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After a Noble and Yeoman classes for Forbidden Lands, here comes a Sage, a class for characters that focus on lore, insight, and recalling half-forgotten teaching and folk remedies.
Sage
Education is a rare thing in this wretched times, when people have to focus all their effort at mere survival. Sure, everyone heard some old tales during the cold winter nights, but a lot of learning was lost to the mists and time. Still, there are some folks who sipped from the well of lore deeper than the others, treasuring old stories and half-forgotten truths. You are one of them and not letting your knowledge die. You are a Sage.
Key Attribute: Wits
Skills: Crafting, Healing, Insight, Lore, Performance
Typical Nicknames: Haughty, Longbeard, Old, Owl, Wise, Softtouch, Croaker, Silent.
Pride
Choose one or create your own:
- Stories you recall are always true.
- You can see past any lie.
- You can patch any wound and cure any disease.
Dark Secret
Choose one or create your own:
- You have found access and read a dark book, learning some terrible secret.
- You can't stand being proven wrong.
- You let someone important die.
Relationship
Choose one or create your own:
- ... is in terrible need of teaching and guidance.
- ... knows things of great importance, even if they might not be aware of the worth of their knowledge themselves.
- ... was your student in the past.
Gear
A staff or club, a knife, bandages, one item of your choice from the list of trade goods, d6 Silver, Food d6, Water d6.
The Sage's Talents
The following three profession talents are available to Sage. You get 1 rank in one of those talents at the character creation.
Path of Empathy
You are master of observing others, peering deep into their souls to know them better than anyone else, including themselves.
- Rank 1: Before making an Insight roll, you can spend 1 WP to convert all of your base dice into skill dice.
- Rank 2: When you make an Insight roll to defend oneself against abilities, spells, and effects that allow such defense, you can gain +1 bonus per WP spent.
- Rank 3: You can combine cold-reading, empathy, body-language, and some hypnosis to read the target's emotions, thoughts, and knowledge. You need to speak with the target for a few minutes. Each WP spent allows you to ask one yes/no question and the subject will answer truthfully, according to their knowledge, either plainly, or betray through body-language, half-truths, or obvious lies. This does not work on monster, though monsters masquerading as mortals can be revealed by their answers being inconsistent with things you already know.
Path of Legends
You search the stories of the past and legends as keys to solve problems of today, finding snippets of arcane knowledge to ward away evils.
- Rank 1: Before making a Lore roll, you can spend 1 WP to convert all of your base dice into skill dice.
- Rank 2: When you fight a monster that you successfully recognized with a Lore roll, you can use various folk countermeasures and warding signs against its abilities. When the monster uses a supernatural ability (including any fear attacks), you can take a fast reactive action to spend 1 or more WP. Each WP spent reduces the monster's dice pool by 1.
- Rank 3: You can ward a camp or a stronghold against intrusion of demons and undead. For each WP spent, all demons and undead intruding reduce all their dice pools by 1 while within the confines of a camp or a stronghold. The protection lasts for a day in case of camp, or as long as the stronghold remains inhabited by mortals and not desecrated by black magic, murder (or similarly heinous act), or an undead or demon settling for at least a full lunar month.
Path Of Medicine
You are particularly adept at tending to injuries and caring for sick.
- Rank 1: Before making a Healing roll (or Performance used to mend broken minds), you can spend 1 WP to convert all of your base dice into skill dice.
- Rank 2: When you provide medical aid to critically injured ally, you can reduce the time needed to heal the issue by 1 per Willpower point spent (before halving for a successful Healing check), to a minimum of 1 day.
- Rank 3: After you make a Healing roll (or Performance used to mend broken minds), you can add one success to the roll for each Willpower point spent.
This article is not condoned or authorized in any way by Fria Ligen or Modiphius.
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Last week I presented you a Noble profession for Forbidden Lands, scions of aristocratic lines raised to lead others. Today, I present you yeoman profession, a hardy laborers, farmers, and craftsmen, whose work sustain the society.
Yeoman
When others dreamed of adventures, fame, and riches, you diligently worked the plow, chopped the timber, and prepared supplies for the winter. When others learned how to wield swords, you learned how to repair tools and sow grain. You will live or die by the work of your hands. You are a Yeoman.
Key Attribute: Strength
Skills: Animal Handling, Crafting, Endurance, Might, Survival
Typical Nicknames: Little, Big, Slow, Steady, Stone, Stubborn, Hammerhand, Lumberjack, Smith, Carpenter.
Pride
Choose one or create your own:
- You always keep your tools in the best possible shape.
- You can work without tiring for hours and hours.
- You can always find something to eat, wherever you go.
Dark Secret
Choose one or create your own:
- You have revealed a crucial information to Rust Brothers when they visited your village, and someone else suffered from it greatly.
- You are scared of all magic even more than it is reasonable, even when it is seemingly beneficial.
- You hoard food and water away from others.
Relationship
Choose one or create your own:
- ... doesn't work as hard they should, hoping to benefit from other's honest work.
- ... owes you for food and help in lean times.
- ... helped your family when the times were lean.
Gear
A handaxe or a knife, one tool of your choice, one item of your choice from from the list of trade goods, d6 Silver, Food d10, Water d10.
The Yeoman's Talents
The following three profession talents are available to Yeomen. You get 1 rank in one of those talents at the character creation.
Path Of The Craftsman
You know your tools, knowing how to keep them in good conditions, how to use them in tricky ways, and how work with them quickly.
- Rank 1: After you push a roll, you can negate one point of gear damage per WP spent (before resolving effects of the roll and thus gaining WP from it).
- Rank 2: When you craft an object, you can spend Willpower to reduce the time to finish it by 1 Quarter Day per WP used, to a minimum of a Quarter Day.
- Rank 3: You can spend 1 Willpower point to substitute one tool for another, or improvise needed tools from available resources.
Path of The Gatherer
Getting enough materials and provisions is essential to survival. You always gather more than others and processing them faster, always seemingly ending with a decent surplus.
- Rank 1: When you harvest raw resources, each WP spent increase number of units gathered by 1 to a maximum of twice the base number gathered.
- Rank 2: When you process raw resources (e.g. such as turning meat or vegetables into food, pelts into leather, etc.), each WP spent allows you to process an additional unit.
- Rank 3: When you oversee adding a function to a stronghold, you can spend 1 Willpower to reduce the amount of resources needed by 10%. If the work continues for more than a Quarter Day without your oversight the savings on materials used are gone.
Path of The Laborer
You ration your strength efficiently, work extra hard, and make sure that everything is done in time.
- Rank 1: When you would become Sleepy, you can delay acquiring that condition by one Quarter Day per WP used. You cannot use this ability again until you Sleep.
- Rank 2: You can spend 1 WP to handle two different productive activities in a camp or a stronghold during the same Quarter Day, allowing you to combine such activities as repairing gear with processing resources at the same time.
- Rank 3: When you oversee hirelings working, for each WP spent, one hireling's productivity is doubled for the day.
This article is not condoned or authorized in any way by Fria Ligen or Modiphius.
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Forbidden Lands offer a selection of eight professions for characters, each providing key attribute, favored skills, and three professional talents that let the players spend their accumulated willpower for their benefit. The professions available are druids, fighters, hunters, minstrels, peddlers, riders, rogues, and sorcerers, and of course, me being me, I thought of some additional options that the player could have when creating their characters...
Noble
You are a scion of an ancient lineage. Your ancestors were leaders and caretakers of the land and the people living under their protection, and you were raised to inherit their duties and their privileges, even if the lands and wealth were likely lost to the time and mists. Many nobles failed to uphold their values and turned into petty tyrants or were deposed by the folk they oppressed, other fulfilled their obligations and yet perished together with their subject, but your line was lucky to survive until now. Will you fail, or will you prevail? You are a Noble.
Key Attribute: Empathy
Skills: Insight, Lore, Manipulation, Melee, Performance
Typical Nicknames: You are a scion of a family and bear your family name with pride, usually.
Pride
Choose one or create your own:
- You won't let your people go hungry.
- Your word is a promise.
- Your family name will not be tarnished.
Dark Secret
Choose one or create your own:
- Your claim of nobility is false.
- Your ancestors made a pact with dark forces to save themselves and their people.
- You got rid of your older sibling, either actively or by omission, to become the heir of your family.
Relationship
Choose one or create your own:
- ... is descendant of family that served your house for generations.
- ... is a bastard sibling of yours.
- ... has little respect for your station and your family.
Gear
A heirloom one-handed weapon of your choice (typically a broadsword), heirloom ring or chain, dagger, set of presentable clothing or fine cloak, one item of your choice from from the list of trade goods, d8 Silver, Food d8, Water d8.
The Noble's Talents
The following three profession talents are available to Noble. You get 1 rank in one of those talents at the character creation.
Path Of The Banner
You are inspiration to others, leading them to their (and yours) greatness.
- Rank 1: When you attack an enemy, you can spend Willpower to provide help to one of your allies per WP with the next attack or defense roll against that enemy.
- Rank 2: When you provide skilled help to another character's roll, you can spend 1 WP to grant a d8 Artifact Die instead.
- Rank 3: When you lead forces in a battle, you can spend WP to add equal amount of base dice to one roll.
Path of The Glory
Your fame, and that of your family, spreads far and wide, or so you expect and behave accordingly.
- Rank 1: When you make a Lore or Perform roll regarding history of your family and their holdings, or when making a Manipulation roll while interacting with subjects of your family, you can spend one Willpower to turn all your base dice into skill dice.
- Rank 2: You can make a big impression if you want to, increasing your Reputation by 1 per WP point spent for purpose of single social effect, such as when rolling Reputation while entering new settlement or making (or being targeted by) a Manipulation roll.
- Rank 3: When rolling to perform a deed matching one of great or terrible deeds you are known in front of witnesses (or when your failure to live up to your reputed deeds would be witnesses), you can spend 1 point of Willpower to add a d8 Artifact Die to the roll.
Path Of The Stronghold
You are at home overseeing a manor, a fort, or a castle. You know how to organize the hirelings, and defend the stronghold efficiently.
- Rank 1: When you oversee construction of a new function or rebuilding of an old one, each Willpower Point spent reduces the time needed to complete it by one day, to a minimum of half the normal construction time.
- Rank 2: When paying salaries to hirelings at your stronghold, each point of Willpower spent substitutes for 1 silver piece representing payment in kind and inspired goodwill of the hirelings.
- Rank 3: When leading the defense of a stronghold in a battle, you can spend 1 or more Willpower to negate equal amount of losses suffered.
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The Crossroads
The Crossroads is a settlement located in a nexus where multiple lower planes entangle with each other and the mortal realms. Here envoys from various fiendish powers try to out do each other, mortal adventurers supply before forays into some of the darkest parts of the multiverse and recuperate afterwards, and the most ruthless and callous mercenaries offer their services to the highest bidders.
The Crossroads
N Planar metropolis
Corruption +5; Crime +4; Economy +6; Law +3; Lore +5; Society +3
Qualities magically attuned, notorious, rumormongering citizens, strategic location, tourist attraction, wards
Danger +20
Demographics
Government Autocracy
Population Unknown, but exceeding 25,000
Notable NPCs
Curator Of The Crossroads (M construct)
The Librarian (N human expert 21)
Marketplace
Base Value 28,800 gp; Purchase Limit 170,000 gp; Spellcasting 10th
Minor Items *; Medium Items 4d4; Major Items 3d4
The Crossroads have many quirks and peculiarities, but the two most important are The Warding and The Interposition. The former is its detrimental nature to denizens of the outer planes, diminishing them in power and making them closer to the visiting mortals. The later is occasional event, when some of the streets of the Crossroads interpose themselves on the various roads of the mortal realms.
The Warding prevents planar powers from taking control of the Crossroads, at least overtly, and force them to use mortals, proxies, and expendable pawns instead. While it does not completely blocks outsiders from entering boundaries of the Crossroads, all outsiders with alignment or elemental subtypes are greatly weakened, suffering penalty equal to half their HD to all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, damage reduction, Spell Resistance, fast healing and regeneration values, saving throw DCs of all their abilities, and caster level of all their abilities. They also reduce all their resistances by their full HD value. Mortal beings (animals and humanoids) are granted benefits of magic circle against chaos, evil, good, and law, gaining +2 deflection bonus to AC and +2 resistance bonus to saving throws against attacks and effects of creatures with chaotic, evil, good, or lawful alignment, and suppress effects that would exert control. Planetouched races are neither hindered by the Warding nor gain its protection, along with aberrations, constructs, dragons, fey, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids, oozes, plants, undead, and vermin.
The exact source of the Warding is not know, thought it is often speculated that it is projected by talismans and fetishes often embedded in the walls of building by ghenso, as those creatures are fiercely protective of the buildings of the city. Others claim it is projected and maintained by Curator, though he refuses to comment on queries to that effect.
The Interposition happens at least once a month, in series of cycles that require complex calculations and extensive planar lore to be predicted. During such event, one of the streets of the Crossroads partially overlaps with a road somewhere in the Material Plane, always around the local midnight. During the event, sapient mortals and planetouched races can pass between places or the other way around, during the narrow time window before the connection wanes. Outsiders can pass through only if they gain permission from a creature on the other side, usually via some sort of deal.
Many outsiders, especially weaker ones, risk the effects of the Warding, roaming the streets of the Crossroads with or without the knowledge of the next Interposition, hoping to get a chance to make a deal with a mortal, gain a cultist, capture a soul, or even enter the Material Plane, depending on the circumstances.
Even ignoring those two cosmic qualities, the Crossroads are a mixture of bizarre and mundane. Buildings are constructed in eclectic styles, often incorporating old shacks and external parts added by the denizens to the frames built by ghenso. Often, old buildings have additional stores added later, which might or might not get accepted by ghenso as worthy of future maintenance. Many follow the patterns drawn from the outer planes—black infernal iron can stand side by side with heavenly palace, next to a grove of living treehouses or a burrow.
Some of the denizens are mortals that wandered here accidentally, damned who fled their respective hells and found refuge here, adventurers who stuck, or mercenaries who retired, though majority are native-born descendants of those who came to the Crossroads and stayed here. Planetouched, especially tieflings, and various crossbreeds are common, as are lesser fiends—used to being on the bottom of the social (dis)order—on the run from their superiors and enemies. More powerful fiends and other outsiders are encountered less often, as those are creatures unused to weakness the Warding would bestow on them, though they do appear from time to time, hoping to take advantage of the Interposition.
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Ghenso
A massive, white furred creature with six limbs, with elongated snout and perky ears, resembling a mix of bear, sloth, and anteater.
CR 10; XP 9,600
N Large Magical Beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see invisibility; Perception +20
Defense
AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)
hp 126 (12d10+60)
Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +9
DR 5/piercing; Immune charm, compulsion, fear
Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee 4 claws +18 (1d6+7, 19-20/×2), tongue +18 touch (pull)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with tongue)
Special Attacks penetrating claws, pull (tongue, 10 ft.)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +12)
Constant—see invisibility
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 21, Cha 11
Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD 32 (40 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (claws), Lightning Reflexes, Outflank, Power Attack, Shake It Off
Skills Climb +15, Perception +20, Profession (intuitive tinkering) +20
SQ blend in, intuitive tinkering
Blend In (Ex) While not exactly masters of stealth, ghenso presence feels so natural in the Crossroads that they tend to be overlooked unless one is specifically looking for them—in the similar way the stray dogs, half-feral cats, and pigeons are in other cities.
Intuitive Tinkering (Ex) Despite their apparent non-sapience, ghenso seem to be perfectly capable of dealing with repair and maintenance works, having a number of ranks in the requisite Profession skills equal to their HD, and treating them as class skills.
Penetrating Claws (Ex) Ghenso's claws ignore the first 10 points of damage reduction.
Ghenso are lumbering creatures that roam around the Crossroads repairing the buildings, dealing with the maintenance works, and occasionally erecting new constructions. Calm, patient, and mostly unresponsive, they slowly but meticulously take care of their duties with little regard for anything else unless disturbed. While they try to ignore or deal peacefully with interference to their work, they will resort to violence when attacked or when someone is destroying buildings. When fighting, ghenso seem to instinctively group in packs, trying to overwhelm opponents with superior numbers.
Ghenso are know to occasionally grab foodstuff left unsupervised, or even take meals from others, though they never resort to force while doing so, unless attacked themselves.
The exact number of ghenso in the Crossroads is unknown, as they roam across the city dealing with various works in everchanging groups. The only constant is that they seem to avoid the presence of Curator. In fact, they seem to be stopping their work and moving elsewhere when Curator is coming their way. There are rumors of people witnessing new ghenso hatching from the walls of the Crossroads themselves—a statement interpreted by some that the ghenso come from the old prison pockets.
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The Librarian
A rotund old man wearing simple robes. His few remaining hairs are gray and his face is wrinkled, but his gaze is sharp and inquisitive.
CR 8*; XP 4,800
Male venerable human expert 21/mythic tier 10
LN Medium Humanoid (human, mythic)
Init +7; Senses blindsense 30 ft., true seeing; Perception +31
Defense
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor)
hp 98 (21d8)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +16
Defensive Abilities hard to kill, immortal, mythic saving throws, recuperation, unstoppable; Immune inhaled poisons, sleep, non-mythic compulsions, curses, and diseases
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +12 (1d3 nonlethal)
Special Attacks amazing initiative, mythic power (15/day, surge +1d12)
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 40, Wis 18, Cha 13
Base Atk +15; CMB +15; CMD 25
Feats AlertnessM, Extra Mythic PowerM, Lucky SurgeM, Maximize SurgeM, Potent SurgeM, Skill Focus (all knowledges)
Skills Appraise +36, Craft (books) +36, Diplomacy +22, Heal +24, Knowledge (arcana) +45, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +45, Knowledge (engineering) +45, Knowledge (geography) +45, Knowledge (history) +45, Knowledge (local) +45, Knowledge (nature) +45, Knowledge (nobility) +45, Knowledge (planes) +45, Knowledge (religion) +45, Linguistics +36, Perception +31, Perform (oratory) +24, Profession (scribe) +25, Sense Motive +31, Spellcraft +36, Use Magic Device +22
Language Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Nekril, Protean, Sylvan, Terran, and other, more obscure languages
SQ display of Intelligence, enhanced ability (Intelligence), enhanced ability (Wisdom), legendary hero, longevity, mythic sight (×2), mythic sustenance, pure body, pure destiny, sleepless
The Librarian is the Crossroads's foremost loremaster. A mortal man made immortal by his quest for knowledge, he keeps seeking answers to questions that come to him. He is calm, polite, and friendly, though a bit distant man. He shares knowledge he deems common freely, though more esoteric and rare pieces of wisdom will be offered only in exchange for equally exceptional information or a task, usually involving acquiring, confirming, or denying some pieces of established lore, or putting a piece of vital information to practical test. Some of the quests he handles might be jests on his part, though, like when he sent an experienced party to compare the flight speed of some sort of birds... Or he might have been genuinely interested in their capabilities.
* his CR reflects his base-line defensive capabilities, not counting his mythic qualities. His lack of offensive abilities makes this value exaggerated in practice, despite his mythic defenses, though.
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Master Brewer Rootshred
A bulbous entity that looks like a tangle of roots and branches, with a carefully tended hair-like growth on the upper pair stands behind the bar.
CR 11; XP 12,800
N Medium Plant
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Defense
AC 25, touch 10, flat-footed 25 (+15 natural)
hp 142 (15d8+75)
Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +10
DR 10/slashing and magic; Immune mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning; Resist fire 30
Weakness vulnerable to fire
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 slams +16 (1d6+5 plus grab), stinger +16 (1d8+5 plus drunkenness)
Special Attacks constrict (1d6+5), spores
Statistics
Str 20, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 20
Base Atk +11; CMB +16 (+20 grab); CMD 30 (32 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-Fight, Defensive Combat Training, Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Profession [brewer])
Skills Craft (alchemy) +16, Profession (brewer) +24, Sense Motive +18
Language Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Protean, Sylvan
Notable Gear greater ring of energy resistance (fire)
Drunkenness (Ex) Master Brewer Rootshred's stinger injects a dose of alcohol equal in potency to 1d3 drinks, or 2d3 on a confirmed critical hit.
Spores (Ex) Drinks and food—ingestion; save Fort DC 22, onset 1 day; frequency 1 day for 7 days, effect the subject doubles his needs for sustenance for the day, cure passage of seven days. Drinks sold by the Master Brewer Rootshred contain spores of his species, for the purpose for their propagation—after seven days of maturation within the drinkers' intestines, they are expelled (in a moderately unpleasant though completely natural way) along with fresh fertilizer. This is a disease effect. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.
Master Brewer Rootshred is a sapient plant from one of many places in the universe currently residing in the Crossroads. He sells food and alcoholic beverages in his venue, with dryads or maybe dryad-looking plant maids serving as waitresses. What he does not advertises, but also won't deny if asked explicitly (doing otherwise might incur wrath of Curator by explicitly lying about the wares offered), is that the food and the drink contain his own spores, that will mostly harmlessly pass through and take root when and where they got expelled, allowing his kind to spread across the planes.
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Fleshtearer Ironclad
Shadows and foul vapors surround this lizard riveted in mithral plates.
CR 13; XP 25,600
Awakened deinonychus graveknight fighter 7
NE Medium Undead (augmented)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +35
Defense
AC 30, touch 13, flat-footed 27 (+10 armor, +3 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 148 (6d8+7d10+78)
Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +9
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune acid, cold, electricity, undead; SR 24
Offense
Speed 60 ft.
Melee 2 talons +20 (1d8+10 plus 3d6 acid, 19–20/×2), bite +19 (1d6+8 plus 3d6 acid), foreclaws +14 (1d4+8 plus 3d6 acid)
Special Attacks channel destruction (3d6 acid), devastating blast (3/day, 30-ft. cone, 8d6 acid, DC 21), pounce, undead mastery (DC 21, 65 HD)
Statistics
Str 21, Dex 16, Con –, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 20
Base Atk +11; CMB +16; CMD 29
Feats Acrobatic Step, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (talons), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Run, Toughness, Weapon Focus (talons), Weapon Specialization (talons)
Skills Acrobatics +27 (+39 jump), Intimidate +29, Perception +35, Stealth +27
Language Abyssal, Infernal
SQ armor training 2, weapon training 1 (natural weapons)
Notable Gear +1 mithral full plate (customized to a deinonychus shape), amulet of mighty fists (+2)
Only a twisted mind would think to awaken a vicious deinonychus. Even more twisted mind would fit her with a full plate custom armor made of mithril. A truly fiendish mind would then bind her spirit to her armor turning her into a graveknight for eternity of carnage...
Fleshtearer Ironclad's creator was a fiend, literally, and a mad genius. Created by a daemon as a machine of pure destruction, Fleshtearer remains true to her predatory origins (and her name), and is ready to tear anyone she meets to pieces, but she also developed a side her designer hadn't thought of—curiosity. When she is bored, she is willing to play with her prey, but when her attention is swayed with novelties, puzzles, games, and tricks, she is more than willing to let the others live... As long as they are entertaining. Crossroads is an interesting place, for now, and even when the familiarity will breed inevitable contempt, they will serve as a road to the mortal realms where so many new things will await discovery and so much more prey will await hunting...
Fleshtearer Ironclad is not particularly interested in binding mindless undead to her will, though she does that occasionally to utilize their opposite thumbs. She is more willing to command sapient undead, though they tend to be boring company offering little entertainment.
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Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl
A slithering pool of dark crimson ichor, with a vaguely anthropomorphic figure slowly emerging out of it.
CR 10; XP 9,600
N Large Ooze
Init +4; Senses blindsight 60 ft., scent, detect fiendish presence; Perception +13
Defense
AC 24, touch 9, flat-footed 24 (–1 size, +15 natural)
hp 126 (12d8+72)
Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +11
Defensive Abilities all-around vision, amorphous; DR 10/epic and good; Immune disease, gaze, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, visual effects; Resist acid 20, cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20
Weakness awakened mind, blind
Offense
Speed 10 ft.
Melee 3 slams +18 (1d6+10 plus grab)
Special Attacks consume fiends
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +20)
Constant—detect fiendish presence
3/day—quickened dispel evil (DC 15), quickened infernal healing
Statistics
Str 30, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 11, Wis 21, Cha 11
Base Atk +9; CMB +20 (+24 grapple); CMD 30 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Spell-like Ability (dispel evil), Quicken Spell-like Ability (infernal healing)
Skills Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (planes) +8, Perception +13
Language Unerstands Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Protean; limited telepathy 10 ft.
SQ no breath, unholy blood
Awakened Mind (Ex) Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl is a fully sapient ooze and can be affected with mind-affecting effects.
Consume Fiends (Su) Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl is capable of dealing with Outsiders with evil subtype easily. Their attacks are treated as cold iron, good, magic, and silver, for purpose of penetrating evil Outsider damage resistance and suppressing their regeneration. When Blood successfully maintains a grapple against an Outsider with evil subtype, it deals 1d4 points of Constitution and Charisma drain and gains 5 temporary hit points. An evil outsider drained to 0 Constitution and Charisma in this way is utterly destroyed and won't reform back on their native plane, until Blood is killed.
Limited Telepathy (Su) Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl is capable of communicating telepathically with nearby creatures, though unless they share a language, Blood communication is restricted to series of simple images.
Unholy Blood (Su) Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl is made of demonic ichor. Small samples of this vile substance have magical qualities of demon lords' blood and can be used as potent components in spells and rituals. Blood Of Vherl-Shrequohl can only sustain oneself by consuming blood taken from demons, with one vial being an equivalent of a fitting meal. If Blood is ever killed, the essences of demon lords that formed it will be released and will proceed to reform.
Blood Of Vherl-Shrequol calls the Crossroads their birthplace, their home, and their prison. This oozing sapient pool of demonic ichor formed when blood of two demon lords mixed after they killed each other within the boundaries of the Crossroads. Their hatred of each other trapped their essences within their spilled blood, and yet, their hatred somehow negated each other, forming a new life form, neither fiendish nor semi-divine.
Blood Of Vherl-Shrequol existence is reliant on continued consumption of demon blood and remaining within the boundaries of the Crossroads—its wards suppress the constituent demon lords' essences and prevent them from reforming again back in their realms, unmaking Blood in the process. Blood deals with the first issue either hunting occasional demons that entered the boundaries of the Crossroads or hiring mercenaries to bring demonic blood—paying them with valuable demon lords' ichor.
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Rannfeyrathael
A slender man, handsome in an androgynous way. The unearthly light of the Crossword tinges his smooth dark blue skin and long silvery hair with a purplish hue. He wears an elegant black trousers made of finest leather and black studded leather vest over a frilled white shirt.
CR 11; XP 12,800
Male drow oracle (life) 12
CN Medium Humanoid (elf)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 120 ft., lifesense 30 ft., detect magic; Perception +15
Defense
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 81 (12d8+24)
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +14; +2 vs. Enchantment
Immune sleep
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +9 (1d6, 18–20/×2)
Special Attacks channel (6d6, 10/day)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +19)
Constant—detect magic
At Will—dancing lights, deeper darkness, faerie fire, feather fall, levitate
Oracle Spells (CL 12th, concentration +19)
6th (4)—harm (DC 23), heal (DC 23), mass cure moderate wounds
5th (6)—breath of life, mass cure light wounds (DC 22), mass inflict light wounds (DC 22), plane shift (DC 22)
4th (7)—1, cure critical wounds (DC 21), inflict critical wounds (DC 21), lesser planar ally, restoration, summon monster IV
3rd (8)—blindness/deafness (DC 20), cure serious wounds (DC 20), inflict serious wounds (DC 20), neutralize poison, remove blindness/deafness, remove disease
2nd (8)—cure moderate wounds (DC 19), inflict moderate wounds (DC 18), lesser restoration, levitate, locate portal, make whole, minor image, remove paralysis, summon monster II
1st (8)—bestow planar infusion I, cure light wounds (DC 18), detect undead, endure elements, inflict light wounds (DC 18), remove sickness, shield of faith
0 (at will)—create water, detect fiendish presence, detect poison, ghost sound, guidance, light, mage hand, mending, purify food and drink, spark, stabilize
Statistics
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 24
Base Atk +9; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Drow Nobility, Endurance, Extra Channel, Greater Drow Nobility, Improved Drow Nobility, Iron Will
Skills Heal +6, Knowleedge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +13, Knowledge (planes) +16, Linguistics +6, Perception +15, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +9
Language Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Protean
SQ daylight adaptation, haunted curse, revelations (channel, enhanced cures, lifesense, spirit of life)
Notable Gear +1 rapier, +1 studded leather, belt of mighty constitution +4, cloak of resistance +3, headband of alluring charisma +4
Spirit Of Life (Su) Rann can manifest a Tiny incorporeal orb of positive energy within 60 feet or move it up to another location within as a swift action. As long as the spirit of life manifests, Rann can use it as a source of own channel ability or to cast any of his touch-ranged healing spells on a creature occupying the same square. Spirit of life can be manifested for a total of one round per oracle level each day, though its duration does not have to be consecutive.
Rannfeyrathael is a charming renegade at the run from his kin and their patrons. Picked to serve as a sacrifice to a demonic lord his house bowed to, he managed to escape, at the expense of the life of his twin sister, whose spirit keeps haunting him, and yet, it also gave him a powerful connection to the desire for life itself, stubborn vitality that keeps on living despite the odds.
Rann is a cheerful hedonist, celebrating every moment of continued existence, seeking sensual experiences, and the finest joys the life has to offer. He is friendly, some would even say too friendly, and while self-serving and vain, he is neither cruel, hateful, or prone to envy.
Currently, he resides in the Crossroads as a mercenary healer, spending his earning on the finest exotic goods, services, and experiences available in a planar nexus.
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Curator Of The Crossroads
A man-shaped construct, wearing official-looking, if slightly tattered robes.
CR 15/MR 7; XP 51,200
N Medium Construct (mythic)
Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, lifesight 60 ft., planar sight, true seeing; Perception +30
Defense
AC 30, touch 18, flat-footed 27 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex, +12 natural)
hp 226 (21d10+111); fast healing 20
Fort +15, Ref +15, Will +15
Defensive Abilities fortification, protection protocols; DR 20/—; Immune construct traits; Resist acid 20, cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20, sonic 20; SR 30
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged 2 disintegrating beams +24 touch (10d6, 19–20/×2)
Special Attacks disintegrating beams, mythic power (7/day, 1d8), prison plane
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +23)
Constant—tongues, true seeing
At Will—greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self and 50 lbs of gear, only within the boundaries of The Crossroads)
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 17
Base Atk +21; CMB +24; CMD 42
Feats Combat Casting, Critical Focus, Extra Mythic Power, Improved Critical (disintegrating beam), Improved InitiativeM, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Skill Focus (Perception)M, Skill Focus (Sense Motive)M
Skills Knowledge (arcana) +30, Knowledge (planes) +30, Knowledge (religion) +30, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30
Language Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Protean; tongues
SQ planar sight
Disintegrating Beams (Ex) The Curator can project beams of destructive energy from its eyes, firing single beam as a standard action, or two beams as a full round action, without provoking attacks of opportunity. Each beam is a ranged touch attack with range of 60 feet and no range increment that deals 10d6 points of damage. Any creature or object reduced to 0 or less hit points is disintegrated, leaving only a handful of dust that is quickly dispersed by the Crossroad's winds. The Curator's disintegrating beams suppress all forms of regeneration that can be suppressed by a specific type of damage. The Curator can spend one use of its mythic power when firing disintegrating beams to turn them into 60 feet lines, affecting everything they pass through, except the Crossroad's permanent constructions. Disintegrating beams count as disintegration spell for purpose of interacting with other effects.
Planar Sight (Su) The Curator can immediately recognize what alignment, elemental, and racial subtypes Outsiders possess, as soon, as it can see them. It can also recognize home plane of each creature it sees. While it might not be able to tell much about more obscure planes, it can still identify other creatures from the same world.
Pocket Prison (Su) The Curator can spend one use of mythic power to banish touched bound or helpless creature to a pocket demiplane anchored to the Crossroads. The demiplane will always be capable of supporting the creature banished, though not necessarily comfortable, and filled with a permanent dimensional lock. It exact composition will reflect on the nature of the trapped subject, the cause for the banishment, or its circumstances. Each pocket prison contains a way that will allow its prisoner to escape, though it might take form of a lesson, demand for sacrifice, or taking steps to change own nature. The victim might also be released by the Curator, or by finding the linchpin anchoring the demiplane to the Crossroads. The pocket prison lasts as long as the subject remains trapped within, though there are rumors of pocket prisons lasting after they were abandoned.
Protection Protocols (Ex) The Curator has permanent +5 deflection bonus to AC and +5 resistance bonus to all saving throws. When an effect allows a saving throw for half damage or partial effects, the Curator suffers no effects whatsoever on success.
The Curator is an overseer and a keeper of the Crossroads—a eclectic settlement that grew at a transplanar nexus where multiple Lower Planes entangle. The Curator is mostly focused on maintaining the existence of the Crossroads and protecting it from falling under direct control of any of the fiendish lords and deities. Those who get to meet the Curator are often surprised by shows of dry wit, unexpected for a construct, and certain predisposition for accepting gifts and bribes for favors or exemptions—though never ones that would threaten the Crossroads.
What is even more surprising to some, the Curator can be occasionally seen doing simple menial jobs, dusting, cleaning. Always in different parts of the Crossroads than ghenso laborers maintaining and repairing the buildings.
