New Monsters


Daresh

Daresh are a species of aberrations that have been created as scouts by aboleths. They have been seeded on various worlds and formed their own communties deep in the bowels of the earth or below the habitats of other beings - without knowing their ultimate purpose.
Daresh change drastically during their life cycle, and thus are represented by several entries.

Daresh, Larval

Fine Aberration
Hit Dice: 1/4 d8 (1 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), climb 5 ft., swim 10 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+8 size), touch 18, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-20
Attack: Bite -4 melee (1)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft.
Special Attacks: Brain burrow
Special Qualities: Aboleth servitor
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +9, Hide +9, Move Silently +9, Swim +9.
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or Swarm (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Alignment: Always lawful evil.
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

Larval daresh look like tiny, slimy grey worms 2 inches in length with a large mouth filled with sharp teeth.

The larval stage of the daresh have only one goal: The acquisition of a host body. To this end they hide near places where larger creatures congregate and try to catch one sleeping so that they can slither into their nose, ears, or mouth and burrow into their brains. Usually, however, adult daresh plant them directly on a captured victim.

Combat:

Larval daresh are almost helpless against a determined opponent, and accordingly avoid direct combat at all costs. They will always try to catch a potential host unaware.

Brain burrow (Ex): If a larval daresh makes a successful attack against a prone living creature, it slithers into the nose, ear, mouth, or similar orfice and burrows into the target's brain after an additional 1d4 rounds, doing 1 point of damage per round and 1 point of permanent Wisdom and Intelligence damage once it arrives in the brain. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save to get the daresh off it before it is too late (DC 20 if the target was previously unaware of the Daresh). Once it is within the target's brain, the daresh can cast a suggestion at will against the target (DC 12). The suggestion will usually be: "There is nothing wrong with you apart from a headache, which will go away on its own eventually". The daresh will then start devouring the brain of the target, causing a permanent loss of 1 point of permanent Wisdom and Intelligence damage to the target every six hours. Once either Wisdom or Intelligence reach zero, the target is dead and the daresh enters the juvenile stage of its life.
Aboleth servitor (Ex): The larval daresh automatically fails any saving throws against psionic powers manifested against them by aboleths.
Skills: Larval daresh have a +8 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, Move Silently and Swim checks. A larval daresh can always choose to take 10 on Climb or Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Daresh, Juvenile

Juvenile daresh are daresh that have recently (within the last two years) found a host body and eaten its brain. They have attained complete access to the host's memories and control the body like a puppet. While they are often still weak in this form, they are nonetheless very dangerous because they look just like the host creature and can perfectly imitate it.

Creating a Juvenile Daresh

"Juvenile Daresh" is a template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type: The creature's type changes to aberration. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus or saves.
Special Qualities: A juvenile daresh has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities:
- Aboleth servitor (Ex): The juvenile daresh automatically fails any saving throws against psionic powers manifested against them by aboleths.
- Consume memories (Ex): The juvenile daresh gains access to the memories of any creatures whose brains it has eaten. This works as the speak with dead spell, except that there is no limit to the number of questions the daresh can ask and that the target creature does not get a saving throw.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Cha +2.
Skills: A juvenile daresh gains skill points as an aberration and has skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation - the juvenile daresh gains aberration skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature's list as well as Bluff as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.
Challenge Rating: +1
Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Level Adjustment: +2

Daresh, Adult

Adult daresh have fully transformed their host body into something capable of housing their vast intellect. The brain case is visibly swollen to twice its size, which makes it impossible to mistake the daresh for an ordinary member of the host species, and the host's skin is now covered with a disgusting, grey slime. While they now can no longer hide among members of the host creature's species, they often make up for this by developing potent psychic powers, usually gaining levels in the psion (telepath) class.

Daresh are usually considered "Adult" until they have reached an age of approximately one hundred years.

Creating an Adult Daresh

"Adult Daresh" is a template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type: The creature's type changes to aberration. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus or saves.
Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +2 (this stacks with any natural armor bonus the base creature has).
Special Qualities: An adult daresh has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities:
- Aboleth servitor (Ex): The adult daresh automatically fails any saving throws against psionic powers manifested against them by aboleths.
- Consume memories (Ex): The adult daresh gains access to the memories of any creatures whose brains it has eaten. This works as the speak with dead spell, except that there is no limit to the number of questions the daresh can ask and that the target creature does not get a saving throw.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +4, Cha +4, Wis +2.
Skills: An adult daresh gains skill points as an aberration and has skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation - the juvenile daresh gains aberration skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature's list as well as Bluff as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.
Challenge Rating: +2
Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Level Adjustment: +4

Daresh, Elder

The brain cases of elder daresh have swollen so much that their bodies have great difficulties in supporting their weight, and as a result they prefer to spend most of their time sitting, with various braces relieving the pressure on their bodies. They might not be very mobile, but their massive mental powers ensure that they are usually in control of any daresh communities.

Elder daresh usually live to an age of 150 years. At this point, their brain cases burst and reveal 50-100 new larval daresh. Not surprisingly, many elder daresh try to delay this fate, with some even turning to undeath to avoid it.

Creating an Adult Daresh

"Elder Daresh" is a template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type: The creature's type changes to aberration. Size is unchanged. Do not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus or saves.
Speed: Divide the creature's speeds by half, and round up to the next 5 ft..
Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +4 (this stacks with any natural armor bonus the base creature has).
Special Qualities: An elder daresh has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities:
- Aboleth servitor (Ex): The elder daresh automatically fails any saving throws against psionic powers manifested against them by aboleths.
- Consume memories (Ex): The elder daresh gains access to the memories of any creatures whose brains it has eaten. This works as the speak with dead spell, except that there is no limit to the number of questions the daresh can ask and that the target creature does not get a saving throw.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex -2, Con +4, Int +8, Cha +8, Wis +4.
Skills: An elder daresh gains skill points as an aberration and has skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation - the juvenile daresh gains aberration skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature's list as well as Bluff as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.
Challenge Rating: +4
Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Level Adjustment: +6


Fair Folk

Fair Folk are extradimensional entities from the plane of Faerie. While many lesser breeds of Fair Folk have made themselves home in the material world, others - especially the most powerful ones - only rarely emerge from Faerie. All Fair Folk come into being as immaterial beings without form or thought. To truly exist in a manner recognizeable by humans, they must take on a form inspired by the creatures of other world. This gives them a definition of self which allows them to interact with other beings, and it also defines their appearance and powers.
Fair Folk are immortal. They need neither food, drink, or sleep, though many of them do all these things from time to time. What they crave instead is recognition. Their sense of self is all that holds their form together, and as such being constantly in the mind of others reaffirms their existence. Whether they are loved as friends and saints or feared as dark tyrants does not matter - they gain recognition either way, though an individual member of the Fair Folk will usually adopt a specific role and stick to it.
One curious aspect of the Fair Folk is that they can never go back on a word they give, or else they will suffer immensely as their very sense of self begins to break up. Mortals trying to take advantage of this should beware, however - Fair Folk are incredibly adept at honoring the words of a promise while completely circumventing its spirit. Being polite to them and appealing to their egos is a better way of attaining their favors than agreeing to a deal.
Since they ape beings from the material world, there are what could be considered distinct "races" among Fair Folk, although the boundaries between them are far more fluid than among mortal races. These beings usually have distinct names. For example, Fair Folk elves are called "sidhe", Fair Folk halflings are called "brownies", and Fair Folk goblins are called "redcaps". It should be noted that Fair Folk humans are relatively rare, presumably because humans are so common and so varied that looking like one does not provide the Fair Folk with a strong sense of self-definition.

Creating Fair Folk

"Fair Folk" is a template that can be added to any giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, plant, and vermin type creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").
A Fair Folk creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature's type changes to fey. Do not recalculate the creature's Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is unchanged.
Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +1 (this stacks with any natural armor bonus the base creature has).
Spell-Like Abilities: A Fair Folk creature with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has two or more spell-like abilities, depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative.
Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature's HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based.

HD Abilities
1-2 Faerie fire 3/day, speak with animals
3-4 Fog, summon nature's ally I
5-6 Dominate animal, tree shape
7-8 Freedom of movement, speak with plants
9-10 Tree stride
11-12 wind walk
13-14 Control winds, summon nature's ally VIII
15-16 Whirlwind
17-18 Control plants
19-20 Animal shapes

Special Qualities: A Fair Folk creature has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities.
- Darkvision out to 60 feet.
- Immunity to disease.
- Damage Reduction: 5/cold iron (if HD 11 or less) or 10/cold iron (if HD 12 or more).
- The natural weapons of a Fair Folk creature are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
- Spell resistance equal to creature's HD +10 (maximum 35).
- Fair Folk are incapable of breaking the letter of a promise they give. If they should accidentally break it, treat them as under the effect of a geas spell.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +6.
Skills: A Fair Folk creature gains skill points as a fey and has skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier) x (HD + 3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation - the Fair Folk creature gains fey skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature's list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.
Challenge Rating: HD 5 or less, as base creature +1; HD 6 to 10, as base creature +2; HD 11 or more, as base creature + 3.
Alignment: Usually as base creature, but often chaotic (any).
Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +4.


Surathi

The Surathi (singular Surat) are the mortal progeny of the deity Sarush. Able to interbreed with any terrestrial creature, they have infiltrated many bloodlines and given them psychic powers and vast intellects - but tainted them with a cursed heritage and a disposition towards evil. They rule in the Snake Kingdoms, but thei kind can be found hidden in the underbellies of cities in many regions

There are four types of Surathi, who are distinguished by how thick the blood of Sarush flows in their veins. The thin-blooded carry the surathi heritage in them, but apart from an ability to learn psychic powers, they are unaffected. Lesser brethen are the most common "true" surathi, and they are often significantly more powerful than their non-surathi ancestors. Favored ones are often visibly different from the lesser species that spawned them, and the rare pure ones are a true testament to the power of Sarush's blood and the natural born leaders of all surathi.

These four types are treated as templates that can be added to the following creature types: Animal, beast, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, monstrous humanoid, and vermin. Other combinations are possible - in general, the creature must have evolved on Rothea, which excludes extraterrestrial creatures such as destrachan and yrthak, and most elementals outsiders as well - though any outsider that is capable of interbreeding with humans (such as many demons and devils) is eligible as well. The creature also must be living, corporeal creature similar to terrestrial animals (with similiar reproductive processes) - this excludes creatures such as constructs, oozes, plants, and the undead. All in all, the surathi are capable of breeding with a frightfully large range of creatures, and no one is sure how far their taint has already spread.

Thin-blooded

Thin-blooded usually have the lowest status among surathi communities, though individuals who show exceptional promisemight be elevated in the eyes of their betters. Since they are indistinguishable from normal members of their parent species, they also serve as perfect spies and infiltrators. Outside the Snake Kingdoms, many thin-blooded exist who are completely unaware of a heritage, having been sired by a surathi parent and then abandoned.

Creating a Thin-blooded

"Thin-blooded" is a template that can be added to any of the creatures listed above (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").

Psionics: Unlike most terrestrial creatures, a thin-blooded can take levels in a psychic class. He or she can also develop the new psionic powers Sarush's fruitful loins (if male) or Sarush's bountiful womb (if female).
Favored Class: A thin-blooded can take either the psion or psychic warrior class as his favored class instead of the normal favored class of the base creature. This choice must be made at character creation and is permanent.
Special: For all effects related to race or species, the thin-blooded is considered to be both a sulrathi and a member of the base creature's species.

Lesser Brethen

Lesser brethen are the most common of the "true surathi". They have been blessed with some of the powers of the blood of Sarush, but not enough to make them truly powerful. While at first glance they seem to be a typical member of the base creature's species, there is always a sign of their mixed heritage - an odd patch of fur or scales, skin discoloration, slitted eyes or a forked tongue.

While many lesser brethen are willing to stay in the Snake Kingdoms where they can be sure that they at least aren't at the bottom of the social order (this being reserved for the thin-blooded and the slaves), others strike on their own and try to establish their own small surathi communities, with the Lesser Brethen as the father or mother of the whole group. These groups often take on religious or cultish aspects, with those members who are able to display psychic powers (and thus, surathi blood) seen as "blessed". One popular trick among lesser brethen of animal ancestry is to seek out small, primitive tribes of humanoids and establish themselves as tribal animal totems. Usually, the lesser brethen establishes a ritualized copulation between the brethen and tribesmembers who are of the opposite gender as a rite of adulthood (made possible by the Sarush's fruitful loins or Sarush's bountiful womb psychic powers). This results in a steep rise of tribe members with surathi blood. If the lesser brethen also has offspring with other members of his own animal species, this "beast cult" will eventually be self-sustaining, with more and more sulrathi appearing among both humanoids and animals.

Creating a Lesser Brethen

"Lesser brethen" is a template that can be added to any of the creatures listed above (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").

Psionics: Unlike most terrestrial creatures, a lesser brethen can take levels in a psychic class. He or she can also develop the new psionic powers Sarush's fruitful loins (if male) or Sarush's bountiful womb (if female).
Favored Class: A lesser brethen can take either the psion or psychic warrior class as his favored class instead of the normal favored class of the base creature. This choice must be made at character creation and is permanent.
Special: For all effects related to race or species, the thin-blooded is considered to be both a sulrathi and a member of the base creature's species.
Surathi Powers: Lesser brethen are strengthened by both the blood of Sarush in their veins and their mixed ancestry. They can select up to five powers from the Surathi Powers list. They may also take up to two weaknesses to gain an additional power.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1
Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +1
Alignment: Often evil (any)
Advancement: By character class

Favored Ones

Favored ones are clearly marked by their tainted blood. Unless disguised, it will be obvious that they are no longer a normal member of the base creature's species - there is at least one, and often several blatantly unnatural changes to the creature's appearance. Fur, scales, feathers and more freely mix, though the species of the base creature is still recognizeable.

Favored ones are respected enough in the Snake Kingdoms that few wish to leave. To be sure, the pure ones are their undisputed rulers, but these are few - too few to run their realms on their own. Therefore the favored ones usually fill out very comfortable positions near the top of the local power structures, if not exactly at the top. Those who do leave only do so for specific missions - or because they have been exiled or fear for their lives. In the latter cases, they often engage in the same cult-building behaviour that the lesser brethen favor.

Creating a Favored One

"Favored one" is a template that can be added to any of the creatures listed above (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").

Psionics: Unlike most terrestrial creatures, a favored one can take levels in a psychic class. He or she can also develop the new psionic powers Sarush's fruitful loins (if male) or Sarush's bountiful womb (if female).
Favored Class: A favored one can take either the psion or psychic warrior class as his favored class instead of the normal favored class of the base creature. This choice must be made at character creation and is permanent.
Special: For all effects related to race or species, the favored one is considered to be both a sulrathi and a member of the base creature's species.
Surathi Powers: Favored ones are strengthened by both the blood of Sarush in their veins and their mixed ancestry. They can select up to ten powers from the Surathi Powers list. They may also take up to four weaknesses to gain up to two additional powers.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2
Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +2
Alignment: Usually evil (any)
Advancement: By character class

Pure Ones

The pure ones are the obvious inheritors of Sarush's might. Their appearance incorporates traits of many species, though the traits of one will usually predominate. Lesser surathi, let alone non-surathi, cannot help but be intimidated when gazing on these monstrosities.

Pure ones are the rulers of the Snake Kingdoms, and their lesser relatives cater to their every whim. Only the most dire emergencies or the most pressing needs will make them leave their courts, and they will try to maintain the utmost secrecy as long as they are away from their armies and hordes of bodyguards.

Creating a Pure One

"Pure one" is a template that can be added to any of the creatures listed above (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").

Psionics: Unlike most terrestrial creatures, a pure one can take levels in a psychic class. He or she can also develop the new psionic powers Sarush's fruitful loins (if male) or Sarush's bountiful womb (if female).
Favored Class: A pure one can take either the psion or psychic warrior class as his favored class instead of the normal favored class of the base creature. This choice must be made at character creation and is permanent.
Special: For all effects related to race or species, the pure one is considered to be both a sulrathi and a member of the base creature's species.
Surathi Powers: Pure ones are strengthened by both the blood of Sarush in their veins and their mixed ancestry. They can select up to fifteen powers from the Surathi Powers list. They may also take up to six weaknesses to gain up to three additional powers.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +3
Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +3
Alignment: Usually evil (any)
Advancement: By character class

Surathi Powers

Surathi may select a number of powers depending on their template. Choose from the list below:
Note: This is merely a small sample of the possible sulrathi powers - in theory, any special attack or quality found among the creatures sulrathi can interbreed with that is based on purely biological functions could be found among individual sulrathi as well. The DM is therefore encouraged to make up new powers. However, he should veto any powers he considers abusive in case of sulrathi PCs, and at the very least should let powerful special abilities such as regeneration cost the equivalent of several "normal" powers.

The surat may also take a number of weaknesses to gain additional powers. Each two weaknesses taken from the list grant him an additional power. Note that you cannot take a weakness that the base creature already has - such as "No Fine Manipulators" with most animals.

Note: Again, the DM is encouraged to come up with new weaknesses and prohibit any he considers unbalancing in the case of PC surathi.

Surathi Procreation

Surathi are always capable of producing offspring with the normal creature (the "base creature" mentioned in the templates), and any creature that that base creature is capable of interbreeding with (so a sulrathi closely related to humans could also have offspring with orcs or elves). For any of pairing, the surathi must learn and use one of the following psionic powers:

Sarush's Bountiful Womb
Psychometabolism (Str)
Level: Psion 4, Psychic Warrior 4
Display: Ol
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level or until end of pregnancy
Power Points: 7

For the duration of the power, you are able to conceive offspring with a male member of a single species of a type that surathi are generally capable of interbreeding with (see above), though the creature must not differ in more than one size category from you and may not be smaller than Small. If necessary, your body will undergo minor physiological adjustments. The resulting offspring will be of the same basic species as you are, but if it or its descendants should turn out to be true surathi, share traits of the father's species.

Note: This power may only be learned and used by female surathi.


Sarush's Fruitful Loins
Psychometabolism (Str)
Level: Psion 2, Psychic Warrior 2
Display: Ol
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level or until end of pregnancy
Power Points: 3

For the duration of the power, you are able to sire offspring with a male member of a single species of a type that surathi are generally capable of interbreeding with (see above), though the creature must not differ in more than one size category from you and may not be smaller than Small. The resulting offspring will be of the same basic species as the mother, but if it or its descendants should turn out to be true sulrathi, share traits of your base species.

Note: This power may only be learned and used by male surathi.


In general, if a "true surat" (lesser brethen or above) produces offspring with a non-surat, the resulting offspring will always be a thin-blooded. If a thin-blooded produces offspring with a non-surat, the resulting offspring may be either a thin-blooded or a normal member of the partner's species, though the former is more likely if the thin-blooded has a higher concentration of surathi blood. Thin-blooded breeding with other thin-blooded may produce anything from normal creatures to pure ones, though the latter is very rare and usually only possible if both of them have many surathi ancestors. True sulrathi breeding with other sulrathi may usually produce any type of sulrathi, from thin-blooded to pure ones, though a pure one's offspring will at least have the breed of his partner, and a favored one breeding with another favored one will at least produce a lesser brethen.

(Note: A full explanation of surathi genetics can be found here.)

In general, male surathi are encouraged to father as many children as possible to spread their kind. Female surathi, on the other hand, are encouraged to breed with the surathi of the highest breed available so that they might produce high-breed offspring. In small, isolated communities with a low number of surathi, this often leads to incestous pairings.


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