By Rite Publishing | March 10, 2010 at 05:24 AM EST | No Comments
Illustration by John R. Neil
Original Concept by Steven D. Russell
Game Mechanics by Mark Gedak
Venn, “the Vulture,” is the barkeep of The Rogue’s Gallery; he took the job shortly after near execution for the poisoning of a school that had the audacity to reject his application. He is a paunch, balding and spectacled figure with a hooked nose so narrow and long that it reminds me of a grinning vulture. Venn has an exceptional memory and great skill with toxins of every kind, including his trade secret that transmutes a specific toxin upon command within the body, bypassing all forms of detection. Also, I discovered that he is extremely prideful about the drinks he creates, in addition to his poisoncraft, granting both equal values. He seemingly wants nothing more than to create the perfect drink and the perfect poison. I found Venn to be extremely affable, getting every patron with a smile and a greeting, doing whatever he can to please his customers, short of displeasing his other customers.
Venn is an excellent, as well as honorable, informant on the criminal element in the city; though detailed, under no circumstances does he divulge the name of a senior patron or one’s direct activities.
Secret:How did Venn get this job?
-The mysterious owners of the bar saw to it that he was not convicted of his crimes and executed; thus, he is now one of their most devoted employees.
Venn, “the Vulture” CR 7
Male human expert 9
LE Medium humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +15
[Defense]
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 11 (+1 deflection)
hp 31(9d8-9)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7
Defenses reroll 1 failed Fort save
[Offense]
Spd 30 ft.
Melee adamantine dagger +5 (1d4-1 plus poison, 19-20/x3)
Ranged adamantine dagger +6 (1d4-1 plus poison)
Special Attacks poison (3 uses of black adder venom (DC +1))
[Statistics]
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 15
Feats Alertness, Brew Magical Poison, Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Master Brewer, Step Up
Gearpoisoner’s ring, ring of protection +1, 1 vial of Venn’s Voice (DC 21), 400 gp
Poisoner’s Ring
Aura faint evocation; CL 3rd
Slot ring; Price 1,100 gp; Weight –
[Description]
The onyx ring increases the save DC of any poison (mundane or magical) crafted by the wear by 1.
[Construction]
Requirements Forge ring, must be evil; Cost 550 gp
Venn’s Voice
Aura none; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 3,500 gp; Weight –
[Description]
This magical poison detects as neither magic nor poison until it is activate by a secret command word. The poison must be ingested, typically delivered through drink at the Rogue’s Gallery Tavern. The Fort DC is 20 with an onset time of 1 minute after the command word is given. The toxin can remain in the target’s system for up to one year from ingestion before the command word needs to be given. The onset time is 1/round for 6 rounds dealing 1d3 Con and 1 Str until 2 saves are made.
[Construction]
Requirements Brew Magical Poison, misdirection; Cost 1,750 gp
Master Brewer
Your superior alchemical and brewing skills allow you to create simple magic items.
Prerequisites: 5 ranks in Craft (alchemy) or Profession (bartender/brewmaster)
Benefit: Choose one of the prerequisite skills. You receive a +2 bonus on your chosen Craft or Profession skill. Ranks in your chosen skill count as your caster level for the purposes of qualifying for the Brew Potion or Brew Magical Poison feats. You must use the chosen skill for the check to create the item. The DC to create the item still increases for any necessary spell requirements (see the magic item creation rules for Magic Items). You cannot use this feat to create any spell-trigger or spell-activation item.
Normal: Only spellcraster can qualify for Craft Potions or Craft Magical Poison feats.
Brew Magical Poison
You can create magical poisons.
Prerequisites: Caster Level 3rd, must be evil
Benefit: You can create any magical poison for which you meet the prerequisites. Brewing a magical poison takes 2 hours if its base price is 250 gp or less, otherwise brewing a magical poison takes 1 day for each day of 1000 gp in its base price. When you create a magical poison, you set the caster level, which must be sufficient to cast the prerequisite spells and no higher than your own level. To brew a magical poison, you must use up raw materials costing ½ the base price. See the magic item creation rules for more information.
By Rite Publishing | March 04, 2010 at 12:47 AM EST | No Comments
To celebrate GM's Day here is a preview of a Npc from Coliseum Morpheuon: The Pasha of Swirling Ashes a visiting guildmaster of the thieves guild from the City of Brass;
Illustration by Jason Rainville
The Pasha of Swirling Ashes
(Original Concept by Clinton J. Boomer, Origianl Art Description by Matt Banach, Stat Block and Mechanical Development by Peter Pollard)
CR 20XP 307,200 Advanced efreeti bard 4/duelist 10 LE Large outsider (extraplanar, fire) Init+20;Sensesdarkvision 60 ft.,detect magic; Perception +30
Offense Speed20 ft, fly 40 ft. (perfect) Melee+3 wounding rapier+38/+33/+28/+23 (1d8+22/15-20 plus 1 Con) Space10 ft.;Reach10 ft. Special Attackschange size, crippling critical, heat, riposte, staggering critical, stunning critical Bard Spells Known(CL 4th) 2nd (3/day) -heroism, whispering wind 1st (5/day) –cure light wounds, undetectable alignment, unseen servant, ventriloquism 0th –dancing lights, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic Spell-Like Abilities(CL 11th) Constant –detect magic At will –plane shift(willing targets to elemental planes, Astral Plane or Material Plane only),produce flame, pyrotechnics(DC 18),scorching ray 3/day –invisibility, wall of fire(DC 20) 1/day – grant up to 3wishes(to non-genies only),gaseous form, permanent image(DC 22)
Tactics Before CombatIf the Pasha is aware he will be entering combat and considers his foe(s) to be a threat, he castsheroismon himself. This is not included in his stat block. During CombatThe Pasha tries to make full attacks whenever possible, playing the odds on critical hits so that he can combine the effects of his crippling critical duelist ability and his Stunning Critical feat. If fighting an enemy he considers dangerous, he activates his boots of speed (+1 to hit, AC, Reflex saves, +1 attack). If fighting an enemy that is easy to hit, or who is immune to precise strike (-10 damage), he uses Power Attack (-6 to hit, +12 damage). If the enemy is able to hit his considerable AC, he fights defensively (-4 to hit, +6 AC).
LanguagesAuran, Aquan, Common, Ignan, Terran, plus 24 others; telepathy 100 ft.
SQacrobatic charge, bardic knowledge, bardic performance (11 rounds/day), change shape (humanoid or giant,alter selforgiant form I),countersong,distraction,fascinate, improved reaction +4,inspire competence +2, inspire courage +1, precise strike, no retreat, versatile performance (perform: oratory) Combat Gear+3 wounding rapier, belt of incredible dexterity +4, boots of speed, bracers of armour +6, headband of vast intelligence +4(knowledge:local, knowledge:nobility), ring of protection +1, vest of resistance +5,2000 gp remaining (157,000/159,000 spent)
Special Abilities Change Size (Sp)Twice per day an efreeti can magically change a creature's size. This works just like an enlarge person or reduce person spell except that the ability can work on the efreeti. A DC 16 Fortitude save negates the effect. Heat (Ex)An efreeti's body deals 1d6 points of fire damage whenever it hits in melee, or in each round it grapples.
So please forgive us. here are three magical items to tide you over.
Instrument of Alacrity
Price (item level): 2,300 gp (6th)
Body slot: Face Caster level: 5th Aura: Minor Transmutation (DC 17) Activation: Use-activated Weight:-
“This appears to be a musical instrument favored by the viewer,made of silver and gold, a number of symbols, runes and glyphsfrom various languages adorn it all hold the same meaning of “alacrity” to the viewer ”
Lore:
Bardic Knowledge or Knowledge (arcana) DC 17: This is an instrument of alacrity, known astepidh ceol in the Sylvantongue.The urban seelie troubadour warrior known as Cayden Windsword was known to use a flute of alacrity that was part of the handle of her signature sword, famously used in her rallying the failing troops in the battle against the Cloud Kingdom of the Windlords.
DC 22: Our Lady of Spring, Riane Brightspire of the Seelie Court of Questhaven created these as a gift to the Great Church of the Pantheon specifically to the portfolio of song. She made them upon the mirror world of the Seelie Court upon the Alter of Song.
DC 32:If a bearer of this item were to purposefully destroy one of these a horrible curse is laid upon them transforming them into harpies, sirens or some say purple worms.
Abilities: You gain a +2 competence bonus to your Bardic Performance checks. This is a continuous effect and requires no activation.
1/day you can start a Bardic Performance as an immediate action.
Body slot: Face Caster level: 5th Aura: Minor Transmutation (DC 17) Activation: Use-activated Weight:-
“This appears to be a rainbow colored crystal with a faceted dome on one side, and flat unpolished side on the other, as you look at it,you suddenly see vibrate scenes of folk tales flickering past your eyes.”
Lore:
Bardic Knowledge or Knowledge (arcana) DC 17: This is an eye of lore, known asnolemgliint in the Gnomish language,.The LurkerSingulith Crystalwish thattroubadour warrior known as Cayden Windsword was known to use a flute of alacrity that was part of the handle of her signature sword, famously used in her rallying the failing troops in the battle against the Cloud Kingdom of the Windlords.
DC 22: Our Lady of Spring, Riane Brightspire of the Seelie Court of Questhaven created these as a gift to the Great Church of the Pantheon specifically to the portfolio of song.
DC 32:If a bearer of this item were to purposefully destroy one of these a horrible curse is laid upon them transforming them into harpies, sirens or some say purple worms.
Abilities: You gain a +2 competence bonus to your Bardic Knowledge checks. This is a continuous effect and requires no activation.
1/day you can use your Lore Master ability to take a 20 as an immediate action.
Body slot: Throat Caster level: 5th Aura: Minor Transmutation (DC 17) Activation: Use-activated Weight:-
“This appears to be a silver religious symbol associated with your pantheon and a particular domain, as you look at it, the symbol changes to that of your deity”
Lore:
Bardic Knowledge or Knowledge (arcana) DC 17: This is an domain symbol, also known asa blessedholy symbol of the pantheonamongst followers of the Great Church of the Pantheon.It is most well known for being used by the priestess Venetia of The Brightlady in her defense of the First Cathedral of Anointing from an attack by dark messiah Malleolus of The Punisher of Broken Oaths and his zealots.
DC 22:Twenty of these were made upon the alter of the First Cathedral, by twenty priests each representing one of the deities that make up the pantheon of Questhaven
DC 32:Known bearers of these items are considered servents of the gods, by the Great Church If a bearer of this item were to purposefully destroy one of these a horrible curse is laid upon them transforming them into harpies, sirens or some say purple worms.
Abilities: When you first put on a domain symbol select a domain you have access to and skill associated with that domain (subject to DM approval).
You gain a +2 competence bonus to checks with the chosen Skill checks. This is a continuous effect and requires no activation.
1/day you can use a domain ability that normally requires a standard action as an immediate action.
By Rite Publishing | March 01, 2010 at 05:09 AM EST | No Comments
Bigger is Better!
From Large to Colossal, From Troll to Storm Gaint.
Rite Publishing Presents a racial class balanced for play along side your adventuring companions. Let them play In The Company of Giants (PFRPG). This new race and racial class is designed for use by player character's at every level of play, with custom special abilities and feats based on elemenntal powers and subrace paths such as ettins, and frost giants.
By Rite Publishing | February 18, 2010 at 11:09 PM EST | No Comments
I've had all sorts of maps sent to me by publishers, from detailed technical plans to a single scanned line drawing with no grid or scale. From this experience, I have come up with a few pointers for publishers looking to commission a map.
I've jotted down the best practices. First of all, if you can put together a sketch that's a huge help. When creating a sketch:
1. Start with a square grid - blue squared paper is great. 2. Pick a scale that makes sense. 3. Draw clearly areas that will block movement or inhibit movement - walls, rivers, mountain ranges, etc. 4. Place other elements - in another color if possible - that are important. 5. Think about practical issues when designing the map - if monsters are size Large, the corridors will need to be 10' wide. Food and shelter should be close together; obvious entrances should be guarded; treasure chambers should be far from the entrance and so on.
Second, the point of the map is to be clear, not pretty. Use clashing colors - blue and orange, purple and yellow, red and green. The cartographer's job is to take this and make it attractive. The important thing is that the sketch is accurate.
The remaining information that a mapmaker needs from a publisher is predominantly technical. The more information that can be provided at this stage, the easier it will be for the cartographer to meet your needs:
1. The size of the printed image in inches 2. The required resolution in dots per inch 3. The orientation - landscape or portrait 4. Color or grayscale 5. Whether the map needs a version without a grid or without labels
A publisher who wants to change or edit the map based upon author revision, editing, feedback or play-test should advise that changes may be required. It is also important to discuss the precise division of copyright before work starts.
The points mentioned above are the core elements a cartographer needs. Anything else is extra credit. If you can provide the accompanying text that goes with a map then the cartographer will be able to add extra details to make the areas fit their use, as well as check the map for consistency. At the very least, the text will give your cartographer a feel for the setting and style that is being portrayed. Equally, if you have a particular style in mind, then a link to to an existing map or illustration in that style will help convey what you are after. Remember that maps are also illustrations and help to convey your setting to the GM and the players. If your cartographer understands the setting it will show in your maps.
By Rite Publishing | February 18, 2010 at 09:31 AM EST | No Comments
The Honorable Order of Theurgic Master Craftsmen
Some cities trade is silks, some in salt, others deal in slaves, and still others in simple food stores.The city of Questhaven’s foremost trade good however is magic. Driven primarily The Evocative City’s ruling class the Questor’s Society or what the common folk call “Adventurers.”The Questor’s Society represents less than one percent of the city’s population yet they possess ninety nine percent of its wealth, and the one trade good they place value on are vessels of eldritch and divine might. What developed in the early days of the Council of Heroes that governs that Questor’s Society to help control this most precious of commodities was a government sponsored organization that has evolved into The Honorable Order of Theurgic Master Craftsmen,
This independent craftsmen’s guild holds an iron grip on the most profitable trade good in the city, several of their members belong to the Questor’s Society and the order’s Grandmaster, Mystic Theurgist Romtinel of Our Lord of Secrets and Spells sits on the Council of Heroes. This mysterious and secretive cabal is rumored to have dealings with both the Great Church of the Pantheon and the Scriptoriums of Our Lord of Secrets and Spells.
By law one cannot sell a magical item within the city without gaining the approval of, or membership in the order, taxes on these sales are paid to the Questor’s Guild, along with dues owed to the Order. The Honorable Order of Theurgic Master Craftsmen does not discriminate against membership for any reason, if a being has access to, or can create magical items the order will do business with them. This includes giants, dragons, devils, demons, angels, oni, jinn, lichs, and other fell beings from the lightless lands beneath the earth.
The operations of the Order follow a complex operating code that governs their sales as imposed by the laws the Council of Heroes has passed down along with the long term economic interests of the craftsmen,primarily for customer this means the order control s the availability of items, their costs, curtailing certain items that they will not sell and certain people they will not sell too (mostly limited to individuals who have offended the order).
Also do to the complex operational code that the order operates under the salesmen is given a long list of knowledge from the diviner about the customer long before they are allowed into the showroom. As such any product brought out for display will not be inappropriate for their level regardless of the customer’s actual wealth. This has more to do with the Council of Hero’s control over the Questor’s Society than with the concerns of the order but they have found it to be very profitable in the long term as adventures are forced due their government enforced monopoly to buy and sell items only through them.
In the Theurgic Craft’s Hall the functioning store front for the order only a single customer is allowed beyond its foyer at any time. In the foyer one can see obvious signs of security with various types of unique golems functioning as the doorwardens and divinesr who require customers not to resist their spell casting lest they be denied entry.They use these spells some of which are custom divinations to learn all they can about their customer, the customers finances,and how a sale here will affect future transactions.
One benefit of this set up has been the tendency of the craftsmen to use this information to create custom items for specific members of the Questor’s Guild, they are able to make this profitable simply be refusing to sell the individual any other items until they purchase the custom item, the quality and usefulness and status of these custom items has actually made this tactic popular, rather than causing resentment amongst members of the society.
This is not so say there are not those renegades who simply don’t care about the loss of access to the order’s creations; there have been the rare attempts at theft and even one outright raid by a renegade fellowship of adventurers. From these it was learned it provides for its own security which include extradimensional safeholds, and that all of the items here can be used in the defense of the facility, that all of the unsold items have tracer spells attached to them, the tracer spells being girded so that they are very difficult to remove, along with an invisible guardian monster whose attacks did not reveal its true appearance.
The Honorable Order of Theurgic Master Craftsmen is not entirely limited to its guild hall when dealing with high value customers, will often send an agent to continue close ties, relations, custom orders, information about caches of items, estate auctions, purchasing items from other sellers, if a person is to be entombed with an item, and even what items are contained in which monster’s hoard. The order occasion uses member of the Questor’s Society to retrieve or escort items with the members being paid in commissioned work.
By Rite Publishing | February 17, 2010 at 03:55 AM EST | No Comments
Following up on Valentine's day this Wednesdays & Woes Mark Gedak gives you a kind of love that even death cannot stop.
Illustration by Joe Calkins
Undying Love
"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always,as long as I'm living,my baby you'll be." – Robert Munch
Love is a powerful emotion in life and it can be a powerful emotion in death or undeath. Though many monstrous creatures seem tied to the power of love and its opposite emotion hate. Below is a selection of creatures that fit nicely into the theme of undying love.
The Flesh Golem: Struggling With Loneliness
As conceived in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, a flesh golem is ghoulish collection of stolen humanoid body parts, stitched together into a single composite form. Although most flesh golems are mindless, there are persistent rumors of unusual golems who somehow retain the memories of a previous life. The head (and thus brain) of such flesh golems must be just the right combination of fresh and (in its previous life) strong-willed, and even then luck and chance during the golem's creation seem just as important in retaining the creature's mind.
Flesh Golems who possess memories of their previous life are called Lifespark constructs by some sages and differ from regular flesh golems in the following ways:
-Lifespark constructs are not immune to mind-affecting effects.
-Lifespark constructs possess 3d6 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma contrary to their prescribed statistics.
-Lifespark constructs have skill points equal to 2 + Int modifier per HD. They treat Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex) and Swim (Str) as class skills.
-Lifespark creatures are not controlled by their creator and can advance through character classes.
-Lifespark creatures are not gaining sentience (like awakened constructs) but never lost sentience in the first place.
Lifesparks struggle with their existence in the world. They are unlike all other forms of life and their horrific appearance makes their monsters to normal society. Lifesparks try to form relationships with members of normal society only to be met with fear or prejudice.
Campaign Hook: Depth within the Folgur Wood their lives a strange hermit, he has never been seen directly but he is thought to protect the people of the area from bandits, evil humanoids and other night terrors. In the past few weeks, women have begun to disappear off the streets at night, their bodies found in pieces in the woods each with a single body part carefully removed. Tensions are running high in the town, and rumors of a stitched man have begun to circulate.
Camino Lavonshia has met the hermit, she knows he is a flesh golem, and worries that when the villagers discover his secret they will hunt him down and kill him. She is convinced the hermit has a kind heart and could not be responsible for the crimes of which he is accused. She seeks out adventurers to help the hermit escape the lynching party and uncover the real killer.
Has the lifespark decided to build himself a mate? Or has a murders discovered the hermit’s secret and used its freakish nature to disguise his crimes?
The Mummy: Separated By Time
Mummies are powerful undead from a different place and time. Often the cultures that spawned their ancient creatures have faded into the past like dust on the winds of change. As such the mummy provides an excellent opportunity to pull characters into unknown lands or strange temporal adventures.
Mummies do not operate by the same rules of current society, often they were the rulers of their societies and subject to no rules besides their own. This makes mummies arrogant and demanding. Mummies of regal bearing often possess high Charisma and access to clerical magic or sorcery. They use these powers to enthral others, hide their monstrous appearance and control the elements.
Campaign Hook: In times long past, a great love was lost, a king separated from his queen. Hundreds of years since her death, Ameriseris, The Queen of Cats has risen from the grave. In the otherworld, she found no trace of her love and has reawakened to seek him out. When her king died, foul magic prevented his soul from entering the afterlife. Since that time, the kings soul has been reincarnated dozens of times, with no remembrance of his former life or love.
Currently, that soul belongs to one of the campaign’s player characters. Can the players protect their teammate from Ameriseris’s foul advances? can their escape from her feline minions? Can they prevent Ameriseris from restablishing her Kingdom current world?
The Revenant: The Murdered Cuckold
The revenant is a vengeful spirit who has risen from the grave in order to gain revenge upon those that killed them. Revenants roam civilized lands tracking their murders wherever they choose to hide. Revenants can sense their murders whenever they are nearby and work tirelessly to slay them.
If a revenant is killed while its murderer still lives, it will rise from the grave again in 24 hours if its remains are not utterly destroyed and placed in consecrated soil. Some sages into the dark arts, confess that sometimes a revenant’s reason to hate can become confused and they can be driven to new acts of murder like a homicidal puppet.
Campaign Hook: Jacinth Skern is on the run, everywhere he goes he is haunted by the sudden appearance of a female corpse. She spews foul accusations of murder and adultery toward him, though he has never seen this undead creature before. He has been on the run for several months and every time he thinks he has escaped she turns up again. He has run out of options, he is looking for adventurers to assist him, to find out who the woman was and help put her soul to rest.
Is Jacinth really the victim here? Or is he trying to escape his own sins with the help of some troubleshooters?
"I am an explorer, a man of action, and foiler of nefarious plots. Come read my book, Evocative City Sites, and I, Owain Northway, will guide you through the darker corners to a lost storehouse overtaken by urban decay. I will tell you of the abandoned warehouse formally known as Lorn's Entrepot."
Evocative City Sites: a Pathfinder Roleplaying Game compatible supplement detailing small locations that you could find in any urban campaign setting. This site is detailed with its own cartography, a 1”=1 square scale map pack, two unique npcs, 1 new monster, all presented in the unique, useful, and entertaining form of Owain Northway’s first person point-of-view guidebook.
Lorn's Entrepot (Abandoned Warehouse) is a place the seedier side of the city uses as a forgotten storehouse. Where violent bands hold mettings and dangerous battles take place, as beggers and the homeless scatter from thier disturbed abode.
This product includes:
The Strife Elemental (CR 3)
An Advanced Dark Debased Satyr (CR 7)
An Advanced Nightmare Rakshasa with unique feats and unique magical item (CR 15)
By Rite Publishing | February 14, 2010 at 10:18 PM EST | 2 comments
On today's Mondays & Magic we present 5 magical weapon properties , that come from a new product we are developing 101 Magical Weapon Properties for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Ceremonial Weapon
Illustrtion by Richard Biggs Jr.
Blood Bonded: Whenever anyone except its owner or a member of his bloodline attempts to wield a blood bonded weapon, they take damage equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus (no save; no attack roll necessary). When the last member of the bloodline dies, the thorny weapon may be freely claimed (although it will bloody the new owner once the first time he grasps it). The weapon may also be freely transferred (no coercion or magical charms/compulsions) by one owner to another; with the new owner taking damage the first time grasps it.
Breaker: A melee weapon with the breaker property can damage any object including armor with a +9 or less total enhancement bonus. 2/day any object it touches must make a successful Will save (DC 10+1/2 the wielder’s character level + the wielder’s Strength or Dexterity modifier, attended object use their wielder’s save) or gain the broken condition and suffer half its hit points +1 point in damage, an object with the broken condition is reduced to zero hit points and is ruined (if you weapon deals damage to the object it deals its damage before this effect, happens). This weapon has the same effect against constructs but those with magic immunity (such as golems) are only effected if they are also affected by disintegrate. A use of this ability also destroys a wall of force and the yellow portion of a prismatic wall or prismatic sphere
Bushwacking: To use this weapon’s ability you must declare that you’re attacking your opponent while he is unaware of you and win the opposed Stealth check vs. your opponent’s Perception. If your opponent is flat-footed, unaware, and successfully damaged, you opponent must succeed with a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Strength or Dexterity modifier) or die. If the damage is non-lethal, your opponent goes unconscious for 2d6 minutes instead. Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this effect.
Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, finger of death; Price +4 bonus
Ceremonial: This weapon has 4 special abilities. It is a swift action to change which ability currently functions at the beginning of an encounter. After that it cannot be changed until the beginning of the next encounter.
First Blood: +6 to initiative,
Do you Yield: +1d6 non-lethal damage and all damage dealt by weapon is nonlethal,
One Shot: +5 insight bonus to your first attack roll in an encounter,
To the Death: +4 bonus to confirm critical hits.
Moderate divination; CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor moment of prescience; Price +2 bonus
Clinging: This is an enchantment that can be woven into any magical net. The net clings to its victim with a life of its own. The DC of any Escape Artist check to escape from the net is changed to 10 + the wielder’s character level + the wielder’s Strength or Dexterity modifier. Casting a spell while trapped in a clinging net requires a Concentration check (Same DC).
By Rite Publishing | February 12, 2010 at 11:39 PM EST | No Comments
Restless Souls from Rite Publishing is #9 on Rpg Countdown Congratulations to Steven D. Russell (the author) Rober N. Emerson (the editor) and Hugo 'Butterfrog' Solis (the artist) on making it on the Countdown. Steve is also the publisher and if you want to hear what he said about the project, listen in to RPG Countdown!
A lot of people ask me about Ghostwalk but to most it was surprising that I had never read it, I have read an interview about the initial thought being that it was boring sitting around and watching other folks play .
My real inspiration came from old ghost stories, and the dead in the Iliad and the Odyssey, along with other lesser influences likethe pattern ghosts from Roger Zelazney’s Amber, The Dead from Stephen Donaldson’s Chronicles Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever , and both The Heroes of the Horn and those brought back the Lord of the Grave in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, along with a strong influence by Mike O’Barr’s The Crow (both the comic and the movie).
2. With all the new benefits of death will players be more likely to sacrifice their players?
One of the things I really decided on this that is that the dead know it is better to be alive. As a pure game mechanic its better to be a lich than it is to be human, since often we forget the role-playing draw backs to undeath, I wanted to keep the trauma that is from crossing the pale threshold there are some really evocative options with the restless soul feats but raise dead is still better than being a restless soul. Its also not a guarantee that you will come back, it is entirely the province of the Game Master.
That was part of the design, the GM had to approve this option to begin with so why not put the option entirely in his hands and bring a bit of the uncertainty and mystery that is death into the game.
3. Does it change the way we use resurrection?
No, I wanted to give a GMs and Player Characterrs an additional tool, that had a great deal more than these options do but still not take anything away from them.
4. What is your favorite part about the piece?
Hugo Solis’s Artwork, he is one of the best artists I have ever had the pleasure of working with. The artwork really helped me find the voice for the introduction which is told first person from the point of view of a restless soul named Nestra Darklaugh, So there is another piece of inspiration for you, There is a good deal of dark humor in it that has been very well received, and I credit Hugo with that inspiration.
5. Why did you feel the need to do it?
The desire really came from my home game. I run a very character driven long term campaign and when a character dies it leaves a big gapping whole. Defending against this can lead to a character having plot armor where nothing can kill him until that character’s plot is completed. The problem with this style of play was that it took away from the inherent risk of adventuring and runs the risk of railroading the character’s death. With Restless Souls I could have the best of both worlds because its inherent that when you complete the mission you came back for your going to die, yet if you don’t work toward that mission you can’t be back.
It has even been suggested that you could have a Total Party Kill and bring them all back as restless souls, including the adventure of them escaping the lands of the dead.
Want to know more? Add your Questions to Steve's Interview!
By Rite Publishing | February 11, 2010 at 01:28 AM EST | No Comments
Here is a sneak peak at the next book in the Evocative City Sites Line When entering the abandoned warehouse known as Lorn's Entrepot: Beware the Strife Elemental
Illustration by Joe Calkins
Investigating the site and speaking to a local priest I have learned that Lorn’s Entrepot is haunted by a spirit of elemental violence, strife and discord; meetings here are likely to become more and more hostile, against the will of all parties involved, these battles are tragically triggered by accident or miscommunication. The conflicts that occur here are feeding the power of the malignant spirit that is chained to the foundations of the ruined depot -
Strife Elemental
Medium Elemental CR 3
XP 800
N Medium outsider (elemental, extraplanar, incorporeal)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7
Aura Strife 30’ (DC 15)
Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13
(+3 Dex, +3 deflection, +1 dodge,)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1
Defensive Abilities natural invisibility,
Immune elemental traits, negative energy
Weakness: vulnerability to positive energy
Offense
Speed Fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Melee touch +7 (1d6+3 negative energy+ strife)
Special Attacks touch of strife
Tactics
Before Combat: always looking to start a fight but not engages in one the strife elemental only uses its touch attack if someone detects its presence and attacks it, often it hides inside physical objects (its aura still functions properly)
Combat: if forced into combat it seeks to touch each of its opponents once allowing them to finish off each other.
Morale: the strife elemental will flee into the structure of the water tower if it is ever damaged.
Aura of Strife (Su): Generally, a strife elemental’s mere presence is enough to cause problems. Anyone within 30 feet of the elemental must succeed at a DC 15 Will save (each round) to resist being compelled along a contentious, argumentative, or violent course of action whenever a situation unfolds that might conceivably warrant such a response (violence results instead of normal parley, haggle over a price, stealth, insults, or peaceful division of treasure) . This effect is mind-influencing compulsion affect.
This power should be handled very subtly, using notes to inform players of unexpected changes in their characters emotional states, the DC of the sense motive is also increased by +5. That save DC is Charisma based.
Feed on Strife (Su) Any time a strife elemental is within 30 feet of a creatures engaged in combat or under the effects of its aura or touch of strife abilities, it gains fast healing 5.
Natural Invisibility (Ex) Strife Elementals are can become invisible as per the spell with an unlimited duration as a move action (they become visible if they attack as per the spell).
Touch of Strife: This ability works like Aura of strife used as part of a touch attack it forces the opponent upon a failed Will Save DC 17 to immediately attack the closest potential foe, if only allies are present then he attacks the ally likes the least.That save DC is Charisma based; andincludes a +2 racial bonus.
By Rite Publishing | February 09, 2010 at 11:51 PM EST | 3 comments
For this week’s Wednesdays & Woe Mark Gedak thought he would present a new horror monster for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Behold the terror of the Carrion Wolf.
Curse of Undead Lycanthropy (Su) A carrion wolf carries a variant curse of lycanthropy that is transmitted through the carrion wolf’s bite. Any humanoid bitten by a carrion wolf must make a Fort save DC 18 or be transformed into a carrion wolf within one month.
Daytime Death (Su) When the sun rises, the carrion wolf's body dries up and whithers until only a humanoid skeleton remains. During this time it cannot be detected as undead but is considered healpless. If its remains are destroyed (0 hp) during the day, the carrion wolf will die. However, when the sun sets, if the carrion wolf has at least 1 hp remaining, it will be rejuvenate with full hit points and can prowl the night again.
The original carrion wolf was a natural lycanthrope whose human form succumbed to a ghoul attack. He died only to rise at sunset as a carrion wolf. Trapped in a savage hybrid form, the carrion wolf is neither wholly lycanthrope nor wholly undead but instead a tragic cursed transition between the two states. Carrion wolves are always hungry and prefer the recent dead to feast upon. If there isn’t a staple of fresh corpses in the area, they will kidnap lone travellers, women and child and drag them off into the woods. In the forest, their captives will be tortured and starved until the carrion wolf can no longer resist their hunger.Since the hunting habits of carrion wolves creates a large number of skeletal corpses it is often difficult to discern if a body is that fo a a victim of the carrion wolf or the carrion wolf’s daytime form.
I have an interest in East Asian history so was immediately intrigued by the concept of Lands of the Jade Oath when Frank first contacted me in 2006. At the time Frank wanted me to create a Letterbox format image. (sized 11" x 33") However, it had to be made so that it could be split into three separate (triptych) images. I was given a list of characters and monsters that would feature in the illustration and a considerable amount of reference material consisting of written descriptions, concept sketches and weapon reference. I found the reference material to be very inspirational and a powerful impetus to begin working on the sketch image for the cover.
The section that is shown on the Heroes of the Jade Oath cover features a Demon Hunter and Enlightened Scholar characters fighting a vampire and some zombies. I was provided with an extensive written description for each character class - especially the Enlightened Scholar! The Scholar character also belonged to the mandragon race and as there were a lot of mandragon concept sketches to accompany the description too. The amount of source material for that character was extremely comprehensive. Combined with my own research images the reference material I'd amassed for the image ensured that I had plenty of information to draw upon.
The challenge was to take the source material to a new level but still keep the imagery culturally recognisable. I love this sort of work!
I recall that the Demon Hunter was fairly straight forward as a spell casting fighter type. I liked the idea of the character casting spells in the form of magically enhanced ofuda which made the concept delightfully oriental. Drawing upon my own references and knowledge I was able to indulge in adding lots of costume detail to this character too.
I had to make a number of corrections to the Scholar character at sketch stage as I was depicting a character from an entirely new race concept that I'd not seen before. However, I really enjoy world-building and find this sort of design work incredibly fulfilling.
I think the vampire was my own design and was a culmination from a written description and my own knowledge.
The Heroes of the Jade Oath cover image was an amazing project to work on. I got an opportunity to create new characters, creatures and monsters using extremely imaginative descriptions, inspired from a fascinating culture and mythology. I immensely enjoyed working on the painting and am thrilled that I was chosen to contribute the artwork for this game concept.
By Rite Publishing | February 04, 2010 at 05:46 PM EST | No Comments
I am working on updating Evocative City Sites:: The Rogues Gallery Tavern to the Pafthinder Roleplaying Game. Originally this series had had no statblocks for any system I thought I would post those statblocks here for your amusement. Once I have finished this file will be updated automatically from the current version to the new.
Liseli
Liseli is the server at The Rogue’s Gallery, who I learned, rather quickly, is a demon of some kind, most likely a succubus. It seems she has made a pact to work here until the tavern goes out of business or a 1000 years and a day, whichever comes first. Liseli can change her appearance, so as to appear as virtually anyone, to my eyes she always appeared as both delectable and desirable regardless of her form, mostly as a very attractive human female with an impressive bosom. Not surprisingly, Liseli is a gifted seductress, patrons often purchasing extra drinks just to have her stay near them a little longer. Another unexpected boon is that she never needs to sleep, so she is always on duty applying her charms more frequently.
Liseli enjoys teasing both men and women with her flirtations and shapeshifting, though she is held by her pact, she told me she would stay, none the less, so as to observe the wide variety of villainy she has experienced, thus far. Leseli was extremely engaging and quite open to intimate relationships with any number of patrons, though I found her far too intimidating. I did learn that her demonic victims are strictly limited to non-patrons, and since she is always on duty she can only attack those whose patronage is revoked by Venn. This is very easy to do, actually, as they are often already victims of his poisons.
If you are looking to meet up with someone, Liseli can make an introduction for a price, which can range from coin, to a night of passion; to some of your life force, but betraying her confidence will likely result in loss of patron status and the use of her demonic powers.
Secret: How does Liseli benefit from the pact?
-Once her term of service is done she regains her free will and ownership of her soul allowing her to move on toward apotheosis.
- A ship in a bottle called “The Fallen Star,” which houses a real live miniaturized crew who all sold their souls to her long ago before she lost the bottle.
Elder Fiend Succubus CR 11 XP 12,800
CE medium outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar)
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic; tongues, telepathy 100 ft.
SQ change shape (alter self, Small or Medium humanoid), objecgt of worship
Special Abilities
Aura of Madness (Su):Liselie is surrounded by an aura of pure psychotic madness. Non-outsiders within the aura must make a Will save (DC 25) or suffer effects identical to that of the confusion spell Caster Level 8th. This ability is normally suppressed so as not to disrupt business at the Rogue’s gallery tavern.
Command Fiend (Su):Liselie can command outsiders with the evil subtype in the same manner in which an evil cleric with the Command Undead feat commands undead. The elder fiend uses its Hit Dice in place of caster levels to determine how many evil outsiders it can command. It can use this ability 14/day
Energy Drain (Su) Liselie drains energy from a mortal she lures into an act of passion, such as a kiss. An unwilling victim must be grappled before the succubus can use this ability. Liselie's kiss bestows one negative level. The kiss also has the effect of a suggestion spell, asking the victim to accept another act of passion from the succubus. The victim must succeed on a DC 25 Will save to negate the suggestion. The DC is 25 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. These save DCs are Charisma-based.
Maddening Smite (Su):Once per day Liselie can summon the power of evil to smite a foe of good alignment. To use fiendish smite Leslie makes a normal melee attack to deal +8 points of damage against a good foe. In addition they must make a successful Will save (DC 25) or become insane (as the spell insanity).
Object of Worship (Su) Liselie has accumulated enough divine energy from her cult’s followers to take the first step to deification She can grant clerical spells to her priests the maximum spell level her clerics may cast is 4th level. Furthermore her clerics have access to the Charm, Chaos and Evil domains
Profane Gift (Su) Once per day as a full-round action, Leslie may grant a profane gift to a willing humanoid creature by touching it for 1 full round. The target gains a +2 profane bonus to an ability score of his choice. A single creature may have no more than one profane gift from a succubus at a time. As long as the profane gift persists, the succubus can communicate telepathically with the target across any distance (and may use her suggestion spell-like ability through it). A profane gift is removed by dispel evil or dispel chaos. Leslie can remove it as well as a free action (causing 2d6 Charisma drain to the victim, no save).
Blackdyrge’s Templates: Elder FiendCopyright 2007 Aeryn Rudel, Blackdirge Publishing. All rights reserved.
Monster’s Handbook Copyright 2002 Fantasy Flight Games. All rights reserved
By Rite Publishing | February 03, 2010 at 08:08 PM EST | 3 comments
Today we bring you gothic synergy having just released our newest product Restless Souls, we now bring you a few vessals of malevolent malediction.
Curses!
Curses and cursed items are a common part of horror movies and literature. Many a protagonist has succumbed to the misfortune of being cursed for their actions, inaction or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of my favourite parts of many old school games was the prevalence of cursed items particular within the BECMI series of adventures. Below is a few new cursed items with which to vex your Pathfinder Roleplaying Game players.
RING OF ENERGY ATTRACTION
Aura faint (minor) or moderate (major or greater) abjuration; CL 3rd (minor), 7th (major) or 11th (greater)
Slot ring; Weight –
[Description]
This ring appears to be a magical ring of energy resistance except that in addition to providing resistance to one energy type it provides a -5 penalty to all saving throws against the five energy types.
[Creation]
Magic Itemsring of energy protection
RING OF VAMPIRIC REGENERATION
Aura strong conjuration; CL 15th
Slot ring; Weight –
[Description]
This ring appears to be a magical ring of regeneration except that it carries an additional curse. On any day that the ring heals the character more than ¼ his maximum hit points he will undergo a startling transformation. Two hours after going to sleep, the character temporarily rises as a vampire. The character has no control or memories of his actions as a vampire, but this evil creature will need drink blood to replace the hit points healed by the ring’s magical curse.
[Creation]
Magic Itemsring of regeneration
MOONSTONE AMULET
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 10th
Slot neck; Weight ½ lb.
[Description]
This amulet grants you +2 bonus to Strength, Constitution and Wisdom and appears to be an divine amulet of the moon’s grace. However this amulet, carries with it a powerful curse. Any who wear the amulet for a full lunar cycle find themselves afflicted with werewolf lycanthropy as detailed in the Pathfinder Bestiary. This curse can be removed with a remove curse spell but if the curse is removed so is the benefit granted by the amulet. While in hybrid or animal form, the character has no control or memory of his actions and is driven by bestial chaotic evil impulses.
You see a massive muscular humanoid well over 12 feet tall, He wears massive, gleaming spiked plate armor, carrying a huge dire axe with four fingered hands, its helm’s has a permanent visor with no slits apparently blinding the creature, though its overly large mouth and pointed teeth are quite visible, the flesh around its mouth is pale white.
Faradian CR8 XP 4,800 CG Large Monstrous Humanoid Init +5, Senses Blindsight 60ft.; Perception +14; Languages common, grynloc
Immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight
Offense Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) Melee Large dire merciful masterwork greataxe +20/+15 melee (2d8+9+1d6) and bite +13 melee (1d8+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Base Atk +9; CMB +21, CMD 27 Special Atk Ensorcel weapon, dazzle, precognitive flashes
Spell-like Abilites: At Will-mage hand; 3/day telekenisis
Tactics
Combat: Faradians are straightforward but intelligent combatants. They attempt to infuse their weapons with magic before they enter combat, and then blast with their dazzle ability before closing for melee. They rarely use telekinesis in a fight, saving it for more practical purposes. If forced into a lethal confrontation by the PCs it fights to the death and shows no mercy. In battle, it can turn savage and do anything to emerge victorious.
Morale: Fearless, the Faradian can see the future in referance to the PCS he knows when to stay and fight and knows when to leave.
Statistics Str 20, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 17, Wis 21, Cha 19
Possessions : Large dire masterwork greataxe, +4 plate armor with armor spikes
Special Abilites
Ensorcel Weapon (Sp): A faradian can, once per day, grant its weapon a single +1 or +2 magical weapon quality of its choice (currently Merciful) for up to 10 rounds. Doing so is a standard action.
Dazzle (Su): 3/day the faradian can create a brilliant flash of multiple lights in a 10-foot radius burst daze all creatures in the area effect a succesful Will Save (DC 18) negates this effect.Faradin are immune to this effect.
Precognitive Flashes (Su): Faradians can see into the future, but they have no control over what they see. What they see is always bad, though not necessarily about them personally. In a given encounter, there is a 25 percent chance that the faradian has seen something ahead of time that pertained to the encounter. In such a case, they gain a +4 insight bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, checks, and Armor Class. They might also (at the DM’s discretion) know an opponent’s weakness, likely tactics, or some other vital bit of information ahead of time. For all encounters with PCs the percentage increases to 100% and is included in the stat block above.
FARADIAN LORE
Characters with Delve the Collective Memory, and Knowledge (dangerous beasts or history), can learn more about faradian. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
DC Result
DC 18: This monstrous huminoid is a Faradian living by their own strange code, the faradians are as enigmatic as they are fearsome. These towering warriors are as likely to murder a seemingly innocent person as they are to help someone in distress.
DC 23: The faradians are not what they once were. Long ago they served as allies and friends of the Adamantine Resistance of days past. As such, they were also close companions of the grynlocs . Former farmers and hearders trained by the mages of the Adamantine Resistance to be elite faithful bodyguards with a few sorcerous tricks enchanting weapons, dazzle, and telekinesis. Their special connection to the akashic memory, ensured that, all other faradians would share their knowledge, as would their future generations. When the Dark Emperor conqured the Questhaven he tortured the Faradian but could not break them. Finally, he cursed the faradians with flashes of the future, but only terrible aspects of what could be.
DC 28: Their assistance helps others alter or avoid the terrible events still to come. This knowledge sometimes calls for strange—even violent or evil—acts, from a nonfaradian perspective, but they do not care, and they never explain themselves. Thus, today faradians enjoy a sinister and fearsome reputation. Though few in number, those who remain appear immortal and ageless.
Think Oriental Adventuring is all about accepting your place on The Great Wheel?
Think again!
Heroes of the Jade Oath takes the choices and flexibility of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved and adds an immersive, fully researched, and instantly playable Oriental background.
So kick karma in the butt and choose your own destiny with Lands of the Jade Oath—the largest setting for Arcana Evolved ever published.
Heroes of the Jade Oath includes:
Detailed information on the new setting Lands of the Jade Oath
New marvelous player races like Bakemono, Mandragoran, Qahngol, Shenxue, and Yueren elves and 11 other variants
Evocative new character classes like Demon Hunter, Enlightened Scholar, Kensai, Kusa, 7 different Monks, 6 new totem warriors, 4 new witch types, and two new champion causes
The new Fung Shui skill and 42 pages of feats including two new feat types Ch’I and Unbound feats
Optional Rules for Cinematic Combat, New Combat Rites, Zodiac Signs, Oaths of Power and Villain points
Spellcaster options for Sutra Casters, New Spell Templates, and Ch’I
A Huge selection of weapons, armor, and alchemic items from the Far East
...and much, much more
Requires the use of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved
338 pages
The hardcover has a black-and-white interior. The PDF edition is full color. The PDF will automatically be updated to the final (Omega) version when it is released at no additional cost.
Author: Frank Carr Artists: Claudia Burgos, Jason Rainville, Wayne Anthony Reynolds, Jonathan Roberts, Hugo Solis, Kurt A. Taylor, Jeff Ward, Amanda Webb Editor: Bill Collins
This product was created as part of the Heroes of the Jade Oath patronage project.
This special preorder bundle works a bit differently than most products here at paizo.com. At checkout, you will immediately be charged the full bundle price, and you will immediately be given access to the Beta PDF. When the finished PDF edition becomes available, you will automatically gain access to that edition. When the final print edition becomes available and is shipped to you, you will be charged the shipping fee.
Order cancellations for this item can only be refunded with store credit.
