Fantasy Monster: Captivating Landscape

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Captivating Landscape

A magnificent painting of a peaceful landscape with some barely visible silhouettes in the background.

CR 14; XP 38,400
N Huge Construct

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2

Defense
AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 22 (+4 deflection, +2 Dex, +10 natural, –2 size)
hp 208 (16d10+120)
Fort +10; Ref +12; Will +12

Defensive Abilities enhanced durability 5; DR 5/magic and slashing; Immune construct traits; SR 25

Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee 4 slams +20 (3d6+6 plus flesh to paint)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks flesh to paint (DC 27), magic strikes (+1 enhancement to attack and damage rolls)

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +16; CMB +23; CMD 39 (51 vs. trip and overrun)

Skills Climb +13, Perception +2, Stealth –6 (+14 when staying motionless)

Ecology
Environment urban, ruins
Organization solitary, pair, or exhibition (3–6)
Treasure standard (typically highly adorned pieces of a frame)

Special Abilities

Enhanced Durability 5 (Ex) A captivating landscape has +5 racial bonus to all of its saving throws and 5 additional hit points per Hit Die.

Flesh To Paint (Su) Any creature dropped to 0 or less hit by a captivating landscape slam attack is sucked into the painting and appear as one of background figures on the landscape depicted. Such creature remains half-aware of its surroundings, kept in a dream-like state. Captured creatures can be released with break enchantment (DC 27) or freedom cast on the captivating landscape—individual creatures trapped within the painting can be targeted, though pinpointing them on the painting can be challenging during the combat, at least without superior Perception and/or skills related to creating and critique of paintings, leaving a chance that wrong creatures are released if there are more victims than the break enchantment's target limit. Destruction of a captivating landscape causes the death and loss of the bodies of captured victims, though they might be recovered individually with true resurrection or wish spell. A specific captured victim can be cut out by dealing 1/10th of the captivating landscape total hit points with called shots (–4 to attack rolls) explicitly targeting that victim's depiction. Such cut-out depiction will survive the destruction of the landscape and can be targeted with break enchantment or freedom, or be treated as a remains of the victim's body for purpose of reincarnation or resurrection.

Vulnerability To Fire (Ex) A captivating landscape suffers +50% damage from fire effects. If the landscape suffered any fire damage, each individual captured victim has 50% of its depiction being scorched beyond recognition and lost forever (or at least until true resurrection or wish is used to bring them back to life).

Captivating landscape is a massive wall-covering canvas depicting a scene, usually a peaceful rural or wilderness scenery, that is capable of capturing and keeping forever those it defeats. 

Constructing Captivating Landscape

The creator has to paint the 

CL 16th; Price 100,000 gp.

Requirements Craft Construct, geas/quest, imprisonment or maze, limited wish, polymorph any object, ; Skill Craft (painting) DC 30; Cost 50,000 gp.

Fantasy NPC: The Thrice-Lost Merchant

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The Thrice-Lost Merchant

An older man with confused gaze, wearing once-resplendent robes, now dirty and torn. He seems to be outlined by a pale-bluish glow, and glimmering at the edges.

CR 4; 1,200 XP

LN Medium Undead (incorporeal)

Init +2; Senses darkvision; Perception +4

Aura lost in the wilderness (1 mile)

Defense
AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 deflection, +2 Dex)

hp 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +6

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

Offense
Speed 40 ft.; woodland stride, trackless step

Melee corrupting touch +5 touch (4d6 plus deprivation, Fort DC 16 partial)

Special Attacks deprivation (fatigued, DC 16)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 19

Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 19
Feats Alertness, Skill Focus (Appraise), Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus (Profession [merchant])

Skills Appraise +13, Diplomacy +15, Knowledge (geography) +10, Perception +12, Perform (oratory) +12, Profession (merchant) +13, Sense Motive +12

Language Common, three other foreign languages

Corrupting Touch (Su) Living creatures that fail their Fortitude saving throw against the Thrice-Lost Merchant's corrupting touch become fatigued until they eat a full meal. Creatures that don't eat feel pangs of hunger (which might be unfamiliar experience for them) for an hour or so but suffer no negative consequences.

Lost In The Wilderness (Su) Mere proximity of the Thrice-Lost Merchant twists directions and mislead senses. Anyone within a mile of the ghost suffers –5 penalty to Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Perception, Survival, and any related Profession checks made to find their way, locate someone or something, navigate, orient in wilderness, track, and guide others. Using spells or spell-like abilities that find way, locate, determine direction, or transport around requires succeeding a concentration check (DC 16 plus the spell level). This is a mind-affecting illusion (pattern) effect.

The Thrice-Lost Merchant was a successful trader and traveler, journeying far and wide with his wares. That was his talent, that was his joy, and that was his doom.

He was visiting a foreign realm, when the conflict between two local factions—a sun-following druids and moon-worshipping witches—reached its peak and a calamity occurred. Over a single night, the chaos overwhelmed the capital as the natives started turning into trees, starting at the palace itself and spreading outwards. People tried to flee, hoping to outrun the catastrophe, though few managed to run far, as their legs turned into the roots, breaching the streets, and their flailing arms froze into branches of young trees.

The Thrice-Lost Merchant was among the few that managed to abandon the doomed city, losing the wealth stored in the now overgrown warehouse, and escape into the wilderness, as the surrounding fields were turning themselves into forlorn forests. While he was a well-traveled man, he was no real outdoorsman himself, always relying on guides, porters, and caravans, and thus he got lost in the accursed woods that were mere scattering of copses and groves days before. Knowing little of local fruits and nuts, confused by thicket of unnaturally growing plants, he finally perished as hunger overcame him, losing his life.

The fear and bewilderment of the unexpected catastrophe chained the spirit of the Thrice-Lost Merchant to the land that claimed his life, keeping him around roaming the trackless wilds of the forest that now covers the fallen realm.

The Thrice-Lost Merchant wanders in the depths of the forest, seeking someone who could release him by finding his bones and taking them back for a proper funeral in his homeland... Which might be harder than it sounds as his mere presence causes everyone to lose their way.

While he is vaguely aware of presence of other entities dwelling within the boundaries of the forest, he knows little of the reasons of the realms downfall, never being privy to the details of the final confrontation, nor the fates of the king and his family, the druids, or the witches. His confused wanderings never seems to get him close to the local powers that could help him, if there are any nearby.

Fantasy Monster: Beeserker

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Beeserker

A bee of an impressive size buzzes around angrily.

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Small Vermin

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +6

Defense
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 45 (7d8+14)
Fort +7; Ref +6; Will +4

Immune mind-affecting effects

Weakness susceptible to calm emotions

Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)

Melee bite +8 (1d6+2) and sting +8 (1d6+2 plus poison)

Special Attacks frenzied attacks

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 5
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)

Feats Hover^B

Skills Fly +6, Perception +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception

Ecology
Environment warm forest, hills, and plains
Organization solitary, group (2–5), or nest (6–19 plus queen)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Frenzied Attacks (Ex) A berserker bee gains a cumulative +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls whenever any beeserker bee within 60 feet receives damage. When a beeserker makes a successful attack, it gains temporary hit points equal to the damage inflicted that last until depleted. Both benefits end when the combat ends and the beerserker bee calms down.

Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort 15; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save.

Susceptible To Calm Emotions (Ex) If a beeserker bee is caught within area of calm emotions, calm animals, or similar mind-affecting effect that calms down creatures, it removes any benefits gained from its frenzied attacks ability.

Beeserkers are a species of giant bees that, despite being smaller than regular giant bees, are much more dangerous and capable of lashing out against intruders and aggressors with relentless fury.

Their honey is particularly rich and suitable for medical and brewing purposes, as are their was and royal jelly. Some druids keep hives of beeserkers to guard sacred places as well.

A beeserker queen (CR 5) is Medium sized and has AC 18, 59 hp, Fort +9, Atk bite +9 (2d4+4) and sting +9 (2d4+4); Str 18, Con 18, Cha 11. Her presence makes all other beeserkers much more aggressive, granting them +1 bonus to attack rolls and AC, and allow them to make two bite and two sting attacks during a full-attack, effectively increasing their CR to 5. Her poison DC is 17.

Fantasy Monster: Burn-Wolf

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Burn-Wolf

A big reddish-orange wolf, with air all around shimmering from great heat.

CR 2; XP 600
N Medium Magical Beast

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +6

Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 19 (2d10+8)
Fort +7; Ref +5; Will +2

Defensive Abilities scorching heat; Resist cold 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite +4 (1d6+3 plus 1d6 fire)

Special Attacks howl at the clouds

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 16 (20 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6; Survival +2 (+6 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival while tracking by scent

Language Ignan

Ecology
Environment forest, hills, and plains
Organization solitary, pair or pack (3–12)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Howl At The Clouds (Su) A pack of four or more burn-wolves can howl repeatedly over 1 minute, evoking an intense rain in the process. If there are clouds present, the rain is immediate, otherwise it takes between 10 minutes to 1 hour for the clouds to come and release the rain, depending on existing weather. The rain falls for the next 1d10 minutes, doubling the range penalties on attack rolls and Perception checks. This is a transmutation air and water effect.

Scorching Heat (Su) A burn-wolf can project intense heat at will, dealing 1d6 points of additional fire damage with its bite attack. Anyone hitting a burn-wolf with a natural attack, an unarmed strike, or a non-reach melee weapon attack suffers 1d6 points of fire damage. Burn-wolves can ignite flammable materials with their touch while this ability remains in effect.

According to oral tradition of the burn-wolves, wolves were the first to wrest the secret of fire in the ancient times from the spirits of thunder, and used it to help them hunt for other animals—until the envious monkeys tricked most of them and took away their knowledge of fire and the speech, leaving burn-wolves the sole tribe that retained those gifts.

That story, like most other founding myths is likely wrong—there are other kinds of speaking wolves and there were many other creatures capable of using fire in the times before written history. Those facts matter little to burn-wolves, though, and they continue to live like they did, harnessing fire to drive animals into ambushes and repel other predators, using primitive ditches and howls of their packs to restrict fire from spreading out of control—and occasionally causing a massive wildfire if they are careless and short-sighted.