrupted dire wolves and particularly large wargs. Size Large; Init +8; Perception +10; AC 19 (+4 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size); hp 42 (5d8+20); Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +8; DR 5/magic and silver; Atk bite +9 (3d6+10 plus energy drain and trip); Str 24, Dex 18, Con —, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 19; CMB +11; CMD 25 (29 vs. trip); Skills Acrobatics +9 (+17 jumping), Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +12, Stealth +8. Special Abilities Grasp of the fallen victim, after failing three saving throws (DC 16) is physically dragged under the ground and buried.

Greater Foulgores (CR 6) are corrupted dire boars.  Size Large; Init +7;  Perception +10; AC 21 (+3 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size); hp 57 (6d8+30); Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9; DR 10/magic and silver; Atk gore +11 (3d8+12 plus energy drain); Str 26, Dex 16, Con —, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 19; CMB +13; CMD 26 (30 vs. trip); Skills Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Spellcraft +11. Special Abilities Foul vapors can be used twice per hour and lasts for 2d4+1 rounds.

Greater Bile-Bears (CR 7) form out of grizzly bears and some smaller dire bears.  Size Huge; Init +7;  Perception +15; AC 22 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural, –2 size);  hp 66 (7d8+35);  Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +10; DR 10/magic and silver; Atk 2 claws +12 (1d8+9 plus grab), bite +12 (1d8+9 plus energy drain); Str 28, Dex 16, Con —, Int 17,  Wis 21, Cha 19; CMB +16 (+20 grapple); CMD 30 (34 vs. trip); Skills Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +13. Special Abilities Dread roar DC is 17.

Greater Grave-Claws (CR 8) are tigers and mountain lions corrupted into undeath.  Size Large; Init +9; Perception +17; AC 23 (+5 Dex, +9 natural, –1 size);  hp 94 (9d8+54);  Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +11; DR 10/magic and silver; Atk 2 claws +13 (1d6+8), bite +13 (1d6+8 plus energy drain); Str 26, Dex 20, Con —, Int 17, Wis 21, Cha 21;   CMB +15; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip); Skills Acrobatics +17 (+25 jumping), Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (religion) +15, Perception +17, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +15. Special Abilities disturbing hiss saving throw DC is 19, rake (2 claws +13, 1d6+4).

Monster: Grave-claw

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Grave-Claw

A big black cat with glowing red eyes and a green luminescence outlining its shape.

CR 6; XP 2,400
CE Medium Undead
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +15

Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 76 (9d8+36)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +9
DR 5/magic or silver; Immunities undead traits

Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d4+4), bite +10 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks acrobatic pounce, disturbing hiss, rake (2 claws +10, 1d4+2)


Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con —, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 17
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 24 (28 vs. trip)
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Combat Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +13 (+21 jumping), Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +15, Stealth +16
Languages Common, Necril

Ecology
Environment plains, forests, hills, mountains
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Acrobatic Pounce (Ex) A grave-claw can make a full attack, including its rake attacks when charging. Additionally, it does not have to charge in a straight line, being able to change direction during the charge up to 90 degrees once, and can make charge over a difficult terrain, although it has to make an Acrobatics check to leap over the interfering terrain or the charge stops where it lands.

Disturbing Hiss (Su) As a swift action, a grave-claw can issue a hiss that disturbs and distracts a single opponent within 10 feet. Until the end of the grave-claw's following turn, the affected opponent can't make attacks of opportunity and has to make a concentration check to cast a spell (DC 17+spell level) or use any other ability that requires concentration. A successful Will saving throw (DC 17) negates this effect. A creature cannot be affected by this ability more than once in 24 hour period. This is a fear effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.


Grave-claws form out of dead leopards, cheetah, dire lynxes, and other medium cats, and are the most sneaky and patient of wight-beasts, but also the most unpredictable and highly aggressive.

Monster: Bile-Bear

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Bile-Bear

A sickly yellow, brown, and black bear with glowing red eyes and green luminescence outlining its form.

CR 5; XP 1,600
CE Large Undead
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 52 (7d8+21)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +8
Defensive Abilities rearing stance; DR 5/magic or silver; Immunities undead traits

Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+5 plus grab), bite +9 (1d6+5)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks dreadful roar

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +11 (+15 grapple); CMD 24
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Perception +13, Spellcraft +11
Languages Common, Necril

Ecology
Environment plains, forests, hills
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Dreadful Roar (Su) Three times per day, a bile-bear can issue a disturbing roar in a 30-ft. radius burst as an immediate action. Living creatures that fail their Will saving throw (DC 15) have all competence and morale bonuses suppressed and all their movement speeds are halved for the next 1d4+1 rounds. A successful saving throw reduces the duration of the effect to 1 round. This is a fear, mind-affecting, sonic effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Rearing Stance (Ex and Su) A bile-bear taking a total defense action rears on his legs. It can continue to make attacks of opportunity and provide flanking benefits to its allies while doing so. Additionally, it grants the bile-bear temporary hit points equal to its HD plus its Charisma bonus (9 temporary hit points for a typical bile-bear), lasting until the start of its next turn.


Bile-bears form when a wight-spirit rouses to unlife a dead bear, bringing to existence a terrible entity full of anger and spite. Like other wight-beasts, bile-bears are far more cunning than their animalistic frame would suggest, acting cunningly and ferociously, though with little regard for its own existence.

Monster: Foulgore

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Foulgore

This boar has pieces of its skin falling away, revealing bloodied innards and gleaming ribs. Its eyes are glowing red, and all its form is outlined in green fluorescence.

CR 4; XP 1,200
CE Medium Undead
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +11

Defense
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 45 (6d8+18)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +7
Defensive Abilities foul vapor; DR 5/magic or silver; Immunities undead traits

Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee gore +8 (2d8+6)
Special Attacks boar-rush

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 14, Con —, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +4; CMB +8 (+12 bull-rush); CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Intimidate +11, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +11, Spellcraft +10
Languages Common, Necril
SQ unearth remains

Ecology
Environment plains, forests, hills
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–5)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Boar-Rush (Ex) When a foulgore charges, it can make a free bull-rush attempt on its target with a +4 bonus, without provoking attacks of opportunity in addition to the regular attack.

Foul Vapor (Su) Three times per day, a foulgore can release a 10-ft. radius cloud of fetid mist around oneself as an immediate action. The cloud lasts for 1d4+1 rounds, acts as desecrate spell for purpose of animating and summoning undead, provides concealment against ranged and ranged touch attacks, and grants a +4 profane bonus to saving throws against positive energy and effects that would take control, repel, damage or destroy an undead creature.

Unearth Remains (Su) A foulgore can completely dig out a corpse with a full-round action, as long as the corpse is 5 or less feet underneath the surface of earth, snow, sand, or mud. It can break nonmagical coffin in two rounds, nonmagical stone cairn or grave in a minute.



Foulgores are wight-boars, savage, cruel, and yet surprisingly cunning and knowledgeable about the dark arts.

Monster: Wight-fang

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Wight-fang

A wolf with blackened fur, glowing red eyes, oversized grin with too many bloodied fangs, and a faint luminescent green outline to its shape.

CR 3; XP 800
CE Medium Undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +10

Defense
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 32 (5d8+10)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
DR 5/magic or silver; Immunities undead traits

Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +6 (2d6+4 plus trip)
Special Attacks grasp of the fallen, howl of the barrows

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics +8 (+16 jumping), Knowledge (religion) +8, Perception +10, Stealth +11
Languages Common, Necril

Ecology
Environment ruins, forests, hills
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–12)
Treasure standard (trinkets gathered from its prey)

Special Abilities

Grasp Of The Fallen (Su) As an immediate action, a wight-fang can send spectral presences to haunt a sapient creature within its line of that is prone. The victims experience vision of falling into an empty grave with numerous ghostly shapes and skeletal arms holding them down while a gravestone rises over them. Standing up requires a successful Will saving throw (DC 14), a failed saving throw wastes the action used to stand up and prevents the victim from trying again until the next turn. After three failed saving throws, the creature becomes paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds and the effect ends. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based. This is a fear, mind-affecting phantasm effect.

Howl Of The Barrows (Su) A wight-fang can issue a soul-piercing howl that grants all the undead beings that hear it +1 profane bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws as well as 5 temporary hit points until the end of the wight-fang's following turn. All the living creatures that hear it suffer –2 penalty to saving throws against fear effects until the end of the wight-fang's next turn unless affected by protection from evil or similar effect. The howl often attracts attention of undead creatures within miles, although it does not compel them to actually react in any way.


Wight-fangs are among the many varied wight-beasts that roam the places tainted with death and decay, dead wolves or hounds whose corpses are worn by a vile spirit like a terrible robe and tool of evil.

Monster: Carrion-wing

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Carrion-wing

This tattered vulture has blackened feather, glowing red eyes, and a faint luminescent-green outline around its silhouette.

CR 2; XP 600
CE Small Undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +8

Defense
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 22 (4d8+4)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5
Immunities undead traits

Offense
Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
Melee beak +4 (1d6)
Special Attacks carrion-mark, sneak attack +2d6

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con —, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Combat Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Fly +11, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +8
Languages Common, Necril

Ecology
Environment ruins, plains, hills
Organization solitary, pair, or flock (3–24)
Treasure standard (trinkets gathered from its prey)

Special Abilities

Carrion-Mark (Su) A carrion-wing can take an immediate action to mark a living (or dead) creature within its line of sight as touched by death. The target has to be dead, dying (including stable), disabled, diseased, or bleeding. The mark can be removed with break enchantment, dispel evil, or remove curse, but otherwise it lasts until the carrion-wing that placed the mark is destroyed, persisting even through death and revival. The carrion-wing can always sense the direction and distance toward bearers of its carrion-marks as long as they are on the same plane, and can sense when they are dead or revived. When making an attack against bearer of its carrion-mark, a carrion-wing can apply its sneak attack to the damage dealt.


Carrion-wings are undead vultures, giant ravens, and similar carrion birds ridden by a malevolent wight-spirit. They often feast on the dead, and they prey on creatures that are close to death—wounded, diseased, dying—stalking and observing their targets even if they recover. Sometimes they get a sick liking to their victims, following them and preying on those who get near death while around their favorites, they also often accompany necromancers and more powerful undead, ruthless conquerors, evil outsiders, and malicious fey.

Monster: Snow Devil

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Snow Devil

A hulking, ape-like creature covered with a thick white fur, except for the thick brown hide of its exposed face. Its head is adorned with a pair of ram-like horns, its arms end with vicious claws, and its legs in cloven hooves.

CR 6; XP 2,400
CE Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 76 (8d10+32)
Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities snow-walker; Resist cold 20

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +12 (1d6+4) and gore +12 (1d6+4)
Ranged hurl rock +11 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks snow bringer

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 13
Base Atk +8; CMB +12 (+14 grapple); CMD 25
Feats Combat Reflexes, Blind-Fight, Dirty Fighting, Improved Grapple
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +16, Perception +9, Stealth +9 (+17 in snow), Survival +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Stealth in snow
Languages Understands Auran, Common, and Infernal
SQ hibernation

Ecology
Environment cold hills and mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or a pack (3–5)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Hibernation (Ex) Snow devils can sleep for months without eating or drinking.

Hurl Rock (Ex) Snow devils can hurl Tiny rocks and shards of ice with both arms as a full round attack. They add 1-1/2 of their Strength bonus to damage and have range increment of 20 feet, up to five increments.

Snow Bringer (Su) Snow devils have a degree of command over snow and wind. In cold or colder environment they can create a snowfall within 1 mile radius, limiting vision range to 100 feet, turning the area into a difficult terrain, and bestowing –2 penalty to ranged attack rolls and Fortitude saving throws against effects of cold weather. The snowfall ends when snow devil dismisses it or 2d6 hours after snow devil is killed.

Snow Walker (Ex) Snow devils move over deep snow and ice without hindrance, treating them as normal terrain and are immune to effects of cold weather.



Snow devils are cunning and callous monsters living among the snows and glaciers of frozen lands. They sometimes steal herd animals from pastures, or, more rarely hunt lone humanoids for food. During particularly severe winters they can even raid villages for food. While clearly sapient beings, capable of understanding communication, they only use growls, howls, and chest-drumming to communicate themselves, and when contacted telepathically, their thoughts appear as series of images, sounds, and smells.

Sometimes local villagers can keep snow devils away by leaving offerings of live animals or butchered meat in certain places. On a rare occasion, snow devils might even barter mountain herbs and shiny stones for meat.

In some areas, snow devils mark their territory with crude totems of sticks, stones, skulls, and bones, tied together with hides and tendons.

Variants:

Snow devil elders (CR 7) have Intelligence of 11, can summon Small ice elementals, ice storms, and harsh winds, and know the secret of burying a willing or helpless creature in a mound of snow together with various herbs to heal injuries and afflictions within hours. Some of them might be even capable of speech. They are the most willing to bargain with humanoids, although they requests are usually strange or cruel.

Monster: Storm Lady Harpy

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Harpy, Storm Lady

A woman with bird-like talons and wings. Her feathers are vivid blue in color and crackling with lightning.

CR 5; XP 1,600
CE Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+2 deflection, +4 Dex, +1  dodge, +1 natural)
hp 52 (7d10+14)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities wind mantle; Immunities captivating song; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, sonic 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee 2 talons +10 (1d6+3)
Ranged 2 lightning arcs +11 touch (3d6 electricity)
Special Attacks pillar of winds

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 21
Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 27
Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Mobility
Skills Fly +18, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +13
Languages Auran, Common

Ecology
Environment temperate marshes and mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or leading a flight of harpies
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Lightning Arcs (Su) A storm lady harpy can project 30-ft. long arcs of lightning with a range of 60 feet. Lightning arcs are natural ranged touch attacks and deal electricity damage.

Pillar Of Winds (Su) A storm lady harpy can create a thin whirlwind of intense wind in an unoccupied square within 60 feet, extending upward a 100 feet or until it reaches some sort of solid ceiling. Pillar of winds blocks line of effect and any Large or smaller creature attempting to pass it, or pushed inside is thrown 1d4 × 5 feet in a random direction, suffering 1d6 points of damage if forced into a solid obstacle. Pillar of winds lasts for 1d4+1 rounds if created with a standard action, or until the beginning of the storm lady's next turn if created as a swift action. If a pillar of winds is struck with electricity damage, it becomes charged with crackling lightning, dealing 3d6 points of damage to any creature entering or forced into it. All creatures starting their turn adjacent to a charged pillar of wind have to make a Reflex saving throw (DC 18) or suffer the damage as well.

Wind Mantle (Su) A storm lady harpy in combat is surrounded by crackling lightning and winds that grant her +2 deflection bonus to AC, provide her concealment against ranged attacks, and grants her evasion.


Storm lady harpies are descendants of thunder gods and spirits mingling with harpies, distinguished from their siblings by their vivid plumage and inherent command over lightning and winds. No less vicious than their mundane sisters, storm ladies tend to be smarter, cleaner, and more fickle. Many of them lead flights of harpies as a sort of shaman-queens. A few grow even more powerful leading whole tribes of harpies composed of multiple flights.

Paizo Announces Pathfinder 2nd Edition

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Pathfinder 2nd Edition is Coming!

As the post title says, Paizo announced incoming second edition of Pathfinder being planned. At the moment they want to release public betatest later this year in August and then release the final version somewhere in 2019.

You can find some general information about plans >here<, on (recently redesigned) Paizo website.

The second edition promises introduction of 10th level of spells, inclusion of all eleven core classes from the first edition core rulebook plus the alchemist. I'd like to see a bit more of the classes there but we get what we get. Archetypes that were introduced in Advanced Player's Guide will be introduced from the start of second edition. Paizo promises streamlining of various rules, including redesign of action economy: three generic actions and one reaction per turn, no action types, though some activities will consume more than one action—most spells will use two actions for example. Goblins will become playable characters... 

It's interesting development, although I am at the same time a bit wary. It will probably be based on some of the directions taken by Starfinder, and while some of them were good, some of them were rather unimpressive. One of the things that meshes badly with me is being "Golarion-infused". I'd much prefer it to be setting-agnostic.

I wasn't expecting that announcement but at the same time I am not surprised. Pathfinder will be ten years old next year. Many rules could use improvement, many things introduced after the game was created could use moving into the core rules. Will it be done well? We'll see a glimpse of it in half a year, and the final version next year.

Some more information about new edition can be gleamed in >Playtest FAQ<.

Monster: Wraithblade

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Wraithblade

A sword hovers in the air, outlined by a ghostly glow.

CR 4; XP 1,200
CE Medium Undead
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+3 deflection, +4 Dex)
hp 45 (6d8+18)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, possessed object; DR 5/adamantine and magic; Immunities undead traits
Weakness susceptible to ghost touch weapons

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee +1 bastard sword +8 (1d10+4/19–20/×2 plus energy drain)
Special Attacks create spawn, critical energy drain (1 level, DC 16), empowered slash, lead the dance

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 18, Con —, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 16
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 24
Feats Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative
Skills Acrobatics +10, Fly +21, Knowledge (nobility) +6, Perception +10

Ecology
Environment ruins, urban
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure +1 bastard sword (cursed)

Special Abilities

Create Spawn (Su) When a humanoid wielding a magic sword is killed by negative energy levels bestowed by a wraithblade, the victim's weapon has to succeed a Will saving throw (DC 16). It becomes corrupted on a failed save gaining wraithblade weapon curse and its wielder rises 1d4 rounds later as an uncontrolled wraithblade.

Critical Energy Drain (Su) On a confirmed critical hit, a wraithblade bestows 1 negative energy level and gains 5 temporary hit points.

Empowered Slash (Su) A wraithblade can take a swift action to imbue its next strike with great power, dealing 2d6 of extra damage with its next attack.

Lead The Dance (Su) A wraithblade can take a swift action to redirect a dancing weapon or a dancing shield within its line of sight, commanding it to attack its owner or protect the wraithblade if the wraithblade wins an opposed Charisma check with the owner of the targeted item.

Possessed Object A wraithblade is an intangible undead spirit possessing a magical blade. Like an object, a wraithblade receives half the damage from energy attacks, and is treated as both an attended magical object and a creature. It is immune to extra damage from critical hits, sneak attacks, and similar effects. Reducing a wraithblade to 0 hit points destroys the spirit leaving the weapon behind. Each point of damage beyond 0 is dealt to the weapon, possibly destroying the weapon with excessive damage, except for damage that could not affect object, such as from positive energy or magic missile. Disintegrate and similar effects destroy the weapon if the wraithblade is reduced to 0 or less hit points. A wraithblade can be healed by mending, make whole and other effects that repair objects in addition to being healed by negative energy as an Undead.

Susceptible To Ghost Touch Weapons Weapon with a ghost touch magic property ignores wraithblade's damage resistance and immunity to extra damage from critical hits and sneak attacks.


Wraithblades are violent spirits bound to magic weapons, fighting and killing forever until destroyed. Even after their destruction they can continue to bring doom to others, for anyone killed while wielding a sword salvaged from a wraithblade will rise as a wraithblade soon enough. Wraithblades rarely remember their mortal lives, being fixated on combat, though they almost never fight each other unless magically controlled by another force.

Anyone viewing a wraithblade with a see invisible, true seeing, or similar ability, can perceive a faint ghostly outline of a fencer wielding the sword itself.

Some wraithblades can be bound to different weapons, with more powerful wraithblades wielding more powerful ones.


Wraithblade Weapon Curse Anyone wielding the cursed weapon does not drop it due to fear or unconsciousness, always fails Constitution checks made to stabilize, and rises as an uncontrolled  wraithblade 1d4 rounds after death.