Fantasy NPC: End-Of-Kings, The Anarchist Dragon

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End-Of-Kings, The Anarchist Dragon

A long and sinuous dragon, with burnished amber scales and strikingly emerald eyes.

CR 10; 9,600 XP

CN Large Dragon

Init +10; Senses darkvision 120 ft., blindsense 60 ft., scent; Perception +17

Defense
AC 24, touch 15, flat-footed 24 (+4 Dex, +2 insight, +9 natural, –1 size)

hp 136 (13d12+52)
Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +13; +8 resistance bonus against mind-affecting effects

Defensive Abilities mind blank, preternatural cunning; DR 5/magic; Immune paralysis, sleep; Resist electricity 30, fire 30; SR 21

Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average), swim 20 ft.

Melee bite +17 (2d6+5), 2 claws +17 (1d8+5), tail slap +17 (2d6+5)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite and tail slap)

Special Attacks breath weapon (60 ft. line, 13d6 electricity and fire damage, DC 20 Reflex for half), inspire zeal

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +14)

Constant—greater magic fang (+1 enhancement, all natural and unarmed attacks), mind blank

At Will—mage hand, modify memory (DC 18, once per day on each creature affected), prestidigitation, unseen servant

1/day—mass modify memory (6th level, DC 20, affects up to 13 creatures at once)

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 19

Base Atk +13; CMB +18; CMD 34 (38 vs trip
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Nimble Moves

Skills Bluff +20, Climb +12, Disguise +17, Fly +18, Knowledge (nobility) +19, Linguistics +19, Perception +17, Perform (oratory) +17, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +16, Swim +12

Language Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarf, Elf, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Protean, Sylvan, Terran

SQ change shape (Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large animal, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or undead; shapechange, monstrous physique II or undead anatomy II), skilled linguist

Breath Weapon (Su) End-Of-Kings has a breath weapon that takes shape of a 60-ft. long beam of intensely hot light, scorching anything in its path, dealing electricity and fire damage (half on a successful Reflex save, DC 20). The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Inspire Zeal (Su) End-Of-Kings can inspire other creatures with her fiery speeches against the tyranny and hierarchy, granting those who listen to her speaking for at least 10 minutes +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and AC, and 10 temporary hit points for the next 24 hours as long as they truly believe in the cause presented to them. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting compulsion effect that can be ended prematurely with calm emotion spell.

Preternatural Cunning (Su) End-Of-Kings seems to act as if could predict things that are going to happen, or maybe merely reacts to them faster than anyone else, gaining +2 insight bonus to AC, saving throws, and initiative checks, and never loses her Dexterity bonus to AC unless physically restrained.

Skilled Linguist (Ex) End-Of-Kings can retrain any language known for another with a day of exposure and study.

End-Of-Kings is a dragon with a mission—toppling monarchies and other strictly hierarchical rulers and governments. Unlike many other revolutionaries, she does not offer any solutions afterwards, seeking neither to take over, nor proposing alternatives. Taking down kings and queens is her sole goal, her sole dedication. The fate of the subjects and citizens of the states she undermines is of little concern to her—not out of actual malice, though, merely inability to empathize with humanoids. As a mighty dragon, she is simply unable to comprehend the little monkeys' lack of capacity for survival on their own and their dependence on community to thrive.

Her typical modus operand is to infiltrate a kingdom in a mundane guise (or not so mundane, she pretended to be a restless ancestor a few times), identify the trouble makers, the disowned, the downtrodden, the malcontent, and persecuted, and slowly inspire the fires of defiance until they explode into an outright rebellion. Rarely, she attacks the monarchs directly, though she is not above dealing the final strike when needed. Numerous times, just after the first rebellion succeeded, she turned on her erstwhile allies trying to establish themselves as the new overlords in the place of the deposed tyrant. She never does it before it actually happens, even if she knows that the motives of her allies are ulterior.

While she does accumulate hoards from various sources—sometimes treasuries of kingdoms that fell into anarchy through her machinations, sometimes spoils of markets crashed as a side effect of political instability—she spends them to finance new revolutions.

Ending kings is her dedication and life goal, but she is not above other pastimes—she does enjoy art and comforts of civilization, and she occasionally takes lovers, usually passionate about her revolutionary lifestyle, though a few times she fell for people she fought against—it did not prevent her from accomplishing her goals. At least once, however, she managed to crash a monarchy by convincing a reluctant princess-heir she romanced to abandon her realm, with the following succession crisis splintering the kingdom.

Fantasy Monster: Ice Siren

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Ice Siren

A pale humanoid torso grows out of a thick serpentine tail that resembles body of big eel. Her metallic blue hair are strangely smooth and shining.

CR 7; XP 3,200
NE Medium Monstrous Humanoid (aquatic)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense (snow or ice only) 120 ft.; Perception +16

Defense
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 85 (10d10+30)
Fort +6; Ref +11; Will +10

Defensive Abilities arctic adaptation; Resist cold 30

Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow (snow and ice only) 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

Melee bite +13 (1d4+3) and 2 claws +13 (1d4+3)

Special Attacks burst through ice

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +10; CMB +13; CMD 27

Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lunge, Power Attack

Skills Acrobatics +14, Perception +16, Perform (sing) +12, Swim +11

Languages speak (but don't write or read) Aquan and Auran

SQ arctic song, amphibious

Ecology
Environment cold fresh and salt waters, glaciers
Organization solitary, pair, or choir (3–7)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Arctic Adaptation (Ex) Ice sirens can move on slippery surfaces such as ice, or deep snow without any hindrance and are unaffected by hindrance caused by cold environments and weather.

Arctic Songs (Su) In cold environment, one or more ice sirens can sing, altering the weather to their tastes. They can bring or dismiss hail, sleet, or snowfall, turn existing precipitation into a blizzard, or diminish blizzard into a regular snowstorm. The effects takes at least 10 minutes to occur after at least 10 minutes of singing, extending over an area approximately half a mile per ice siren singing in radius, and lasts as long as the song continues plus one hour per siren taking part.

Burst Through Ice (Ex) An ice siren burrowing underneath ice or snow can take a full-round action to move up to her burrow speed, emerge, and make a full attack against targets within her reach.

Ice sirens live in the frozen regions of the world, sapient and capable of speech but living in semi-feral groups that have little regard for culture, civilization, or beings other than themselves and their small groups. When they don't hunt, eat, or rest, they mate or sing, which seem to be their only forms of passing time. They have no taboos about consuming flesh of sapient beings—while most groups of ice sirens don't go out of their way to actively seek and hunt speaking prey, they won't let a good opportunity for a feast to go to waste either. While they can be bargained with, they lack such notions as honor or sense of obligation, so any deal made with them will last only as long as it continues to benefit them or is backed up with sufficient force.

Fantasy Monster: Alchemicow

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Alchemicow

A cow wrought out of iron and brass, blackened by soil and soot.

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Large Construct

Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0

Defense
AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, –1 size)
hp 41 (2d10+30)
Fort +0; Ref +0; Will +0

DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 40 ft.

Melee gore +7 (2d6+9)

Special Attacks alchemical breath (DC 15)

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +2; CMB +9; CMD 19 (23 vs trip)

Skills Perception +0

SQ alchemical harvest

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or herd (3–10)
Treasure standard (mostly alchemical parts and materials)

Special Abilities

Alchemical Breath (Su) An alchemicow can exhale a gout of flaming, corrosive or noxious byproducts of its operation in a 20-ft. long cone-shaped burst. Alchemical breath either inflicts 4d6 points of acid or fire damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half) or causes sickened condition for 1d4+1 rounds on a failed Fortitude save (DC 15). Each exhalation consumes 1 gp worth of stored harvest. An The saving throw DC is Constitution-based and includes +4 racial bonus.

Alchemical Harvest (Su) Each alchemicow is constructed to harvest, process, and refine one specific alchemical substance or ingredient, typically distilling alcohol, organic acid, or oil from consumed vegetation, though alchemicows that gather and purify sulfur and natron are not uncommon. Each day of grazing in suitable environment accumulates up to 4 gp of worth of specific substance or ingredient, with each alchemicow having a storage capacity of 1000 gp worth of specific substance or ingredient. It takes one day of servicing for a properly trained assistant to empty the storage without spoilage, loss, or damage to the alchemicow internal construction or the assistant.

Alchemicows are animate, autonomous alchemical laboratories that harvests and processes specific substance on their own, made in the shape and size of a metal cows. They are tough enough to be able to repel misguided predators and unprepared thieves, though they might need protection against bigger monsters, raiders, and specialized bandits.

Alchemical goat (CR 2) is a more compact, cheaper, and less efficient variant that can be used in places where bulky alchemicow could not fit. It is Small with 14 AC, 21 hp, Ref +2, Atk gore +3 (2d4), Str 10, Dex 14, CMB +1, CMD 13 (17 vs. trip). Its alchemical breath deals 2d6 points of damage and has saving throw DC of 13. It accumulates 1 gp worth of processed product and can store up to 10 gp worth of bounty. Spindlesheeps have the same statistics but instead of producing alchemical ingredients, they harvest and process fibrous plant matter into threads that can be used in weaving and other crafts.

Constructing Alchemicow

Requires elements from alchemical laboratory worth 500 gp fitted inside a shell of iron and brass.

CL 12th; Price 8,500 gp (2,250 gp for alchemical goats and spindlesheeps)

Requirements Craft Construct, beast shape II, fabricate, geas/quest, ; Skill Craft (alchemy) DC 25; Cost 4,500 gp (1,250 gp for alchemical goats and spindlesheeps).

Fantasy Monster: Lepusal Agathion

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Agathion, Lepusal

An anthropomorphic bunny wearing the apron of a midwife, with a sash smelling of herbs and soap.

CR 1; XP 400
NG Small Outsider (agathion, extraplanar, good)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +8

Defense
AC 12, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+1 Dex, +1 size)
hp 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6
Defensive Abilities mother's embrace; DR 5/evil or silver; Immune electricity, petrification; Resist cold 10, sonic 10; SR 11

Offense
Speed 40 ft.; freerunner
Melee 2 kicks +3 (1d4)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +4)

Constant—feather fall, speak with animals
At Will—create water (cold or warm), light, prestidigitation, unseen servant (1 active servant at a time)

3/days—create food and water (a thick milky syrup sufficient to feed up a baby for a day)

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 15
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 12
Feats Run
Skills Acrobatics +14 (+18 when leaping), Heal +16, Perception +8, Profession (midwife) +16, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +8 Heal, +8 Profession (midwife)
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Sylvan; speak with animals, truespeech
SQ change shape (Small humanoid, alter self), lay on hands 1d6 (3/day), recognize ward

Ecology
Environment any (Elysium)
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard (always carries medical, cleaning, and baby supplies)

Freerunner (Ex) A lepusal can run without stopping and without tiring, and without risking harm coming to the child they carry. They can make running jumps from stand still, bounce off the walls to change direction of their leaps, and make high jumps with double the usual height (DC is equal to twice the height in feet, instead of 4×).

Mother's Embrace (Su) A newborn carried by a lepusal remains safe. As long as the lepusal holds the baby, it cannot be targeted by non-harmless effects, and any damage the child would suffer are dealt to the lepusal instead. The only way of wresting the child from the lepusal's arms is to incapacitate the lepusal—neither the physical force nor magical compulsions will suffice.

Recognize Ward (Ex) A lepusal always recognizes a child they helped deliver or cared for, and will never mistake two newborn babies for each other.

Lepusals are celestial midwives, agathions serving to help mothers and newborns—especially those who are particularly threatened by forces of evil, with death or corruption, such as children of heroes, prophesized champions, or those with celestial or fiendish blood. They are not above stealing children if they think that it will be in the baby's best interest—such as to save a child from being raised by a tyrannical overlord as equally cruel heir, sacrificed by a dark magician, or killed by overzealous neighbor as demonic spawn. Lepusals are strong believers in nurture over nature, and willing to pass the child into hands of those who will actually care for the baby and raise them as good people.

Lepusals are no warriors, though, and while they might fight in defense of their wards, if there is absolutely no other option, their primary response is to take the child and run, seeking a safe place for the child. In extreme cases they might hide the child and then bait the enemies away, taking them on a wild pursuit and hoping they will be able to return later or someone else will find the child.

Fantasy Monster: Electrocrab

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Electrocrab

A blue and yellow crab scuttles on all eight. Its pincers have surprisingly metallic sheen.

CR 3; XP 800
N Small Vermin (aquatic)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

Defense
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 33 (6d8+6)
Fort +6; Ref +3; Will +3

Immune mind-affecting effects; Resist electricity 5

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

Melee 2 claws +6 (1d4+1)

Special Attacks conductive shock (2d6 electricity)

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 12, Con 12, Int –, Wis 13, Cha 2
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 15 (21 vs trip)

Skills Climb +9, Perception +5, Stealth +5, Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception

SQ amphibious

Ecology
Environment any aquatic
Organization solitary or cast (2–12)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Conductive Shock (Ex) Electrocrabs have glands in their pincers that produce electric charge and deliver it to their prey when they close the circuit. When an electrocrab hits its target with both claw attacks, the victim suffers additional 2d6 points of electricity damage. Larger electrocrabs increase this damage by 1d6 per additional CR.

Electrocrabs are a lineage of crab-like crustaceans that developed organs letting them produce electric charges, not dissimilarly to electric eels, that help them incapacitate prey and dissuade predators.

Fantasy Monster: Snail Hag

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Hag, Snail

A small, goblinesque crone with a lower body of a snail carrying a big spiral shell on her back.

CR 1; XP 400
NE Small Monstrous Humanoid

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6

Defense
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size)
hp 15 (2d10+4)
Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +4

Defensive Abilities protective shell, sticky foot

Offense
Speed 15 ft.

Melee 2 claws +3 (1d4)

Ranged magic stone +5 (1d6+1)

Special Attacks spread mucus (DC 12)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd, concentration +3)

Constant—endure elements (while hiding in her shell)

At Will—magic stone (using empty shells and shell fragments, only one casting can be active at a time), mending

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 12 (16 against forced movement)

Feats Endurance

Skills Climb +4, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Perception +6, Spellcraft +4, Stealth +9

Languages Aklo, Common, Giant, Sylvan

SQ hold breath (1 hour)

Ecology
Environment temperate forests, marshes, and riversides
Organization solitary, pair, or coven (3 hags of any kind)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Protective Shell (Ex) A snail hag can position the shell that she carries on her back creating a cover for herself. As a swift action she can designate a single side of her square, gaining cover against all attacks and effects coming from that side. When a snail hag uses total defense action, she squeezes herself into her shell gaining hardness 10 and +4 natural armor bonus until she moves out.

Spread Mucus (Ex) As a standard action, a snail hag can produce a puddle of mucus that covers area of 20-ft. radius spread centered on one of the corners of her space, until it evaporates 1d4+1 rounds later. The mucus is a difficulty terrain that is either very sticky or very slippery—everyone moving through the mucus either is entangled or falls prone on a failed Reflex saving throw (DC 13). The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Sticky Foot (Ex) Lower part of a snail hag, clearly resembling a snail's foot, which is surprisingly muscular and produces sticky mucus. A snail hag ignores slippery or difficult terrain and gains +4 bonus to her CMD against any attempts to move her. Any magical effects that forcibly move a snail hag, move her half the actual distance (rounded down to a multiple of 5 feet).

Snail hags are petty hags that live in moist, verdant regions, occasionally pestering local gnomes, halflings, goblins, and other small humanoids, similarly to bigger hags preying on bigger humanoids. They like collecting shiny shells and can be temporarily placated with gifts of those, but they are very picky, and don't like getting shells they already have in their collections.

A coven of snail hags can craft salve of slipperiness and sovereign glue as if they had Craft Wondrous Items feat and required spells, with +10 competence bonus to their Spellcraft check.

Fantasy Monster: Knightmare

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Knightmare

A towering figure of bones, forming an armored silhouette fused with a ghastly steed.

CR 16; XP 76,800
LE Large Undead

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +30

Defense
AC 31, touch 11, flat-footed 29 (+10 armor, +2 Dex, +7 natural, +3 shield, –1 size)
hp 252 (24d8+144); fast healing 10
Fort +14; Ref +12; Will +19

Immune undead traits; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 50 ft., fly 50 ft. (clumsy)

Melee lance charge +30 (2d6+9, ×3 on charge, or ×5 on critical hit) or longsword +26/+21/+16/+11 (2d6+9, 19–20/×2), bite +24 (1d8+4), and 2 hooves +24 (1d4+4)

Ranged bone javelin +20 (1d8+9)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bone lance)

Special Attacks ghastly charge, staggering critical (DC 28)

Statistics
Str 26, Dex 15, Con —, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 23
Base Atk +18; CMB +27; CMD 39 (43 vs. trip and overrun)

Feats Critical Focus, Furious Focus, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Run, Spirited Charge, Staggering Critical

Skills Acrobatics +26, Fly +19, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (nobility) +26, Perception +30, Ride +29

Languages Common, Draconic, Giant

SQ the rider and the mount

Ecology
Environment battlefields, graveyards, ruins, roads
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure standard (including +1 lance, +1 longsword, +1 large shield, the heavy armor and barding are fused and twisted together, and can only be recovered as a magical curio)

Special Abilities

Ghastly Charge (Su) A knightmare can charge across difficult terrain and other creatures,  friend or foe, as long as it doesn't stop in their space. A knightmare doubles attack bonus (already included in the lance charge attack in the stat block) and ignores AC penalty of the charge action and gains +4 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity triggered by the movement while charging.

The Rider And The Mount (Ex) Despite being a singular creature, a knightmare counts as a rider, a mount, or both, depending on what would be the most beneficial in the specific circumstances, allowing it to, among the others, benefit from mounted charge damage multipliers and negate one hit with Mounted Combat feat. A knighmare ignores max Dexterity, armor check penalty, and movement speed reduction of heavy armor and barding worn.

A knightmare is an profane amalgamation of a once might cavalier and their steed—an unliving warrior roaming the roads, battlefields, and ruined castles, seeking challenges and spreading death. While some of the knighmares keep some twisted sense of chivalry, others differ little from robber-knights (whom they might had been in life), aside of having little use for wealth and comforts of the living.

Fantasy Monster: Nail Golem

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Golem, Nail

A vaguely anthropomorphic silhouette made of fused of nails.

CR 5; XP 1,600
N Medium Construct

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +1

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 58 (7d10+20)
Fort +2; Ref +5; Will +3

DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits, magic

Weakness susceptible to rust

Offense
Speed 20 ft.

Melee 2 slams +10 (2d6+3)

Ranged 2 nails +10 (thrown, 20 ft., 2d6+3)

Special Attacks rain of nails (6d6, 20 ft., Reflex DC 15 for half)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 1
Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 23

Skills Perception +1

Ecology
Environment urban, ruins
Organization solitary, pair, or group (3–6)
Treasure standard (including leftover high quality nails)

Special Abilities

Immunity To Magic (Ex) A nail golem is immune to spells and spell-like abilities that allow Spell Resistance. Certain spells and effects function differently against it, as not below:

• A nail golem suffers half damage from fire effects. Heat metal can target nail golem, dealing its damage to the golem and adding its current damage to the nail golem's attacks.
• A nail golem heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of cold damage it should suffer.
• An electricity effect deals half damage to a nail golem, and half damage to everyone within the golem's reach.
• A nail golem is affected by rust attacks, such as those of rust monster or rusting grasp spell.

Rain Of Nails (Ex) When a nail golem is dropped to 0 hit points by an attack other than rust, it explodes in a rain of nails, dealing 6d6 points of piercing and slashing damage within 20 feet radius burst. If the nail golem was destroyed with fire damage, the fire damage received by the golem is added to the damage of rain of nails. A successful Reflex saving throw halves the damage (DC 15). The saving throw DC is Constitution-based and includes +2 racial bonus.

Nail golems were devised as a cheaper and more compact alternative to more powerful metal golems. Initially, they were quite problematic to create, until an innovative priest of a god of forging and artifice tried a method of mass stamping the nails with requisite mystical symbols.

Constructing Nail Golem

Requires a large pile of nails, with some of them etched or stamped with mystical sigils costing a total of 500 gp.

CL 12th; Price 13,000 gp.

Requirements Craft Construct, geas/quest, greater magic weapon, make whole; Skill Craft (armor, weapon, or sculpting) DC 25; Cost 6,750 gp.

Pebble Golem (CR 4) is similar golem made of mass of fused small pebbles instead of nails. It has 4 HD, 42 hp, AC 17, has +7 bonus on its attacks and deals 1d8+3 damage with each attack, reverses the effects of fire and cold, has no susceptibility to electricity or rust, but acid deals it half damage and makes it produce a cloud of acrid smoke for 1d4+1 round, similar to the one produced by pyrotechnics spell. It explodes in a rain of pebbles when destroyed dealing 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage or half on a successful Reflex saving throw (DC 14).

Fantasy Monster: Gravelights

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Gravelights

A cloud of ephemeral flames slowly floats over the ground of the graveyard.

CR 6; XP 400
LE Tiny Undead (incorporeal, swarm)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1

Aura eerie glow (improves illumination to dim level within 60 ft.)

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+1 deflection, +1 Dex, +2 size)
hp 66 (12d8+12)
Fort +5; Ref +5; Will +9

Defensive Abilities incorporeal, swarm; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Weakness susceptible to magical area effects

Offense
Speed fly 20 ft. (perfect)

Melee swarm attack (6d6 plus haunting)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks haunting (DC 17)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int –, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +9; CMB —; CMD —

Skills Fly +13, Perception +1

Ecology
Environment battlefields, graveyards
Organization solitary, funeral (2–5), or festival (6–10)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Haunting (Su) Sentient creatures damaged by gravelight's swarm attack are haunted by visions of their dead family, friends, acquaintances, and foes, acting confused for 1 round on a failed Will saving throw (DC 17), ignoring the gravelight and its attacks. This is a mind-affecting illusion (pattern) effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Incorporeal Swarm (Ex) As a swarm of Tiny incorporeal creatures, gravelight ignores damage from nonmagical weapons and nonmagical area effects. It receives half damage from ghost touch weapons, and quarter damage from other magical weapons. Magical area effects inflict full damage.

Swarm Attack (Su) Gravelight burns living creatures with cold, deathly flames that ignore resistance or immunity to fire but deal extra damage to creatures susceptible to fire. Corpses exposed to gravelight burn to ashes in 1d4+1 rounds, unless they are on a consecrated, desecrated, hallowed or unhallowed ground. The flames can only be extinguished with magic (such as quench, but also gentle repose and consecrate) or holy water. Undead creatures and haunts within the gravelight space, corporeal or not, are outlined with faerie fire instead, and benefit from the gravelight's resistances.

Gravelights are spiritual vestiges that accumulate over graveyards and battlefields, and manifest out of amassed candle- and bonfire flames, ephemeral and flickering. They are attracted by funeral processions and ceremonies honoring the dead, following the participants from the distance, but they are easily provoked into anger by violation of local taboos regarding the dead and their resting places, disturbance of graves and cairns without following the correct rituals, and even inadequate or subpar offerings to the dead.

Fantasy NPC: Lord Quaysall and Lady Dorvenor, Spectral Heads

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Lord Quaysall and Lady Dorvenor, Spectral Heads

A pair of glowing blue-grey heads floats around, both attractive despite their clearly spectral nature. Both wear intricate hairstyles and courtly hats a few decades old.

CR 5 (as a pair); 1,600 XP

CE and LE Tiny Undead (incorporeal)

Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8

Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+2 deflection, +1 Dex, +2 size)

hp 26 (4d8+8)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, incorporeal, rejuvenation; Immune undead traits

Offense
Speed fly 20 ft. (perfect)

Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks vile utterance

Statistics
Str —, Dex 13, Con —, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 15

Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 14 (can't be knocked prone)
Feats Hover, Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Fly +13, Knowledge (nobility) +8, Perception +8, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +9

Language Common, Duc, Infernal

SQ courtly bearing

Courtly Bearing (Ex and Su) Being executed courtiers, both Lord Quaysall and Lady Dorvenor treat Bluff, Diplomacy, and Knowledge (nobility) as class skills.

Rejuvenation (Su) Lord Quaysall and Lady Dorvenor are bound to haunt the royal palace until both of them are destroyed at exactly the same time, otherwise they will both recover within 1d4 days.

Vile Utterance (Su) Both Lord Quaysall and Lady Dorvenor can utter deplorable words from beyond the veil of death that stops heartbeat, wither plants, and scares animals. Using this ability is a standard action that targets either one or all beings within 20 feet that can hear them. A successful Will saving throw (DC 14) negates all effects. Affected living targets suffer 3d6 points of damage. Creatures of animal intelligence also panic for 1d4+1 rounds. Mindless undead are dazed for 1d4+1 rounds. Evil creatures suffer –2 penalty to their saving throw against this effect. Creatures that are sleeping, unconscious, unable to hear, or fascinated by something else can't be affected by this ability. This is a sonic necromantic effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Both of those spectral heads were courtiers of little prominence and much overinflated egos and sense of self-importance. When their kingdom faced a period of unrest, they tried to fan the flames of riots and start a revolution, hoping to turn it against the royal family and take over themselves. They were far from the master intriguers they viewed themselves to be, though, with their blatant meddling attracting scorn of the protesters and ire of the crown alike. For their actions, they were executed, and to make thing worse, made scapegoats for both the riots and their handling, allowing the court to appease the people and pardon the real culprits.

Now they haunt the capital and the royal palace, fiercely bickering or weaving complex but futile intrigues in turn. Sometimes, they approach lesser nobles, courtiers, and politicians trying to coax them into attempt the most convoluted, self-serving, and inane schemes. At other times, they try to suck up to royal family and greater nobles, or pester and disturb palace servants and guards.

Fantasy Monster: Voracious Turf

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Voracious Turf

This patch of lawn looks weirdly suspicious... Wait... Why is it moving?! Why is it moving so faaaaassttt?!! Get it off of me!

CR 12; XP 19,200
N Colossal Plant

Init +1; Senses blind and deaf, lifesense 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft.; Perception +25

Defense
AC 27, touch 3, flat-footed 26 (+1 Dex, +24 natural, –8 size)
hp 170 (20d8+80)
Fort +16; Ref +7; Will +11

Defensive Abilities always suffer half damage from effects that allow a Reflex saving throw for half; DR 10/slashing; Immune plant traits; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee none

Space 30 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attack crushing trample (10d8, DC 21)

Statistics
Str 30, Dex 13, Con 18, Int –, Wis 19, Cha 1
Base Atk +15; CMB +33; CMD 44 (can't be tripped or forcibly moved)

Skills Perception +25, Stealth +21; Racial Modifiers +20 Perception, +20 Stealth

SQ too big to notice

Ecology
Environment cold and warm plains and forest glades
Organization solitary, pair, meadow (3—9)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Crushing Trample (Ex) A voracious turf can move over any number of Large or smaller creatures and obstacles as a full-round action (a staggered voracious turf can move attempt crushing trample moving up to half of its speed as a standard action). Any creature that is within the area over which voracious turf moves may either make an attack of opportunity against the turf or attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC 21) to avoid being run over and crushed. Creatures that succeed their saving throw are pushed to the sides or front of moving voracious turf. Creatures that failed their Reflex saving throw or never attempted it, are crushed for 10d8 points of bludgeoning damage, immobilized prone underneath the voracious turf, and forced to hold their breath. On their turn they can attempt to escape as a full-round action by making a successful Escape Artist or grapple check against the voracious turf's CMD, or a Reflex saving throw against DC of 21. Alternatively, they can attempt to attack the turf with light weapons held, cast spells or use other abilities if they make a concentration check (treating crushing damage of this ability as continuous effect), or do nothing to save their breath. On its turn, voracious turf can deal crushing damage to all creatures already underneath it instead of taking any actions (even especially if it would be unable of taking any actions for some reason). The saving throw DC is Dexterity-based.

Too Big To Notice (Ex) A voracious turf is exceptionally flat for a colossal creature, ignoring size penalty to Stealth checks. It cannot move over Large obstacles, though, nor can it move through the space occupied by other specimens of its kind.

Voracious turf is a colony of motile grass, taking the form of a big moving patch of turf, with the grass roots intertwined with soil and clay, and extensive muscle-like fibers carrying it around like thousands of legs.

Voracious turfs often migrate in search of better quality soils—which they tend to degrade quite fast. Crushing other living creatures, animal and plant alike, into pulpy mush helps fertilize the soil for a time, delaying turf migrations.

Fantasy Monster: Strawman

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Strawman

A silhouette of a man made of tightly bound straw.

CR 1; XP 400
N Medium Construct

Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0

Defense
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 15 (1d10+10)
Fort +0; Ref +0; Will +0

DR 5/slashing; Immune construct traits

Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +2 (1d4+1)

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12

Feats Blind-Fight

Skills Craft (baskets) +4, Profession (farmer) +4

Language understand Common

SQ create strawman, farmer, fragile, semblance of life

Ecology
Environment rural
Organization solitary, pair, or village (3+)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Create Strawman (Su) Strawmen make more of their kind whenever they can, weaving new strawmen bodies out of available straw, cord, and pieces of old rags. It takes six, twelve hour workdays to create a new strawman, and up to three strawmen can work together on a single new strawman.

Farmer (Ex) Strawmen treat Craft (weaving) and Profession (farmer) as class skills.

Fragile Strawmen are much less sturdy than other Constructs of comparable size, and receive only half the regular bonus hit points for their size category.

Semblance Of Life (Su) When the creation process includes significant amount of personal clothing, the resulting strawman has a semblance of a somewhat bland (usually) humanoid being fitting the local population, gaining +20 bonus to Disguise checks made to pass as one of local denizens, and is capable of actual speech, knowing the dominant local language. If strand of hair, a handful of bodily fluids, or a piece of humanoid bone is used in the creation process, the newly created strawmen looks (and sounds) like a copy of an individual whose bodily matter was used and gains +20 bonus to Disguise checks to pass as that individual. Such strawman also inherits +4 bonus in four skills that the original individual had (those count as one skill rank in each, making it trained skills, with all four skills counting as class skills).

Strawmen are constructs made from straw, hay, and rags that obsessively build more of their kind once they find supplies of those materials. While they are not aggressive, they are stubborn and quite unwilling to stop until the available supply is converted to more of their kind.

Occasionally a small group of strawmen can settle in abandoned farms or even depopulated villages, where they create more of their kind, and some might even deliberately cultivate and harvest grasses and even grain just to have more straw.

When not having supplies to make more, strawmen are usually mimicking lives of simple farmers, going through the motions of farming—which is occasionally used by actual farmers who "hire" them as farmhands, though they need some supervision to avoid harvesting growing plants for straw before the grain is ripe.

Some people are worried by the strawmen tendency to create more and more human-like strawmen, causing suspicions there is a much more sinister secret behind their spread.