Fantasy Monster: Strung Poppet

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

Strung Poppet

A human-sized, featureless marionette made of polished wood and silver wires.

CR 4; XP 1,200
CN Medium Construct

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 45 (5d10+20)
Fort +2; Ref +7; Will +3

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +8 (1d6+3)

Ranged 4 strings +8 touch (puppetry)

Special Attacks puppetry (DC 17)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con —, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 19
Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 21

Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Run

Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +6

Ecology
Environment urban, ruins
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Puppetry (Su) When a strung poppet moves (including forced move), all the Large or smaller creatures attached by its strings move exactly the same distance and direction (effectively keeping their relative position to the strung poppet) unless blocked by impassable obstacles. A successful Will saving throw (DC 17) negates this movement. A strung poppet can reposition one Large or smaller creature attached by its strings up to 30 feet as a swift action unless that creature succeeds a Will saving throw. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Strings (Su) A strung poppet can fire single string as a standard action, or up to its maximum four strings as a full attack, attaching them to corporeal targets up to 60 feet away (no range increment) with successful ranged touch attacks. Large or smaller creatures attempting any move (including a 5-ft. step) with one or more strings attached have to succeed a Will saving throw (DC 17) or the attempted move immediately ends, wasting the action involved, and they can't move beyond 100 feet of the poppet. Removing a single string takes a standard action and a successful grapple or Escape Artist check against the strung poppet's CMD. Using an immovable obstacle in the way of string as a lever grants +4 bonus to either check. Another person can either provide aid or attempt to remove the string with their own grapple check. A successful dispel magic (DC 15) detaches the string as well, as does freedom of movement, teleportation, or anything that would render the victim incorporeal, gaseous, or otherwise immune to grapple. Cutting the strings doesn't help as they mend immediately. The strung poppet can release any number of attached targets as a free action. The saving throw is Charisma-based.

Whereas marionettes are controlled with their strings, a strung poppet turns it around, controling others to move as its animating spirit capriciously desires, even if there doesn't seem to be a deeper purpose, a deeper plan beyond its actions, aside of exerting control for the thrill of it.

Fantasy Monster: Werehare

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

Werehare

A massive, monstrously distorted hare, with muscles bulging underneath its stretched grey and tan fur.

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Large Magical Beast

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +10

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, –1 size)
hp 42 (5d10+15); regeneration 5 (magic or silver)
DR 10/magic or silver; Fort +7; Ref +8; Will +3

Weakness turn back

Offense
Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite +8 (1d6+4) and 2 kicks +8 (1d6+4)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks leaping pounce

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +10; CMD 24

Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Run

Skills Acrobatics +34, Perception +10, Stealth +16; Racial Modifiers +30 Acrobatics, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth

Ecology
Environment plains and forests
Organization solitary or pair, very rarely a husk (6–20)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Leaping Pounce (Ex) A werehare can turn and bounce off obstacles, and makes full attack during a charge.

Turn Back (Su) A werehare affected with any polymorphy effect turns back into a Tiny (if a bit feral) hare, until the werehare transformation is triggered again. Some herbs and traditional magical wards can have similar effect on werehares as well.

At certain times of a year, some hares come through an grueling transformation, turning into lumbering, bloodthirsty monstrosities, driven by unending craving for eggs of all sorts. They will relentlessly hunt for their quarry, slaughtering anyone who stands in their way—and devouring random pieces of their victims in futile attempt to sate their hunger.

This can make them a menace to local wildlife, and a veritable horror to farmers keeping poultry, making their herds of chickens, ducks, geese, and other birds a primary target for a werehare or two.

A werehare's rampage ends when it manages to gorge on eggs, consuming at least its own weight in short span of time. Afterward, a werehare finds or digs a suitable warren where it goes to slumber. After a few more days its body ruptures, releasing dozens and dozens of young hares that spread out, a few of which might be another generation of werehares.

Fantasy Monster: Giant Dire Filth Fly

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

Giant Dire Filth Fly

A towering fly buzzes around.

CR 11; XP 12,800
N Gargantuan Vermin

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +13

Aura unbearable stench (60 ft., DC 23, 1d4 rounds)

Defense
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+5 Dex, +14 natural, –4 size)
hp 157 (21d8+63)
Fort +15; Ref +12; Will +10

Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge; Immune disease, nauseated, sickened

Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee bite +19 (4d6+12 plus disease)

Space 20 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks painful buzzing

Statistics
Str 26, Dex 20, Con 16, Int —, Wis 17, Cha 11
Base Atk +15; CMB +27; CMD 42 (50 vs. trip)

Feats Flyby Attack^B, Hover^B

Skills Fly +17, Perception +13; Racial Modifiers +10 Fly, +10 Perception

Ecology
Environment warm plains, urban, underground
Organization solitary, gang (2–4), apocalypse (5–16)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Disease (Ex) Vicious filth fever: Bite–injury; save Fort DC 23; onset 1 day; frequency 1/12 hours; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 3 consecutive saves. The save is Constitution-based.

Painful Buzzing (Ex) Fluttering wings of giant dire filth flies produce painfully head-throbbing vibrations. When a giant dire filth fly moves by flying, all living creatures within 30 feet of their movement route suffer 4d6 points of nonlethal sonic damage. This damage counts as continuous damage for purpose of disrupting concentration.

Unbearable Stench (Ex) Giant dire filth flies stink with the odor of thousands of dead bodies and acres of dung. All living creature that starts their turn within 60 feet of a giant dire filth fly, become sickened for 1d4 rounds unless they make a successful Fortitude (DC 23) saving throw. Due to a very wide spectrum of the offending aroma, a successful saving throw doesn't provide temporary immunity, unlike the regular stench ability. This is a poison effect and its throw DC is Constitution-based.

Giant dire filth flies are enormous flies that are attracted to sufficiently large amounts of rotting flesh on massive battlefields, spoiled harvests, decay of whole cities, cadavers of great monsters, titans, and even dead gods—which might have been where they grew for the first time.

Fantasy NPC: Schaart Of The Myrror Realm

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

Schaart Of The Myrror Realm

A figure made of mirror-shards, each reflecting a distorted, mismatched body part belonging to someone else.

CR 9; 6,400 XP

CN Medium Construct

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14

Defense
AC 23, touch 19, flat-footed 18 (+4 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)

hp 105 (10d10+50)
Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +10

Defensive Abilities all-around vision, enhanced durability 3, evasion, hardness 8; Immune construct traits

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee 4 claws +14 (1d6+4, 18–20/×2)

Special Attacks mirror attacks, sneak attack +1d6

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +14)

Constant—shield of faith, tongues

At will—make whole

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con –, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 15

Base Atk +10; CMB +14; CMD 33
Feats Dirty Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Dodge, Wind Stance

Skills Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Sleight Of Hand +14, Stealth +14

Language Aklo, Common; tongues

Enhanced Durability 3 (Ex) Schaart Of the Myrror Realm has +3 racial bonus to all of its saving throws, and gains 3 additional hit points per HD.

Mirror Attacks (Ex) Schaart Of The Myrror Realm has 5 feet of melee reach from any mirror or reflective surface within 30 feet that it can see, allowing it to make unexpected attacks at weird angles and flank opponents on its own.

Steal Reflection (Su) Schaart Of The Myrror Realm can steal pieces of reflection from living beings by capturing them in properly set mirrors. When the desired part of a person is being reflected in the mirror within line of sight of Schaart, the mirror has to be broken and the piece of reflection is captured (though it is possible that a different part than the one Schaart wanted to steal will be reflected because the angle was wrong). Target who was prepared for the event, warned, or has uncanny dodge, foresight or other ability that allows reacting when surprised can make a Reflex saving throw (DC 19) to avoid having part of its reflection stolen. A person who lost part of their reflection to this ability is slowly growing ill suffering 1d3 points of Charisma damage each day, until the curse is broken with break enchantment, remove curse, dispel chaos, or the piece of mirror containing the reflection is ground into dust. The saving throw is Dexterity-based.

Schaart Of The Myrror Realm is a fluke, an accident, a unique being formed in a disaster that involved a bunch of magic mirrors. Despite its singular nature, it does share desire of many other beings for companionship of other entities similar to itself, to assemble a new creature that would share its nature, an animate sapient composite mirror reflection. With that goal in mind, Schaart seeks to capture as many reflections as possible, hoping to combine the collected mirror images into its mate. Will it actually work, though?