Suffering Souls
“Alas! how feeble is our faith! If a domestic animal, a little dog, falls into the fire, do you delay to draw it out? And see, your parents, benefactors, persons most dear to you, writhe in the flames of Purgatory, and you do not consider it your urgent duty to relieve them; you delay, you allow long days of suffering to pass for those poor souls, without making an effort to perform those good works which will release them from their pains.”
-Fr. Schouppe, from his book: Purgatory, pp. 238-239, 1893 Imprimatur
Suffering Souls
Medium Outsider (Neutral, Extraplanar, Incorporeal, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d8+3 (24 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11 (+1 for each soul)
Attack: Swipe +5 melee
Full Attack: Swipe and Grapple
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Haunt, soul link
Special Qualities: Incorporeal, strong-willed, immunity to charm and sleep effects
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +7
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 11, Con 3, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +6
Feats: Improved Grapple
Environment: Hell, any haunted locale
Organization: Swarm
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: TN
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None
Haunt (Su): Suffering souls haunt an area, trying to escape their torment on the Nine Planes of Hell. Creatures within a haunted area (usually a 400′ diameter circle) receive -1 penalties to all rolls.
Combat
Suffering souls swarm all who enter their unhallowed grounds. They will attack relentlessly until repelled, at which point they return to Purgatory until they are returned in an unending cycle to their place on the Prime Material Plane to haunt it evermore. The only way to free suffering souls from this torment is to travel to Hell to confront the devil that binds them.
Soul link (Su): When suffering souls make eye contact with a humanoid within 20′ for a full round, they establish a soul link with them. For the duration of the encounter, all damage they experience is also experienced by those whose souls are linked with them. When the encounter ends, the soul link lingers for multiple days, during which time the affected experience the torment of the suffering souls in Hell.
Posted in Creature and tagged planes of hell by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
OwlCon XXIX Recap
It’s not often enough that we’re able to get out of our regularly scheduled lives and game for a few days straight. But it was time!
Last weekend, we attended OwlCon at Rice University, a handsome campus smack in the middle of Houston. Since we could stay at a hotel just a few blocks away, we could walk to the con itself, which this time of the year is brisk but enjoyable.
Adam spent the weekend at the RPGA tables, which were well-run, complete with an organizer taking orders for food, which was then delivered at your table so you could keep gaming. Very enabling of our addictions…
And very well run. Their adventures take part in the Forgotten Realms, which allows players to come in knowing much of the world, helping to paint the scene for easier role playing. I have to admit I don’t know enough about FR, so I’ll need to pick up a book and do some background reading before my next con. That way I’ll know where Aldric is from and where he’s been. Seems like harmless enough homework…
I spent Friday and Sunday at the RPGA tables playing the same adventures, and Saturday I played board games. It’s hard to find the groups to play Advanced Civ and Rail Baron since people are rightfully daunted by these classic Avalon Hill titles and their many complex dynamics. But at my last two cons, I’ve seen these listed, and simply had to play. When it all shook down, as Asia I came in second in Civ (Egypt taught us all a lesson in economics) and as Minneapolis-based “white player” came in third in Rail Baron (first time playing; I’m clearly not a optimal capitalist).
We learned on Saturday night (in the last game of the night) that Battletech pods are fun as hell! Providing a hands-on ‘Mech pilot experience, they confounded me, but Adam racked up tons of points. I did have fun jumping all over the map and firing missiles at long range toward every ‘Mech I could track down. Good times, and a desire I’ve had since middle school fulfilled.
Our final game on Friday was run by a great DM who embodied many of the traits of other favorite con DMs — he controlled the action, telling an engaging story, didn’t read any of the mechanics aloud, occupied the long end of the table, stood for much of the session, and used traps, hazards and classic DM trickery to get us to fall into them. We learned a lot from his presentation. So, Phil of the Houston RPGA, this post is for you.
All in all, a very well-organized con, especially one hosted by a university. Good people, DMs, and miniature dungeons and battlescapes. Adam got a few photos of the scapes, but I put it off too long…
Late night diner runs led us to 59 Diner, a friendly joint with tasty greek salads. Try ’em the next time you’re in downtown Houston.
Finally, on our way out of town, we dropped by some old friends’ place for some home cooked lasagna and caught up. A great weekend! Looking forward to next year’s.
Posted in convention and tagged event, fun by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Abysm’s Dread Kraken
Deep beneath the waves of the oceans of Abysm, Demogorgon’s realm in the Abyss, lurks a creature of unfathomable might. Spawned and nurtured by the Sibilant Beast, Drigular is to a squid what Demogorgon is to a monkey. Drigular will rise to the surface at his master’s bidding to whelm and destroy intruders on Demogorgon’s waters.
Drigular
Size/Type: Colossal Magical Beast (Aquatic, evil, outsider)
Initiative: +4
Hit Dice: 44d10+484 (726 hp)
Armor Class: 28 (-8 size, +26 natural), touch 2, flat-footed 28
Damage Reduction: 10 / magic
Saves: Fort +35, Ref +22, Will +18
Resistances: cold & fire 20
Spell Resistance: 30
Speed: Swim 20 ft. (4 squares)
Attack: Tentacle +42 melee (4d6+22/19-20) with 10 point power attack
Full Attack: 2 tentacles +42 melee (4d6+26/19-20) and 6 arms +37 melee (1d8+18) and bite +37 melee (4d8+18) with 10 point power attack
Base Attack/Grapple: +44/+76 (+56 if not concentrating completely on a single target)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./ 20 ft. (90 ft. with tentacle, 45 ft. with arm)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 4d6+16 or 1d8+8, swallow whole, smite good (+20 damage 1/day)
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ink cloud, jet, darkvision, spell-like abilities
Abilities: Str 42, Dex 10, Con 33, Int 21, Wis 20, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +58, Diplomacy +7, Hide +0, Intimidate +32, Knowledge (geography) +30, Knowledge (nature) +25, Listen +51, Search +51, Sense Motive +34, Spot +51, Survival +5 (+7 following tracks), Use Magic Device +32
Feats: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Improved Natural Armor (x7), Power Attack
Environment: Abyssal Ocean
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Triple standard
Alignment: any evil
Advancement: 21-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33-60 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —
Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, the kraken must hit with an arm or tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Constrict (Ex)
A kraken deals automatic arm or tentacle damage with a successful grapple check.
Jet (Ex)
A kraken can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 280 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.
Ink Cloud (Ex)
A kraken can emit a cloud of jet-black ink in an 80-foot spread once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the kraken normally uses to escape a fight that is going badly. Creatures within the cloud are considered to be in darkness.
Spell-Like Abilities
at-will-deeper darkness, bestow curse, contagion, control weather, control winds, resist energy
3/day-dominate animal (DC 27 Will negates), insanity (DC 22 Will negates)
1/day— unholy aura (DC 23 Fort. or 1d6 strength damage when hit).
Caster level 17th. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged aquatic subtype, evil subtype, magical beast by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
New Figures: Reaper, Dwarven Forge, and others
Here’s pictures of a couple of figures I painted last night.
The armored lady is Reaper’s undead hunter, a figure I got because I loved the pose – very dynamic – and the flames on the sword so much. I feel like I did a good job, but of course my camera doesn’t capture it.
And here’s one of her backside, since we all love a lady’s backside. Seriously though, I like this figure because she’s in full armor instead of a chainmail bikini. Another part of me is happy that they left a generous amount of cleavage showing through a low neckline on the breastplate. I’m complicated like that.
The spider is another Reaper figure, and the paintjob on it was pretty perfunctory. Sometimes it’s nice to not care too much how a figure turns out. I just need painted spiders to throw at the players every so often. Now my monster collection is that much closer to being complete!
The third guy is some type of space-centurion one of my friends gave me. Not sure who made him. I’m having fun painting him blue-green and purple with white details. He just has his base coat and a blackwash on him at this point.
I also received a box from Dwarven Forge last night, and we used the dungeon furniture I got in the game. I was suprised at how quickly the figures arrived. I also got a whole mess of pre-painted skeletons for half price. Not bad! I really like how the archers have real string for their bowstrings. It gives them a nice texture that you don’t usually see in archer minis, and of course they came pre-painted which I appreciate in large mobs like this. Also, they are cast from a nice hard plastic and so aren’t deformed or bent like Reaper’s pre-painted plastic figures or Wizard’s D&D minis. I’m sure it means they will break instead 🙂
You can see our party enjoying a meal at a table in the background – all the furniture and food are from Dwarven Froge’s dungeon & tavern furniture sets.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged gaming gear: miniatures by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Abyssal Headlesses
Created by Orcus from the corpses of Demogorgon’s subjects when he began reshaping Abysm to suit his will, these horrors now stalk the burning jungles of the 88th layer of the Abyss. They mindlessly kill all they encounter other than their own kind.
These horrible maimed wretches are as varied as the demons of the abyss in appearance, but all share the trait of having no head – just a bloody stump for a neck.
Abyssal Headless CR 15
CE size large monstrous humanoid (outsider, undead)
Init: +1 Senses: tremorsense 60 ft.
Languages: none
AC: 30 (+1 dex, +20 natural, -1 size) touch 10, flatfooted 16
HP: 199 (HD 30d12)
Immune: mind-effecting and illusions, fire, poison & electricity
Resist: 15 cold, acid & sonic
DC 15 / magic
Fort: +18 Ref: +9 Will: +13
MV: 40 feet
Attack: claw +28 (1d8+12) or greatclub +27 (2d8+18)
Full Attack: 2 claws +26 (1d8+12) or greatclub +27 / +22 / +17 (2d8+18)
Attack Options: improved grab, rend, combat reflexes
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Base Attack: +15 Grapple: +39
Abilities Str 34, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 6
SQ: tremorsense 90 feet, senseless, undead traits
SA: improved grab, rend
Feats: Improved Grapple, Weapon Focus (claws), Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Improved Natural Armor (7 times)
Skills: climb +46, jump +46
Rend (Ex): If a headless hits with both claw attacks it can automatically rend for 4d6+18 damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a headless hits with a claw attack it can start a grapple as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Once it establishes the grapple it can either attack with it’s claws at a -4 penalty or it can roll a grapple checks to deal claw damage.
Senseless (Ex): having no heads, these creatures are blind, deaf and dumb. Beyond the reaches of their tremorsense, they are not aware of their surroundings.
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged undead by Adam A. Thompson with 2 comments.
Burning Treant Husks
These eternally burning undead treants were created by Orcus when the Savage Tide was thwarted, Orcus became Prince of Demons, and he began to transform Abysm, the 88th layer of the Abyss, to his liking.
This blackened, shrieking, humanoid tree rushes toward you, its panicked expression back-lit by the blazing fire in its foliage.
Burning Treant Husks CR 15
CE size huge plant (outsider, undead)
Init: -1 Senses: darkvision
Languages:abyssal, common
Aura: creatures within 5 feet take 3d6 fire damage
AC: 29 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +22 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 27
HP: 187 (HD 28d12)
Immune: mind-effecting and illusions, fire, poison & electricity
Resist: 15 cold, acid & sonic
DC 15 / magic
Fort: +18 Ref: +9 Will: +11
SR: 20
MV: 30 feet
Attack: slam +32 (2d6+18)
Full Attack: 2 slams +30 (2d6+18) and 3d6 fire
Attack Options: trample 2d6+18 and 6d6 fire, (DC 32 Reflex for half damage)
Space / Reach: 15 ft. / 15 ft
Base Attack: +15 Grapple: +31
Abilities Str 37, Dex 8, Con -, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
SQ: plant traits, undead treaits
SA: trample
Skills: climb +46, jump +46
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Creature and tagged undead by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Gremlins!
Of all the unseliee fey none are better known for causing annoying mischeif then gremlins. Cruel pranksters of the first order, gremlins love to untie knots, steal linchpins, pull stoppers out of drains, or anything else that will cause consternation in their victims. So sneaky are gremlins that their victims usually never see them, only hearing cruel, sniggering laughter as the gremlin’s pranks come to fruition.
Gremlins make their homes in caves and caverns, and are found in large numbers in the feywild’s underdark. They live by theft, and usually take food from a target. If retaliated against they will make a career out of harassing someone with dangerous pranks and sabotage.
Gremlins – Level 2 Lurker
small fey humanoid – XP125
Initiative +6 Senses darkvision, Perception +3
HP 25 Bloodied 12
AC 15 Fortitude 12 Reflex 16 Will 13
Speed 6
Powers
Dagger (At-Will, Standard, melee 1)
+6 vs AC, 1d4-1 damage.
Steal (At-Will, Standard, only usable while invisible)
Younk!
+6 vs Reflex (note: Gremlin will usually have combat advantage while making this attack)
Hit: the gremlin has stolen a small piece of non-held equipment, such as a purse or a loaf of bread, from the target without being noticed. If the target is aware of the Gremlin’s presence they take a -10 on this check.
Special: if the gremlin misses by 5 or more the target notices the attempted theft.
Sneak (At-Will, Standard)
As stealthy as a kitten in mittens, the gremlins tiptoe towards their victims.
The gremlin becomes invisible until the end of its next turn.
Disappear (At-Will, Immediate Interrupt, when attacked)
You raise your weapon to strike the horrid little thing, only to find it is no longer there!
The gremlin becomes invisible until the beginning of its next turn and teleports 2.
Alignment Evil – Languages Elven, Common
Skills Acrobatics +11 Stealth +11 Theivery +11
Str 8 Dex 20 Wis 14
Con 13 Int 12 Cha 6
Equipment leather clothes, dagger
Tactics
Gremlins who come upon adventurers will often sneak up on them and steal all of their food, though they may instead take an object that the heroes consider especially important or valuable, such as a quest item. Usually this happens during several surprise rounds, since the gremlins are so stealthy. This can then lead to a rollicking chase, perhaps culminating in a challenge of riddles or some other such frustrating confrontation.
Gremlins will never simply attack someone. They would rather set a trap or, better still, sabotage their victim’s equipment and watch them die as a result. Climbing kits and ropes are favorite targets for this treatment.
As cowardly as they are cruel, gremlins will never stand and fight. If somehow cornered or caught they will bite and scratch desperately to try to escape, and may plead for their lives if unable to do so.
Gremlin Lore
The following can be recalled with a successful Arcana check of the following DCs:
DC 15 – That horrid little madly grinning goblin is a Gremlin, awful pranksters from the faerie lands.
DC 20 – Gremlins like to steal and sabotage things, and can disappear at will.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged creature origin: fey, creature: heroic lurker by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Ale Break: 24 Hours in Faerun
Update: more OwlCon photos available here!
I just spent 24 hours in the Forgotten Realms, and boy am I tired!
This weekend Steve and I packed up our PHBs and trekked on over to Houston for OwlCon 2010. We left early Friday because I wanted to play some D&D, actually I wanted to play a lot of D&D, and I got what I wanted!
When we got to Rice University, where OwlCon is put on, we were really pleased at how well organized everything was. Steve had the foresight to book a hotel just a few blocks from campus, so every day started and ended with a nice walk across their stately campus to the buildings where the games were. Inside, we got our packets, peeked into the exhibit hall, noting the Battletech Pods with excitement, and made our way over the the building where the RPGA games were held.
Now, in my experience, with the exception of GenCon, RPGA is the red-headed stepchild of convention events. That is to say the RPGA events tend to get shuffled off to a corner of the convention, and I usually get the impression that the convention organizers either don’t really care too much about them, or, at some historical-miniatures-focused conventions I could name, seem downright hostile towards them.
OwlCon was different. When we arrived at the nice large room the RPGA events were in there were plenty of comfortable chairs and large tables. I was directed to the Houston RPGA organizer and right away started to have my socks blown off. My pre-registeration on Warhorn was indicated on his printout of all the weekend’s games, he directed me to the GM for my game, and we sat down and started playing. We didn’t have to stand around for an hour trying to muster, we didn’t have to fight other players for a GM, we just showed up and started playing. Pow.
And that was just the start. On Saturday the morning slot started at 10 AM instead of 8 AM, as one often sees at a con. That meant we got a good night’s sleep and didn’t have to rush breakfast or run like mad to catch our games. Steve headed off to play some Advanced Civ and Rail Baron, while I put on my dragon-skull helmet and headed back to Ferun for more bloody fun.
As a side-note, I’ve always been a Greyhawk fan, and was a little disappointed to see it replaced by Forgotten Realms by WoTC. But I really liked the stories that they ran this weekend. The organizers had put a lot of work into the scenarios and it showed. The adventures dove-tailed into each other and after an adventure or two you really had the impression that you were in a living setting where your actions would have an effect on what was ahead. They even played a round where the player’s success or failure at the some tables affected what was happening at the other tables.
After my elven barbarian got his ass handed to him by were-rats (actually, a total party kill) the organizers went around and got sandwich orders from everyone from the campus deli. 30 Minutes later lunch arrived. That meant we didn’t have to rush to wrap up our game, run off to find some lunch, and run back to make the next slot. This convention had a very atypical relaxation component to it that I could really get used to. I pretty much couldn’t believe it.
After the third slot of the day finished at midnight we strolled over to the dealers room, perused the wares on display, and played a round of the Battletech PODS, which I had never had a chance to try before. It was every bit as fun as I imagined it would be. I was once again impressed by the fact that the dealer’s room didn’t close up at 7 pm or so as is typical at previous conventions I’ve been to. Usually, even at GenCon, I have to decide between playing a game or skipping something to shop at the dealer’s room. Not so at OwlCon.
Sunday followed Saturday’s great lead with more of the same: friendly, if tired, GMs and players playing two more slots of RPGA events. At the end of the weekend my elf was 3rd level, I was tired and satisfied, but not frazled or exhausted as is ofter the case after a con, and we headed on home to Austin. We had met a bunch of great players and GMs from all over Texas, and we had hit the monsters until the gold came out.
I’m already looking forward to OwlCon 2011. Thanks for a great time, guys!
Posted in convention and tagged ale break, news: convention by Adam A. Thompson with 4 comments.
Owlcon XXIX
We’ll be at OwlCon this year, which starts tomorrow!
Look for us with the unicorns on our shirts. We’ll have a few copies of our issues, including hardcover copies of Claw/Claw/Bite Omnibus 1.1 for you to peruse.
Posted in convention, news and tagged fun by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Whelmer of Ships
This part air, part water elemental is a powerful force, devouring ships on the open seas.
To visualize whelmers of ships, think pf a whirlpool with its complementary winds.
Whelmer of Ships
Size/Type: Huge Elemental (Air, Water, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 24d8+120 (228 hp)
Initiative: +15
Speed: Below-water portion: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 120 ft. Above-water portion: Fly 100 ft. (perfect) (20 squares)
Armor Class: 27 (-2 size, +11 Dex, +8 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+35
Attack: Slam +27 melee (2d10+9/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 slams +27 melee (2d10+9)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Water mastery, drench, vortex
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/-, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +25, Will +10
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 33, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +29, Spot +29
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (slam) Improved InitiativeB, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Environment: Storm Plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 25-48 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —
Whelmers of ships speak Auran and Aquan, though they rarely choose to do so. A whelmer can’t venture out of the body of water from which it was conjured, and cannot be conjured into a body of water too small for it to fit into.
Whelmer of Ships Height Weight Whirlpool
Save DC Damage Height
Elder 40 ft. 24,000 lb. 34 2d8 10-60 ft.
Combat
Their rapid speed at the intersections of bodies of water and fast-moving air make them well-suited to battlefields beneath the waves where their whirlpools and heavy winds suddenly swell up behind its opponents.
Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against a whelmer of ships.
Whirlwind (Su): The whelmer can transform itself into a whirlwind once every 10 minutes and remain in that form for up to 10 rounds. In this form, the whelmer can move partially along the surface of a body of water at its fly speed.
The whirlwind is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and up to 60 feet tall. The whelmer’s movement while in whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the whelmer enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if the whelmer moves into or through the creature’s space.
Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the whelmer might take damage when caught in the whirlwind (use the table from the air elemental) and may be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save when it comes into contact with the whirlwind or take the indicated damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking the indicated damage each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful. The save DC is Strength based.
Additionally, creatures trapped underwater must make saves or begin drowning, as per the PHB.
Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the whelmer carries them or to escape the whirlwind.
Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a -4 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 penalty on attack rolls. The whelmer can have only as many creatures trapped inside the whirlwind at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind’s volume.
The whelmer can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the whirlwind happens to be. A summoned whelmer always ejects trapped creatures before returning to its home plane.
Water Mastery (Ex): A whelmer gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its opponent are touching water. If the opponent or the whelmer is touching the ground, the whelmer takes a -4 penalty on attack and damage rolls.
A whelmer can be a serious threat to a ship that crosses its path. A whelmer can easily overturn vessels up to 200′ in length. Ships over 200′ can be slowed to half speed.
Drench (Ex): The whelmer’s touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are of Large size or smaller. The creature can dispel magical fire it touches as a dispel magic spell.
Vortex (Su): The whelmer can transform itself into a whirlpool once every 10 minutes, provided it is underwater, and remain in that form for up to 10 rounds. In vortex form, the whelmer can move through the water or along the bottom at its swim speed. The vortex is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and 60 feet tall.
The whelmer’s movement while in vortex form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the whelmer enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the vortex if it touches or enters the vortex, or if the whelmer moves into or through the creature’s space.
Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the whelmer might take damage when caught in the vortex and may be swept up by it. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save when it comes into contact with the vortex or take the indicated damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful currents, automatically taking damage each round. An affected creature is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the vortex. The creature still takes damage, but can leave if the save is successful. The save DC is Strength-based.
Much like in the whirlpool form, creatures trapped in the vortex cannot move except to go where the whelmer carries them or to escape the whirlwind. Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a -4 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 penalty on attack rolls. The whelmer can have only as many creatures trapped inside the vortex at one time as will fit inside the vortex’s volume.
The whelmer can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the vortex happens to be. A summoned whelmer always ejects trapped creatures before returning to its home plane.
A whelmer in vortex form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.
Skills
A whelmer of ships has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Image: The Shipwreck, Joseph Mallord William Turner, exhibited 1805
Posted in Creature and tagged air, elemental, water by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.