me wrote:
So far it looks interesting.
As for turn resistance, I would say that maybe only Portynx should have it- being linked to the tree of life is what makes him more resistant then others with the same template.
I had thought that you were going to add some psi-like abilities to the template?
Yeah, but I was thinking of giving Portynx those special powers for his long-term use of psychoactive drugs. I don't know if I'm going to give the template more psionic powers, yet.
Noted for turn resistance.
Any plans on elaborating as to how one becomes a backlash spirit other than Portynx story?
Yes I will, but I haven't had the time yet.
Some psi-like abilities would be nice too.
Looking good so far though. Glad someone was able to build something off of my backlash idea for the defiled, hehe.
Yeah, but I was thinking of giving Portynx those special powers for his long-term use of psychoactive drugs. I don't know if I'm going to give the template more psionic powers, yet.
I like the idea that it may have occured to his using some kind of psi-drug, maybe he had a really rare wild talent and was a frequent user of esperweed to enhance his powers effect. He could have taken a huge dose of the drug before the battle that he was killed in. The drug and the shock of death could have further opened his psi-abilities.
I like this route better then just freely giving psi-abilities as it makes Portynx more unique and interesting then the 'normal' creatures with this template.
Still, I'm not done and may yet decide otherwise. And Pennarin has offered to help so in the end, it should work out.
BACKLASH SPIRIT
For unknown reasons, sometimes a defiler killed by the backlash damage of a defiled plant creature rises as a spirit wielding the backlash energies as its own. After their painful deaths these defilers soon rise to an insubstantial mockery of their former lives, eternally dependent upon draining the life energy of living beings to sustain their undead state.
When temporarily corporeal, a backlash spirit appears emaciated, starved even. A spirit’s mouth enlarges, its pale skin stretched over hypertrophied jaws that give it too broad a grin and too many teeth for its race, which it uses to feed on the living. When incorporeal, a faintly glowing, prismatic haze outlines its body.
Backlash spirits are prone to short lives of insanity culminating with destruction at the end of a period of starvation. Few are those that can fend off the starvation and hold together their mind in their cursed, despondent undead state.
SAMPLE BACKLASH SPIRIT
This example uses a 12th-level human defiler as the base creature.
Portynx
Human Backlash Spirit, 12th-Level Wizard (Defiler)
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid, Incorporeal, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 12d12 (95 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+3 deflection, +2 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 13; or (corporeal) 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/— (+6 corporeal)
Attack: Incorporeal touch +6 melee (1d6); or (corporeal) bite +7 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Full Attack: 2 incorporeal touches +6 melee (1d6) ; or (corporeal) bite +7 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Space/Reach: 5ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Backlash bite, cursed flesh, psi-like abilities, spells
Special Qualities: Bound to area, darkvision 60 ft., enduring focus, fast healing, immunity to rebuking, relentless hunger, Shadow
Tree’s bond, temporary corporeality, turning backlash, undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9
Abilities: Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +17, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +9, Hide +11, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (local) +7, Listen +8, Literacy
(Common), Move Silently +8, Search +11, Spellcraft +16
Feats: Eschew Materials, Fast Raze, Point Blank Shot, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Stealthy, Still Spell, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon
Focus (touch spells)
Environment: Vicinity of the Shadow Tree
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 12+
Treasure: None
Alignment: Lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +x
From the tree emerges a bald, emaciated humanoid dressed in ancient black robes, his chest crossed by a sache adorned with an array of leather pouches. A prismatic haze, often bright green, often gold-tinted, surrounds his cadaveric frame as if he were about to burst with energy. Behind his dust goggles, you can feel his cold stare sizing you up. A grin showing far too many teeth for a human suddenly lights up his pale face.
Combat
Portynx tends to remain incorporeal so that he can stay hidden just below the surface of plants or ground. He prefers to use magic or psionics over his undead abilities, usually mixing a spell like mind fog with several uses of the psi-like ability psionic suggestion to dether foes or create allies for himself. Portynx usually chooses to stay hidden in the Shadow Tree during encounters due to the tree’s strong tie to the Gray concealing his own aura of undeath from the detect undead spell. When confronted with powerful foes, Portynx uses ragestorm over foes immobilized by solid fog, and finishes off any foe still standing with enervation. Portynx’s abilities include an additional special attack (psi-like abilities), special quality (enduring focus), and weakness (bound to area) from Chapter 3: Special Attacks, Qualities and Weaknesses of Terrors of the Dead Lands.
Backlash Bite (Su): Being bitten by a backlash spirit is having its life energy consumed. Living creatures bitten by Portynx take 1d6 points of negative energy damage, while Portynx gains temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt. This ability has no effect on undead creatures.
Bound to Area (Su): King’s Ages of occupying the Shadow Tree have caused Portynx to become addicted to the mixture of life and undead energies found in the tree, rendering him unable to leave the Shadow Tree without weakening his connection to the Gray. Each day he does not occupy the same square as the tree, he gains a negative level. When his negative levels equal his HD, he is destroyed. If he returns, he recovers 1 negative level per day.
Cursed Flesh (Su): The very flesh of a backlash spirit is cursed by the defiling magic that sealed its death. Damage dealt by Portynx’s bite attack cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a remove curse spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). Negative energy damage Portynx inflicts through his bite attack heals normally.
Enduring Focus (Su): Portynx’s life force is tied to the Shadow Tree. As long as that creature still lives, Portynx cannot be permanently killed; he reforms 1d100 days after his apparent death. Killing Portynx in the Gray prevents him from returning from destruction.
Fast Healing (Ex): The negative energy the backlash spirit channels grants it fast healing of 1.
Immunity to Rebuking (Ex): The negative energy that the backlash spirit channels prevents it from being rebuked or controlled by clerics. However, Portynx can be turned or destroyed.
Psi-Like Abilities: At will— false sensory input (three targets*, DC 17), psionic suggestion (four targets*, DC 16), read thoughts (DC 16), telempathic projection. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
* Includes augmentation for Portynx’s manifester level.
Relentless Hunger (Ex): The Gray, the source of the negative energy the backlash spirit channels, threatens to draw the spirit into its fogy depths. At least once a day, Portynx must use his backlash bite attack (or a creature must trigger his turning backlash ability). Each day he doesn’t inflict negative energy damage, Portynx takes a cumulative - 2 penalty to Charisma. At 0 Charisma, Portynx is drawn into the Gray where he dissolves into oblivion.
Shadow Tree’s Bond (Ex): Portynx and the Shadow Tree developped a close bound through their shared undead energies, allowing Portynx to make use of the bonus divine spells the tree gives as if he were a druid or cleric. Portynx receives only spells he could normally prepare, and the bonus spells last until the next time he prepares spells. Also, whenever Portynx occupies the same square as the Shadow Tree for at least an hour, he satisfies the daily requirements of his relentless hunger. This ability is unique to Portynx.
Temporary Corporeality (Su): Portynx can become corporeal as a standard action, seemingly becoming flesh and blood. In corporeal form, it loses the incorporeal subtype, its deflection bonus to armor class becomes a natural armor bonus, and it has a Strength score of 10. A corporeal backlash spirit makes a bite attack (damage 1d6). It can grapple creatures and manipulate objects. The undead can become incorporeal again as a standard action.
In the Gray, backlash spirits are forced into corporeal form; they cannot exist there in incorporeal form.
Turning Backlash (Ex): A creature attempting to turn Portynx is dealt 3d6 points of negative energy damage, with Portynx gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt.
Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (caster level 10th): 0 ― acid splash (+9 ranged touch), detect magic, ghost sounds, touch of fatigue (+9 melee touch, DC 13); 1st ― magic missile, protection from good, silent image, shield, ray of enfeeblement (+9 ranged touch); 2nd ― acid arrow (+9 ranged touch), blindness/deafness (DC 15), death mark (DC 15), scare (DC 15), summon swarm; 3rd ― deep slumber (DC 16), hold person (DC 16), ray of exhaustion (+9 ranged touch, DC 16), zombie berry; 4th ― enervation (+9 ranged touch) (2), hallucinatory terrain (DC 17), solid fog; 5th ― dominate person (DC 18), ragestorm (DC 18), mind fog (DC 18); 6th ― geast/quest, mage’s lucubration.
Possessions: bone dagger, tattered dark robes, leather pouches on sache, protective goggles, spellbook (scrolls).
Personality
King’s Ages of occupation of the Shadow Tree by the undead Portynx have turned it into a gray touched tree of life, rendering its energies ever more enticing to Portynx but more importantly allowing him to feed on the tree on a continuous basis. Now thoroughly addicted to the Shadow Tree’s energies, only Portynx’s ambition forces him to periodically leave it to work his influence over the living. Due to his addiction to the Shadow Tree, Portynx attempts to run most of his activities from the confines of the tree ― using Aukash-Pad as his proxy ―, only leaving to accomplish those tasks that he cannot compel Aukash-Pad to do less it would break the charade he carefully constructed.
CREATING A BACKLASH SPIRIT
“Backlash spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature must be a defiler who died from the backlash damage of a defiled plant creature. A backlash spirit uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. The creature gains the augmented and incorporeal subtypes. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: All current and future Hit Dice become d12s.
Speed: Backlash spirits have a fly speed of 30 feet, unless the base creature has a higher fly speed, with perfect maneuverability.
AC: The backlash spirit gains a deflection bonus to its AC equal to +1 or its Charisma modifier, whichever is greater. It loses its natural armor bonus.
Attack: A backlash spirit makes an incorporeal touch attack, or makes a bite attack or uses a weapon when temporarily corporeal (see below).
Full Attack: A backlash spirit makes an incorporeal touch attack, or makes a bite attack or uses a weapon when temporarily corporeal (see below).
Damage: With either their incorporeal touch attack, or their bite attack when corporeal, backlash spirits deal damage based on their size:
Size Damage
Fine 1
Diminutive 1d2
Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantuan 2d8
Colossal 4d6
Special Attacks: A backlash spirit retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below.
Backlash Bite (Su): Being bitten by a backlash spirit is having its life energy consumed. Living creatures bitten by the spirit take 1d6 points of negative energy damage, with the backlash spirit gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt. This ability has no effect on undead creatures.
Cursed Flesh (Su): The very flesh of a backlash spirit is cursed by the defiling magic that sealed its death. While corporeal, the base damage dealt by its natural attacks cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a remove curse spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). Negative energy damage it inflicts through its bite attack heals normally.
Special Qualities: A backlash spirit retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Relentless Hunger (Ex): The Gray, the source of the negative energy the backlash spirit channels, threatens to draw the spirit into its fogy depths. At least once a day, the backlash spirit must use its backlash bite attack (or a creature must trigger its turning backlash ability). Each day it doesn’t inflict negative energy damage, the backlash spirit takes a cumulative - 2 penalty to Charisma. At 0 Charisma, the backlash spirit is drawn into the Gray where it dissolves into oblivion.
Fast Healing (Ex): The negative energy the backlash spirit channels grants it fast healing of 1.
Immunity to Rebuking (Ex): The negative energy that the backlash spirit channels prevents it from being rebuked or controlled by clerics. However, a backlash spirit can be turned or destroyed.
Temporary Corporeality (Su): A backlash spirit can become corporeal as a standard action, seemingly becoming flesh and blood. In corporeal form, it loses the incorporeal subtype, its deflection bonus to armor class becomes a natural armor bonus, and it has a Strength score (which varies by undead type). A corporeal backlash spirit makes a bite attack instead of an incorporeal touch attack, using the same damage as its touch attack (adjusted by its Strength), and it can still use special attacks, except for heart grip. It can grapple creatures and manipulate objects. A backlash spirit can become incorporeal again as a standard action.
In the Gray, backlash spirits are forced into corporeal form; they cannot exist there in incorporeal form.
Turning Backlash (Ex): A creature attempting to turn a backlash spirit is dealt 3d6 points of negative energy damage, with the backlash spirit gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Cha +4. Being undead, a backlash spirit has no Constitution score. An incorporeal backlash spirit has no Strength score, but when corporeal it has the base creature’s Strength.
Skills: A backlash spirit receives a +6 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Search checks.
Climate/Terrain: Any.
Organization: Solitary.
Challenge Rating: Same as character +x.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +x.
For unknown reasons, sometimes a defiler killed by the backlash damage of a defiled plant creature rises as a spirit wielding the backlash energies as its own.
What exactly is "backlash damage"? I'm not familiar with it.
What exactly is "backlash damage"? I'm not familiar with it.
It should be in ToA under the Defiled template.
It should be in ToA under the Defiled template.
Bingo. Thanks
Looking at the entry Peacebringer posted, what's left to do for Portynx is write his complete personality/history, and calculate the LA and CR adjustments of the template.
Right and that should be done shortly.
Suggestions are welcomed... here goes:
“Greetings grandson. I’ve called you here to relate to you a sad story which could serve to protect you in the future. As a patrician of the high court of Andropinnis, I may not have eyes, ears or mouth, but my mind has touched this poor soul that wanders in our streets.
She was a young preserver of no more than fourteen low suns; only in her beginnings. Taught to not use her magic in public under any circumstances, for she was to be accepted amidst the veiled ones and this was to be her test.
One fateful night after a silt storm had calmed to nothing but silt eddies on the ground, the girl was sent on some errand of her master. She was approached by three men with evil desires and bone daggers in their hands. She thought about using her powers but opted on trying to lose her pursuers in our city’s dark alleys. Unfortunately, the settling silt quickly winded her and was caught up by her assailants. Fear coursing through her body she drew her own dagger only to get it slapped out of her hand.
Seeing through tear-filled eyes that she could never take on the three thugs, she started gathering the energy needed for a spell. Her eyes suddenly flew opened as the men jumped to restrain her from casting. A cold pain had erupted from her hands coursing through her body sapping her strength and energy.
The next thing she remembered was a hunger that pulled at her whole being. She felt teeth growing sharp in her mouth and felt nothing but hate from the men holding her. She jumped on the brute in front of her and bit him in the neck never realizing her limp body had stayed behind. Drinking of his essence, she let the other two leave but found them a little while later, following their tracks in the silt, to finish the cowards off.
It took her some time to realize what had happened to her, looking at her own limp body in the grey powder by the moons’ light. Her anger at the men who did this to her was such that to this day, she hunts all men in the streets of Balic to destroys them.
I have probably survived this night because I am a woman for there is much hate towards males in the mind I have touched and so do be careful when you wander the streets at night, grandson, for I would be greatly saddened by your loss.”
It could use some touching up- but I am not one to point too loudly at others writing and criticize.
Good job and I look forward to seeing the finished backlash template.
Although the mechanism that sets off backlash damage is limited to defiling, so for the young preserver lady to set off the damage she must A) try to cast her spell, like you have her do, and B) be so desperate and inexperienced that she pulls too much and defiles.
One thing I'd like to ask Kamelion: Many undead in TotDL have Temporary Corporeality, the dhaot included, yet IIUC their spirit leaves their corpse behind, and its that spirit that can take temporary solid form. The sample dhaot is even described as having a pile of bones resting in the place she died. If a backlash spirit possessed powerful magic items, could he turn corporeal and snatch those items back from his corpse?
It is indeed very cool!
Although the mechanism that sets off backlash damage is limited to defiling, so for the young preserver lady to set off the damage she must A) try to cast her spell, like you have her do, and B) be so desperate and inexperienced that she pulls too much and defiles.
In that case, I'll make her desperate and have her defile in her panic, hence being accidental. Still, could she stick to preserving in unlife, considering she probably had it rammed in her brain by her mentor and so being just the way she casts spells? The reason I ask is to know if the template should be for defilers only or if the occasional preserver could acquire it.
One thing I'd like to ask Kamelion: Many undead in TotDL have Temporary Corporeality, the dhaot included, yet IIUC their spirit leaves their corpse behind, and its that spirit that can take temporary solid form. The sample dhaot is even described as having a pile of bones resting in the place she died. If a backlash spirit possessed powerful magic items, could he turn corporeal and snatch those items back from his corpse?
Yeah, I wondered about that and based the story on the dhaot's bones too.
Thanks guys.
In that case, I'll make her desperate and have her defile in her panic, hence being accidental. Still, could she stick to preserving in unlife, considering she probably had it rammed in her brain by her mentor and so being just the way she casts spells? The reason I ask is to know if the template should be for defilers only or if the occasional preserver could acquire it.
Yeah, why not. The template is set up in a way that lets it happen, and even the Cursed Flesh ability can be born of a one-time use of defiling if that one-time use is what got you undeadisized.
undeadisized.
Really- it that the best you could do. I expected more from you Pennarin
;)Really- it that the best you could do. I expected more from you Pennarin
Its my own adaptation of Borgisized :P
One thing I'd like to ask Kamelion: Many undead in TotDL have Temporary Corporeality, the dhaot included, yet IIUC their spirit leaves their corpse behind, and its that spirit that can take temporary solid form. The sample dhaot is even described as having a pile of bones resting in the place she died. If a backlash spirit possessed powerful magic items, could he turn corporeal and snatch those items back from his corpse?
Sure, I see no reason to prevent a creature from using its temporary corporeality to grab items, either its own or any others.
(Sorry for not replying sooner - I just got back from vacation
...)Sure, I see no reason to prevent a creature from using its temporary corporeality to grab items, either its own or any others.
(Sorry for not replying sooner - I just got back from vacation
Cool.
I'd suggest making sure all references in TotDL about undead with temporary incorporeality do not mention stuff like "the incorporeal spirit appears with the clothes it had while alive". It would be kinda weird for an incorporeal guy appear to wear a robe, then an actual live shirt while corporeal...
IMO an undead with temporary incorporeality should become naked when it rises as an undead. If it wants to be clothed, or equiped, it becomes corporeal and grabs stuff.
What do you think?
Cool.
I'd suggest making sure all references in TotDL about undead with temporary incorporeality do not mention stuff like "the incorporeal spirit appears with the clothes it had while alive". It would be kinda weird for an incorporeal guy appear to wear a robe, then an actual live shirt while corporeal...
IMO an undead with temporary incorporeality should become naked when it rises as an undead. If it wants to be clothed, or equiped, it becomes corporeal and grabs stuff.
What do you think?
I'm not aware of any references like that in TotDL (although I might be overlooking something). However, my personal take on incorporeal undead is that they can appear to be wearing the clothes that they had in life due to a kind of "soul memory". The creature's spirit appears to be clothed due to its own memories of life, even though such clothing is just so much incorporeal ectoplasm. An incorporeal undead that becomes corporeal would retain this ectoplasmic gear, although it would gain a measure of solidity. Note that an incorporeal undead that uses temporary corporeality only seemingly becomes flesh and blood. Although it isn't explicitly stated in the rules, I would say that this implies that its ectoplasm (or whatever you want to call the spirit-stuff of which it is made) becomes solid. It doesn't actually change into flesh and blood (or clothes or whatever), but takes on a certain solidity that renders it corporeal.
A creature that used temporary corporeality to become corporeal could, I suppose, wear clothing that differs from its own base appearance. I wouldn't make a huge deal out of this in-game and would have the new corporeal gear over-ride the incorporeal appearance.
Considering your vision of things, I would say a magic item that becomes ectoplasm returns to being an actual magic item upon the death of the undead: a bit like Obi-Wan's robe and saber staying behind at the moment of his death in SW I.
Syssithia the Martyr
Female human Backlash Spirit 3rd-Level Wizard (preserver)
Medium Undead (Augmented humanoid, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 3d12 (24 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/— (+1 corporeal)
Attack: Incorporeal touch +1 melee (1d6); or (corporeal) bite +1 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +1 melee (1d6); or (corporeal) bite +1 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Backlash bite, cursed flesh, spells
Special Qualities: Bound to area, code of honor, darkvision 60 ft., enduring focus, fast healing, immunity to rebuking, reform, relentless hunger, temporary corporeality, turning backlash, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 14, Con —, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +7, Disguise +11, Hide +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Listen +6, Search +8, Spellcraft +9
Feats: Improved initiative, Iron will, Scribe scroll, Spell focus [enchantment]
Environment: Balic
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
In front of you stands a beautiful young maiden in silt-colored robes. Her long dark hair and her full blood red lips make a sensual contrast on her pale skin. She smiles at you, signals you to follow her and disappears in a nearby alley. Without second thoughts, you follow her tracks in the silt and as you turn around the corner you are greeted by a smile-her smile- full of teeth that sink deep in your flesh.
Combat
Syssithia doesn’t see killing men as a game and will not toy with them; she kills them as one doing her job. She does take a slight pleasure when her victims realize they’re doomed as she attacks. She will use Disguise self to make herself more attractive or use Charm person to lure men in a dark ally where she will either try to paralyse him with the [insert DS paralysing undead name] touch spell. When the victim is rendered helpless, she will attempt to use a Coup the grace with her bite attack, making sure the victim knows what is about to happen to it. On nights when the silt is thick in the streets, she will also use her ray of enfeeblement to weaken her catch and use scare to make him panic and flee towards a dead end as she has as a victim where she will bring him down physically. If threatened, she doesn’t feel dishonor in fleeing the area. Syssithia’s abilities include an additional special quality (reform), and two weaknesses (bound to area, code of honor) from Chapter 3: Special Attacks, Qualities and Weaknesses of Terrors of the Dead Lands.
Backlash Bite (Su): Being bitten by a backlash spirit is having its life energy consumed. Living creatures bitten by Syssithia take 1d6 points of negative energy damage, while Syssithia gains temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt. This ability has no effect on undead creatures.
Bound to Area (Su): Syssithia was born and died in the streets of Balic and has never seen anything beyond either the walls of the city or its silty harbour. As an undead spirit, she is now bound by the city’s limits.
Code of Honor (Ex): Syssithia has a vengeful view towards all men for what she believes all men are. Women, on the other hand are all potential victims of men to her and must be protected at all cost. She will never hurt a woman no matter what, even in self-defence. She will also come to the aid of all women that are physically threatened by men.
Cursed Flesh (Su): The very flesh of a backlash spirit is cursed by the defiling magic that sealed its death. Damage dealt by Syssithia’s bite attack cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a remove curse spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). Negative energy damage Syssithia inflicts through his bite attack heals normally.
Fast Healing (Ex): The negative energy the backlash spirit channels grants it fast healing of 1.
Immunity to Rebuking (Ex): The negative energy that the backlash spirit channels prevents it from being rebuked or controlled by clerics. However, Syssithia can be turned or destroyed.
Reform (Su): The only way Syssithia may be destroyed is by loss of Charisma or by the hand of a fellow woman. Otherwise, she reforms in 1d20 days.
Relentless Hunger (Ex): The Gray, the source of the negative energy the backlash spirit channels, threatens to draw the spirit into its fogy depths. At least once a day, Syssithia must use her backlash bite attack (or a creature must trigger his turning backlash ability). Each day he doesn’t inflict negative energy damage, Syssithia takes a cumulative - 2 penalty to Charisma. At 0 Charisma, Syssithia is drawn into the Gray where he dissolves into oblivion.
Temporary Corporeality (Su): Syssithia can become corporeal as a standard action, seemingly becoming flesh and blood.
In corporeal form, the backlash spirit loses the incorporeal subtype, its deflection bonus to armor class becomes a natural armor bonus, and it has a Strength score of 10. A corporeal backlash spirit makes a bite attack (damage 1d6). It can grapple creatures and manipulate objects. The undead can become incorporeal again as a standard action.
In the Gray, backlash spirits are forced into corporeal form; they cannot exist there in incorporeal form.
Turning Backlash (Ex): A creature attempting to turn Syssithia is dealt 3d6 points of negative energy damage, with Syssithia gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt.
Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (caster level 3rd): 0 ― acid splash, detect magic, ghost sounds, touch of fatigue; 1st ― charm person (DC14) ,disguise self, ray of enfeeblement; 2nd ― [insert DS paralysing undead name] touch, scare;
Possessions: obsidian dagger, hooded silt-colored robe, spellbook (scrolls).
Thanks (and sorry if it took so long, life got in the way :D )
Guthay’s pale golden light reflected on silt covered streets after the storm. A lone cloaked figure stood waiting in an alley near Balic’s Agora with a furiously beating heart. She was waiting for a nice man which she had met three days ago at.
The rough looking young man who brought the weeks rations of the finest inix meats had told her to meet him here on this night. Seventeen high suns young, Syssithia had fallen completely enamoured for the deliveryman and thought that this was what it was to be courted. She had felt her heart sink when the wind had started blowing the sea’s grey powder into the city but it had died down in the last hour or so.
Syssithia was usually not troublesome so leaving her house and her bodyguards’ attention hadn’t been much of a problem. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about disobeying Mother but she couldn’t be right about all men. Syssithia was the child of a raping father and so, her mother, a rich heiress of the small but very profitable merchant house of her deceased grandfather, Deismus, had brought her up to believe men were all lying, cheating and raping aprigs. As such, all her servants and guards were female. When a mentor was found to teach her the ways of preserving for her protection, he was tossed aside for being male. It took another two high suns and much stealth and ceramics to find her a female teacher. Now, Syssithia thought she was a practiced apprentice ready to face the world and its perils.
“Ahh, you have come!” said a masculine voice in the dark behind her, wrenching her from her reveries and setting her already speeding heart three beats faster. She turned to see an emerging grin from the shadows.
“I was afraid the storm would have scared a little girl like you.” From this came the laugh of two more individuals behind the first.
Fear and deception griped her heart: Mother had been right. At that thought, something seemed to invade her mind, something to make her confused. Dizziness overcame her and she fell to her knees as her will seemed to flow out of her body like blood from a bleeding wound. The young traitor started walking toward her still grinning. She realized the invasion was coming from the Way and even though she felt panicked she started gathering energy for a spell. Stopping before killing plant life had always been difficult for her in stressful situations but she managed and as the thug reached down to grab her, she threw a light spell in his face to blind him and his follows. Catching him off guard while he was covering his eyes with his arms, Syssithia pushed her deceiver away and started running home.
But where was home? She didn’t know. It seemed as if her mind was not her own. She ran but didn’t know where to. The streets were still empty from the storm so no one saw the young woman turn in the blind alley. No one but her pursuers who cornered her there.
Syssithia hit the dark wall with such force that it knocked her down but that actually helped her clear her head and find a growing hatred. She got up and started gathering energy as the trio of liars and cheaters rounded the corner. Unbeknownst to her, the dead end alley where she was standing had been defiled and a small innocuous plant had survived the defiler’s attack. She pulled a green shimmering energy from further up the alley but in her newfound rage for men, she didn’t stop pulling and the plants started dying. The men rushed her realizing what she was doing and as they tackled her, a grey dead grey energy shot from the ground to her hand like lightning, opening her eyes in surprise. Syssithia screamed a silent scream as she fell unresisting from the force of the tackle.
Seconds later, one man was fleeing as she killed her first by biting the young thug’s main neck artery and ripping it out and her second by enchanting him and then sucking out his life energy. Following the tracks in the silt covered streets, she quickly found the third and pursued the frightened accomplice to the piers where she forced him off into the sea.
Not quite understanding what happened and figuring it probably had something to do with the Way, Syssithia went back to the alley. She wondered if it had been a dream. Maybe she was dreaming still for she seemed to float in a grey haze as she retraced her steps. When she got back, she realized it hadn’t been a dream for the two mutilated bodies she had slain were still there. Worst still though, was the fact that a third body-her body- was lying a few passes away, dead and still with no apparent marks or wounds.
Syssithia realized at that moment what she had become, not from knowledge but from emotion and as she screamed her rage to Ral and Guthay, she swore that they would pay for this; men would definitely pay…
Hmm, gotta first say that I'm glad I checked back in on this thread. Some really cool stuff goin' down. However, I do have to say that I like your first story for the preserver girl A LOT better. It just seems to me that you tried too hard with the second approach. But hey, keep up the good work.
Thanks.
So how could I improve on the first or second story then. What's missing?
And for the CR of the template, wouldn't a simple +2 be enough?
I would have to say that I liked the first story a bit better then the last too. I think your may have been trying too hard on the second go at it. All of the background is great but better suited for a longer piece- all of the references and semi intoductions of other characters get people thinking about the other characters instead of the character of the story you are telling- and since the story ended (unles you plan on expanding it), you have left all of these partial characters laying around cluttering up the story you wanted to tell.
I am no pro or anything- this is just my take on it bro. Keep up the good work! ;)
Good story PB
I would have to say that I liked the first story a bit better then the last too. I think your may have been trying too hard on the second go at it. All of the background is great but better suited for a longer piece- all of the references and semi intoductions of other characters get people thinking about the other characters instead of the character of the story you are telling- and since the story ended (unles you plan on expanding it), you have left all of these partial characters laying around cluttering up the story you wanted to tell.
I am no pro or anything- this is just my take on it bro. Keep up the good work! ;)
Really appreciate it, Kal.
I am probably going to stick to the first one and will shorten the second as a simple background explanation for the character.
Thanks.
Really appreciate it, Kal.
I am probably going to stick to the first one and will shorten the second as a simple background explanation for the character.
Thanks.
Cool- Are you going to post an updated version or just edit the old post with the modified story?
Cool- Are you going to post an updated version or just edit the old post with the modified story?
I'm going to post n updated version.
For unknown reasons, sometimes a defiler killed by the backlash damage of a defiled plant creature rises as a spirit wielding the backlash energies as its own. After their painful deaths these defilers soon rise to an insubstantial mockery of their former lives, eternally dependent upon draining the life energy of living beings to sustain their undead state.
When temporarily corporeal, a backlash spirit appears emaciated, starved even. A spirit’s mouth enlarges, its pale skin stretched over hypertrophied jaws that give it too broad a grin and too many teeth for its race, which it uses to feed on the living. When incorporeal, a faintly glowing, prismatic haze outlines its body.
Backlash spirits are prone to short lives of insanity culminating with destruction at the end of a period of starvation. Few are those that can fend off the starvation and hold together their mind in their cursed, despondent undead state.
CREATING A BACKLASH SPIRIT
“Backlash spirit” is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature must be a defiler who died from the backlash damage of a defiled plant creature. A backlash spirit uses all of the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. The creature gains the augmented and incorporeal subtypes. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: All current and future Hit Dice become d12s.
Speed: Backlash spirits have a fly speed of 30 feet, unless the base creature has a higher fly speed, with perfect maneuverability.
AC: The backlash spirit gains a deflection bonus to its AC equal to +1 or its Charisma modifier, whichever is greater. It loses its natural armor bonus.
Attack: A backlash spirit makes an incorporeal touch attack, or makes a bite attack or uses a weapon when temporarily corporeal (see below).
Full Attack: A backlash spirit makes an incorporeal touch attack, or makes a bite attack or uses a weapon when temporarily corporeal (see below).
Damage: With either their incorporeal touch attack, or their bite attack when corporeal, backlash spirits deal damage based on their size:
Size Damage
Fine 1
Diminutiv 1d2
Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantu 2d8
Colossal 4d6
Special Attacks: A backlash spirit retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below.
Backlash Bite (Su): Being bitten by a backlash spirit is having its life energy consumed. Living creatures bitten by the spirit take 1d6 points of negative energy damage, with the backlash spirit gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt. This ability has no effect on undead creatures.
Cursed Flesh (Su): The very flesh of a backlash spirit is cursed by the defiling magic that sealed its death. While corporeal, the base damage dealt by its natural attacks cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a remove curse spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). Negative energy damage it inflicts through its bite attack heals normally.
Special Qualities: A backlash spirit retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Relentless Hunger (Ex): The Gray, the source of the negative energy the backlash spirit channels, threatens to draw the spirit into its fogy depths. At least once a day, the backlash spirit must use its backlash bite attack (or a creature must trigger its turning backlash ability). Each day it doesn’t inflict negative energy damage, the backlash spirit takes a cumulative - 2 penalty to Charisma. At 0 Charisma, the backlash spirit is drawn into the Gray where it dissolves into oblivion.
Fast Healing (Ex): The negative energy the backlash spirit channels grants it fast healing of 1.
Immunity to Rebuking (Ex): The negative energy that the backlash spirit channels prevents it from being rebuked or controlled by clerics. However, a backlash spirit can be turned or destroyed.
Temporary Corporeality (Su): A backlash spirit can become corporeal as a standard action, seemingly becoming flesh and blood. In corporeal form, it loses the incorporeal subtype, its deflection bonus to armor class becomes a natural armor bonus, and it has a Strength score (which varies by undead type). A corporeal backlash spirit makes a bite attack instead of an incorporeal touch attack, using the same damage as its touch attack (adjusted by its Strength), and it can still use special attacks, except for heart grip. It can grapple creatures and manipulate objects. A backlash spirit can become incorporeal again as a standard action.
In the Gray, backlash spirits are forced into corporeal form; they cannot exist there in incorporeal form.
Turning Backlash (Ex): A creature attempting to turn a backlash spirit is dealt 3d6 points of negative energy damage, with the backlash spirit gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Cha +4. Being undead, a backlash spirit has no Constitution score. An incorporeal backlash spirit has no Strength score, but when corporeal it has the base creature’s Strength.
Skills: A backlash spirit receives a +6 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Search checks.
Climate/Terrain: Any.
Organization: Solitary.
Challenge Rating: Same as character +x.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +x.
SAMPLE BACKLASH SPIRIT
This example uses a 3rd-level human preserver as the base creature.
Syssithia the Martyr
Female human Backlash Spirit 3rd-Level Wizard (preserver)
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 3d12 (24 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect)(6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/— (+1 corporeal)
Attack: Incorporeal touch +1 melee (1d6); or (corporeal) bite +1 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +1 melee (1d6); or (corporeal) bite +1 melee (1d6 plus 1d6 negative energy)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Backlash bite, cursed flesh, spells
Special Qualities: Bound to area, code of honor, darkvision 60 ft., enduring focus, fast healing, immunity to rebuking, reform, relentless hunger, temporary corporeality, turning backlash, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 14, Con —, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +11, Concentration +7, Disguise +11, Hide +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Listen +6, Search +8, Spellcraft +9
Feats: Improved initiative, Iron will, Scribe scroll, Spell focus [enchantment]
Environment: Balic
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
In front of you stands a beautiful young maiden in silt-colored robes. Her long dark hair and her full blood red lips make a sensual contrast on her pale skin. She smiles at you, signals you to follow her and disappears in a nearby alley. Without second thoughts, you follow her tracks in the silt and as you turn around the corner you are greeted by a smile-her smile- full of teeth that sink deep in your flesh.
Combat
Syssithia doesn’t see killing men as a game and will not toy with them; she kills them as one doing her job. She does take a slight pleasure when her victims realize they’re doomed as she attacks. She will use Disguise self to make herself more attractive or use Charm person to lure men in a dark ally where she will either try to paralyse him with the [insert DS paralysing undead name] touch spell. When the victim is rendered helpless, she will attempt to use a Coup the grace with her bite attack, making sure the victim knows what is about to happen to it. On nights when the silt is thick in the streets, she will also use her ray of enfeeblement to weaken her catch and use scare to make him panic and flee towards a dead end as she has as a victim where she will bring him down physically. If threatened, she doesn’t feel dishonor in fleeing the area. Syssithia’s abilities include an additional special quality (reform), and two weaknesses (bound to area, code of honor) from Chapter 3: Special Attacks, Qualities and Weaknesses of Terrors of the Dead Lands.
Backlash Bite (Su): Being bitten by a backlash spirit is having its life energy consumed. Living creatures bitten by Syssithia take 1d6 points of negative energy damage, while Syssithia gains temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt. This ability has no effect on undead creatures.
Bound to Area (Su): Syssithia was born and died in the streets of Balic and has never seen anything beyond either the walls of the city or its silty harbour. As an undead spirit, she is now bound by the city’s limits.
Code of Honor (Ex): Syssithia has a vengeful view towards all men for what she believes all men are. Women, on the other hand are all potential victims of men to her and must be protected at all cost. She will never hurt a woman no matter what, even in self-defence. She will also come to the aid of all women that are physically threatened by men.
Cursed Flesh (Su): The very flesh of a backlash spirit is cursed by the defiling magic that sealed its death. Damage dealt by Syssithia’s bite attack cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a remove curse spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). Negative energy damage Portynx inflicts through his bite attack heals normally.
Fast Healing (Ex): The negative energy the backlash spirit channels grants it fast healing of 1.
Immunity to Rebuking (Ex): The negative energy that the backlash spirit channels prevents it from being rebuked or controlled by clerics. However, Syssithia can be turned or destroyed.
Reform (Su): The only way Syssithia may be destroyed is by loss of Charisma or by the hand of a fellow woman. Otherwise, she reforms in 1d20 days.
Relentless Hunger (Ex): The Gray, the source of the negative energy the backlash spirit channels, threatens to draw the spirit into its fogy depths. At least once a day, Syssithia must use her backlash bite attack (or a creature must trigger his turning backlash ability). Each day he doesn’t inflict negative energy damage, Syssithia takes a cumulative - 2 penalty to Charisma. At 0 Charisma, Syssithia is drawn into the Gray where he dissolves into oblivion.
Temporary Corporeality (Su): Syssithia can become corporeal as a standard action, seemingly becoming flesh and blood.
In corporeal form, the backlash spirit loses the incorporeal subtype, its deflection bonus to armor class becomes a natural armor bonus, and it has a Strength score of 10. A corporeal backlash spirit makes a bite attack (damage 1d6). It can grapple creatures and manipulate objects. The undead can become incorporeal again as a standard action.
In the Gray, backlash spirits are forced into corporeal form; they cannot exist there in incorporeal form.
Turning Backlash (Ex): A creature attempting to turn Syssithia is dealt 3d6 points of negative energy damage, with Syssithia gaining temporary hit points equal to the negative energy damage dealt.
Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (caster level 3rd): 0 ― acid splash, detect magic, ghost sounds, touch of fatigue; 1st ― charm person (DC14) ,disguise self, ray of enfeeblement; 2nd ― [insert DS paralysing undead name] touch, scare;
Possessions: obsidian dagger, hooded silt-colored robe, spellbook (scrolls).
Personality
Syssithia was the child of a **** by human thugs. Her mother, the heiress of the small but noticeably wealthy Decimus merchant house in Balic, made all she could to protect her daughter from men. All servants surrounding Syssithia were female as was her mentor. She has grown being suspicious of men and frightened by them. Always surrounded by female bodyguards, her mentor had decided it was time for her to be autonomous with her safety if she were to be accepted in the Veiled Alliance. One fateful night, she was assailed by thugs on one of her assignments, not unlike the night her mother had been raped. She on the other hand had magical power to defend herself, but panicked and unpracticed, she accidentally defiled a patch of undead plant. The backlash attack was enough to unmake her. In her undeath, she couldn’t understand what had happened to her and blamed men like her mother had taught her. Now she tracks lone men at night, entices them with her looks and murders them in dark alleys.
A way to bring rest to this spirit would be to make her believe not all men are evil. A way to do that would be to bring her mother to her and have her say it. No easy feat.
The story
“Greetings grandson. I’ve called you here to relate to you a sad story which could serve to protect you in the future. As a patrician of the high court of Andropinnis, I may not have eyes, ears or mouth, but my mind has touched this poor soul that wanders in our streets.
She was a young preserver of no more than fourteen low suns; only in her beginnings. Taught to not use her magic in public under any circumstances, for she was to be accepted amidst the veiled ones and this was to be her test.
One fateful night after a silt storm had calmed to nothing but silt eddies on the ground, the girl was sent on some errand of her mentor. She was approached by three men with evil desires and bone daggers in their hands. She thought about using her powers but opted on trying to lose her pursuers in our city’s dark alleys. Unfortunately, the settling silt quickly winded her and she was caught up by her assailants. Fear coursing through her body she drew her own dagger only to get it slapped out of her hand.
Seeing through tear-filled eyes that she could never take on the three thugs, she started gathering the energy needed for a spell. Panicked, she pulled too much energy, defiling the surrounding plants. Something happened then that her mind couldn’t explain, even now. A cold grey force assailed her body all at once as if the plants she was defiling retaliated. Her eyes suddenly flew opened as the men jumped to restrain her from casting but all she could see was grey.
The next thing she remembered was a hunger that pulled at her whole being. She felt teeth growing sharp in her mouth and felt nothing but hate from the men holding her. She jumped on the brute in front of her and bit him in the neck never realizing her limp body had stayed behind. Drinking of his essence, she let the other two leave but found them a little while later, following their tracks in the silt, to finish the cowards off.
It took her some time to realize what had happened to her, looking at her own limp body in the grey powder by the moons’ light. Her anger at the men who did this to her was such that to this day, she hunts all men in the streets of Balic to destroys them.
I have probably survived this night because I am a woman for there is much hate towards males in the mind I have touched and it seems to be rooted deeper than the way she died, so do be careful when you wander the streets at night, grandson, for I would be greatly saddened by your loss.”