TheTwitching King's page

Yes, Slither was a great movie. 80's horror with a modern budget, great!

Now that voting is over...who would Bracht go after?

I updated the Arcane Poison feat on Sartel's thread if anyone wants to go check it out.

Sartel loves children... no really, she does. Honest.

Good luck with your lair. I can wait to see what you come up with. I think I'm going to talk my group into play test some lairs so we can comment on them. I'll be sure you're at the top of the list.

After reading what everyone wrote above and some play testing on my own, this is what I have came up with to level out the Arcane Poison feat. Please read it closely and play test it a little and give me some more feed back. I really think this is a feat take players would want in there list of choices, not just a feat to give an one-time villain.

That said I would like to thank everyone for their comments, if you voted for me or not. Yes it would be nice to win this contest, but I also think we are here to learn how other gamers away from our personal gaming table work and think, and what they want. The more you comment, the more myself and the others in the contest can learn and grow as authors and designers. So again thank you.

Arcane Poison (Metamagic)
You can imbue your damaging spells with a deadly arcane venom.
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd.
Benefit: Upon gaining this feat choose one ability score (strength, dexterity, etc.). Upon casting the spell, the caster chooses one, and only one, of the spell's targets to be effected by the arcane poison. If that creature takes hit point damage from the arcane poison spell, it also take 1 point of temporary ability score damage to the chosen ability each round for a total of four rounds. Each round of ability damage, the poisoned target gets a save to negated this and later rounds of poison delivered by this specific spell. The saving throw is a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + base spell level + spellcasting ability score modifier). Creatures cannot be effected by more than one arcane poison spell, that deals the same type of ability damage, at the same time. Spells that do not deal hit point damage are not affected by arcane poison. Creatures that are immune to poison are immune to the arcane poison. An arcane poison spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new ability score. You can, however, apply arcane poison multiple times to the same spell, so long as each application affects a separate ability score.

Anyone want to take bets on which lairs we'll be seeing on Tuesday?

Sent and sent.

The Abandoned Carnival at the Bumpy Apple Orchard
Deep within this twisted forest lies the remains of an aged, cursed farm. The apple trees of this now feral orchard have transformed into mountainous things covered in quill-like thorns.

Twisted Forest (CR 10)
Immense apple trees tower over the thick, unforgiving undergrowth. Waist high grasses full of briers and saw-vines cover every inch of earth. Little light can be seen through through the thick forest canopy; all seems dark, except the vivid red apples among the thorny branches.

The PCs may choose to either enter through the main gate or attempt to sneak through the twisted forest. The tangled brushwood makes any movement in the Bumpy Apple Forest extremely difficult, which each 5 foot square costing 20 feet of movement, and any character making a double move takes 1d6 piercing damage. Any PC ending their round in the forest must make a DC 20 Survival check or become lost in the magical woods. Lost characters immediately roll a d12 and move to the corresponding square (L1 - L12). One character can choose to lead the party, using their Survival check for all characters adjacent to them, but this slows the party to one square per round. CE creatures move through the forest normally.

Creatures: Tamin the Ring-Nosed Strongman patrols these woods for Rustin. He wears a bear suit and sleigh bells, and wields a giant hammer that boldly states “100 lbs.” upon it's side. He begins to stalk the party as soon as they enter the forest, and they encounter him 4 rounds later.

Tamin Banach, the Ring-Nosed Strongman CR 8
Male minotaur fighter 4
CE Large monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +11
===== Defense =====
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19; (+5 armor, +1 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size)
hp 90 (6d8+4d10+40)
Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +4
Defensive Abilities bravery
===== Offense =====
Spd 20 ft.
Melee +1 earthbreaker +7/+2 (3d6+18/x3) and gore +1 (1d8+10)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks powerful charge 4d6+20
===== Tactics =====
During Combat If he encounters the PCs in the twisted woods, he will bull rush the leader to separate the party. Tamin always uses Power Attack and either Overhand Chop or Backswing, as appropriate.
Morale Tamin fights to the death.
===== Statistics =====
Str 24, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +7; CMB +15
Feats Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Overhand Chop, Backswing, Improved Intitiative, Blind-Fight, Cleave
Skills Perception +11, Survival +11
Languages Giant
SQ armor training, natural cunning
Gear +1 earthbreaker, bear suit (hide armor)
===== Special Abilities =====
Natural Cunning (Ex) Tamin is immune to the maze spell, can never become lost, and is never caught flat-footed.
Powerful Charge (Ex) When charging, Tamin may choose to make a single gore attack with a +8 attack bonus, dealing 4d6+20 damage.

1. Greeting Gate (CR 9)
Rotting apples squish underfoot at the entrance of the farmyard. Two tall, vine-covered walls create a hallway that seems to hold the brutish trees back from the trail. A weather beaten sign arcs from one fence to the other and states in faded yellow letters, “Bumpy Apple Orchard”.

The gate path is covered with broken barrels and mounds of apples and rocks, which count as difficult terrain. At the end of the path stands a minotaur. He tells the PCs that they are too late for the show, but are in time for dinner.

Creatures: Slake, the Ring-Nosed Halfling-thrower, waits to bull rush the leading PC into reach of the vampire vines (coiled at the top of the wall, 20 feet above the pathway), then holds his ground in the center of the gate path.

Vampire Vines (4) CR 3
hp 30 (MM pg 20)
These assassin vines cannot move and do not have their Entangle ability, but their Constrict attack deals 1 point of Strength damage (DC 13 Fortitude save negates).

Slake Banach, the Ring-Nosed Halfling Thrower CR 8
hp 90 (see Tamin, above)

2. Smokehouse Wheel Room (CR 3)
Stacks of smoked meat are strewn around the entrance of this vine-covered shack. From the inside you hear a rapid clicking sound that starts and stops, followed by loud thuds and laughter.

The smokehouse has been cleared of its meat so Phaaron and Wicie can practice their old act. The PCs find Wicie tied to a spinning wheel as Phaaron is about the throw another knife at her. Phaaron has a mop of hair covering most of his face and upper body, while Wicie is all ribs and spine and wearing next to nothing, showing off her five breasts and three belly buttons. Wicie, unable to get off the wheel, insults the PCs by giving them grand complements as they fight Phaaron.

Phaaron Banach CR3
hp 37 (see Icosatuplets, below)

3. Pen of Mirrors (CR 3)
This pig pen smells of old air and rotting wood. Every inch of wall is covered in mirrors. Many mirrors are normal but most are of the fun house variety, distorting your images in almost magical ways. The grated floor of the pens and the stone floor of the hall are covered in filth and offal. Mice scurry about in the dozens.

The pig pens are small, and if anyone steps into them, the rotting floor gives way and dumps the character into a 30 foot deep pit full of writhing maggots and pig dung.

Camouflaged Pit Trap CR 3
(Pathfinder Beta pg 310)

4. Hag Wife's Kitchen (CR 10)
Inside this barren room you find a cook fire brightly going in the northwest corner, with a huge pot hanging above it. A hunched-over elderly woman is stirring the pot with a two-handed spoon as she points her ear in your direction. The room smells of sweet meat and roasted apples. A single carnival mirror hangs from the ruined door on the east side of the kitchen.

A fire took the original farmhouse the night the Rustin returned with what was left of his freak show – his first act of vengeance. A carnival mirror, in truth a mirror of opposition, hangs against the eastern wall.

Creatures: Maga Ogga, drinks her potion of fly and attacks from above as the PCs fight their distorted mirror images. The mirror itself shatters when any of its images have been destroyed.

Maga Ogga (Blind Faceless Stalker) CR 4
hp 42 (Pathfinder 2 pg 88)
Maga Ogga is blind (and is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight, including the mirror of opposition) and has blindsight 30 ft.

5. Sad Little Garden
This garden seems to be having no luck this year, as all the plants are stunted and fruitless.

6. Full Outhouse (CR 8)
The small outhouse has an “Occupied for practice” sign on the door.

When the PCs open the outhouse door, six halflings fall out into adjacent squares, pushing the PCs back. The halflings start the encounter prone.

Banach Icosatuplets (6) CR 3
ogrekin halfling rogue 4
CE Small giant
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7
===== Defense =====
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 18; (+2 armor, +4 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 37 (4d8+16)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +2
Defensive Abilities evasion, fearless, trap sense +1
===== Offense =====
Spd 20 ft.
Melee masterwork dagger +10 (1d3+4)
Ranged masterwork dagger +8 (1d3+7)
Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
===== Tactics =====
During Combat The icosatuplets prefer to swarm a single target at a time, surrounding and stabbing them to death, with any remaining out of melee range throwing their daggers using Deadly Aim.
Morale The icosatuplets fight to the death.
===== Statistics =====
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +6
Feats Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Dagger), Deadly Aim, Precise Shot
Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +2, Escape Artist +11, Perception +7 (+9 on sound-based checks), Perform (Tumbler) +2, Ride +15, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +15
Languages Common, Halfling
SQ trapfinding
Combat Gear 3 vials of alchemist's fire Other Gear elf-skin leather armor, 4 masterwork daggers
===== Special Abilities =====
Deformities (Ex) The icosatuplets all have thick skin (increasing their natural armor by 2) and are extra ugly (giving them a -4 penalty to charisma skill checks).

7. Unwishing Well
The stones around this well are crumbling and the post has no rope to hold a bucket.

Rustin stores his savings at the bottom of this 200ft well. He tells his fellow entertainers that if they want to “unwish” foolish youthful wishes, they must throw a silver coin down into the water.

8. Still Standing Warehouse (CR 10)
The 50ft. tall warehouse is made of flimsy board covering a thick sturdy frame. Parts of the northern and southeastern roof is missing, where apple branches have forced their way inside. Few cider barrels remain, and those that do are mostly broken.
The warehouse now serves as the cockroach stables. The roaches and the Banach halflings that breed them for riding them attack intruders on sight. Green Jeph the Cricket Boy uses his climb speed to go into the rafters with his violin legs and attacks the PCs at range.

Cricket Boy (Drider) CR 7
hp 45 (MM pg 89)
Replace web in the spell list with sound burst.

Icosatuplets (4) CR 3
hp 37 (see above)

Monstrous Cockroaches (12) CR 1/2
hp 8 (Pathfinder 13 pg 84)

9. Record Room
A thousand papers lay about the floor and the desk on the western wall. A backpack lies on the desk, empty.

The is where the orchard's business files were kept. Now the desk is used as a bed.

10. Practicing Yard (CR 12)
The branches of these three large trees are filled with swing ropes, tight ropes, hammocks, and cargo nets. The ground is dotted with spots of red where ripe apples have fallen into the grass. There is a small shed, partially hidden by the woods, that looks as though it is about to collapse.

This is where most of the Banach icosatuplets sleep and practice.

Creatures: The Bumpy Apple halflings start the encounter by hiding within the trees 60ft above the PCs and throwing their alchemist's fire into the middle of the party. After bombing, they swing on ropes down to the groundand fight in melee. Rustin Harp, upon hearing the fighting outside, clambers up onto the roof of his shed and begins to play his pipes. With the magical music in the air, any villain the PCs haven't yet fought will begin to make their way to the Practicing Yard.

Rustin Harp CR 12
hp 92
b]===== Tactics =====[/b]
During Combat As soon as he notices combat anywhere within the farm, Rustin begins to play his twintone flute, activating both an Inspire Courage effect and, if enemies are nearby, a Dirge of Doom. He stays out of combat as much as possible, being frail and infirm.
Morale Rustin runs away if reduced below 40 hp, and gives in completely if reduced to less than 20.

Icosatuplets (8) CR 3
hp 37

11. Saytr's Shanty
A bed lies in the northeast corner of the shed. Tied to the head board and gagged is the body of a overweight dwarven woman. Her belly is torn open, and gore covers the sheets. A basket by the bed holds a crying, horned baby. With hoofed feet and long eye brows, the baby still holds locks of it's mother's beard.

Rustin's wife, the Bearded Lady, died in child birth three days ago, but he can't seem let go. He has been sullenly cleaning his torturing tools and questioning his faith of late.

So you like not having to have a feat to track a trail with a DC greater than 20?

In my home game we made it were you could Track without the feat as long as the DC was under 20, much like Rogues with traps. It's working out well. Now characters can follow a blood trail down a street or a army across the plains with out need of a feat, because I don't believe you would not need a feat for such cases. Tell me want you think.

So... if the main focus of Round 3 is to check math, are pictures okay now, or do I need to wait a little longer?

Good, I'm going back to bed then. I'm on Night Shift right now.

Sartel Bollen, Mistress of the Headless Caravan
Female green hag fighter 1/ sorcerer 9

Description
Long ago an escaped slave and gladiator named Sartel fled Sedeq and entered the jungles of the Zho Mountains. In the wilderness, through starvation and ignorance, she consumed poisonous Blackworm berries. As she lay dying, Blackworm sickness burrowing through her organs, snakes approached her and began to speak - they offered life in exchange for favors met. Sartel accepted their offer and serpent fangs pierced her flesh, their venom curing her and filling her mind with forgotten knowledge. That information led her through overgrown ruins and caverns deep within the mountains. There, she found the serpent head of Ydersius, and her will was bent to his. With promises of revenge against her old masters, she would help him bring the serpentfolk race back to their former supremacy.

Over months of bonding with Ydersius, Sartel's body has changed. Her youthful beauty is still present, but twisted: her yellow eyes hide under a veil of knotted, greasy locks; a hag's blackened teeth taints her smile; she is adorned with filth, trinkets, and small skulls. Her ragged gladiator armor has broken and grown into her skin, and the thick iron gorget is rusted and pockmarked. She often pats her rusty war razor against her thigh.

Mounted sidesaddle on a headless zebra, she is followed by hordes of decapitated servants, an army she has gathered to escort the god-head to its body. Heads of scholars hang from her saddle ready to supply knowledge and offer council. Rhinos, jackals, and rats march with men and ogres. Crows flock with vultures in the hundreds. None bear a head, but all are compelled by Ydersius to serve Sartel. The stench of rot is overwhelming and with no mouths everything is eerily quiet.

Motivations
Sartel's overall goal is to deliver Ydersius' head to his body and she has many cunning plans in place to distract all opposing forces. She collects the heads of scholars of the darklands to consume their knowledge. Sartel also uses her new found power to punish the Qadiran slave trade, hating complacent slaves as much as their masters.

Plot Hooks
A score of decapitated monkeys deliver an ultimatum from Sartel to Xerbystes II. She demands the head of the Mouthpiece of Gurat (last of the oracles and prophets) or he forfeits the villages lining the Zho Mountains. Outraged, Xerbystes contacts heroes to apprehend this brazen villain.

Snakefolk clerics of Ydersius, searching for Sartel, are encountered by the PCs. Needing their presence above the darklands to remain secret, the zealots try to slay the PCs. After the battle the PCs discover journals telling of the discovery of Ydersius' head and the impending doom of the world once it's reattached to his body.

One of the PCs stops by their childhood home to find the village full of headless zombies. A path, trampled by thousands of shuffling feet, leads away from the village and into the mountains.

SARTEL BOLLEN CR 10 [+5 green hag, +1 fighter (associated class), +4 sorcerer (non-associated class)]
CE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +6 [+2 dex, +4 Improved Initiative]; Senses darkvision 90'; Perception +0
===== Defense =====
AC 31, touch 13, flat-footed 29; (deflection +1, dex +2, natural +14 [11 base, +3 Improved Natural Armor], shield +4)
hp 157 (1d10+9d8+9d6+79 [+57 (19 HD * 3 con) base, +3 Toughness flat bonus, +19 Toughness HD bonus])
Fort +11 [+2 fighter, +3 monstrous humanoid, +3 sorcerer, +3 con], Ref +11 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +3 sorcerer, +2 dex], Will +12 [+6 monstrous humanoid, +6 sorcerer]
Defensive Abilities unusual anatomy; SR 18
===== Offense =====
Spd 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee war razor +20/+15/+10 [+14 BAB, +1 weapon enhancement, +5 str] (1d4+6 [+5 str, +1 weapon enhancement]/18-20) and claw +14 [+14 BAB, +5 str, -5 secondary weapon] (1d4+2) or
2 claws +19 [+14 BAB, +5 str] (1d4+5) or
weakness +19 [+14 BAB, +5 str] (2d4 strength)
Ranged acidic ray +16 [+14 BAB, + 2dex] (1d6+4)
Special Attacks acidic ray, weakness
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th)
At will--dancing lights, disguise self, ghost sound (DC 15 [+10 base, +5 cha]), invisibility, pass without trace, tongues, water breathing
Spells Known (SORCERER CL 9th)
4th (5/day [+4 base, +1 cha])--animate dead, black tentacles (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary], +16 CMB [11 caster level, +4 str, +1 size]), confusion (DC 21 [+10 base, +4 spell level, +5 cha, +2 Greater Spell Focus])
3rd (7/day [+6 base, +1 cha])--haste, hold person (DC 20 [+10 base, +3 spell level, +5 cha, +2 Greater Spell Focus]), tongues (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary]), vampiric touch
2nd (5/day [+6 base, +1 cha, -2 already used])--ghoul touch (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha]), glitterdust (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha]), mirror image, see invisibility (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary]), web (DC 17 [+10 base, +2 spell level, +5 cha])
1st (6/day [+6 base, +2 cha, -2 already used])--alarm, enlarge person (CL 11th [9 base, +2 ancestral reliquary], DC 16 [+10 base, +1 spell level, +5 cha]), grease, ray of enfeeblement, shield, shocking grasp
0th (at will)--arcane mark, detect magic, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 15 [+10 base, +5 cha])
===== Tactics =====
Before Combat Sartel casts alarm at the entrance to her lair every morning and maintains invisibility on herself nearly at all times. As soon as she is alerted to the PCs' presence, she casts shield, mirror image, and see invisibility. If she has time, she will proceed to use invisibility on any minions with her, starting with the strongest.
During Combat When the first PC enters her sight, Sartel casts haste on herself and as many of her minions as she can. She then tries to keep as much space as possible between herself and the PCs, casting web, glitterdust, hold person, black tentacles, and confusion to separate and weaken the party. Sartel tries to attack from a distance with her long limbs and weakness abilities, preferring to let her minions do most of the serious fighting. The first time a PC dies, Sartel casts animate dead on the corpse and sends it to attack its former companions.
Morale Sartel gathers up Ydersius's head and attempts to flee if she is ever reduced below 50 hit points, or if fewer than three of her minions remain to guard her. If she has the chance, she will drink her potion of fly and flee to water, trusting her natural swim speed and her water breathing spell-like ability to give her the advantage in an underwater environment. If she escapes, she retreats to the caverns beneath the Zho Mountains and attempts to rebuild her power base.
Base Statistics AC 27
===== Statistics =====
Str 21 [+13 base, +8 race], Dex 14 [+12 base, +2 race], Con 16 [+14 base, +2 race], Int 12 [+10 base, +2 race], Wis 10 [+8 base, +2 race], Cha 21 [+15 base, +2 headband enhancement, +2 race, +2 hit die boosts at 12 and 16 HD]
Base Atk +14 [+1 fighter, +9 monstrous humanoid, +4 sorcerer]; CMB +19 [+14 BAB + 5 str]
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness, Improved Natural Armor x3, Leadership (cohort Melora Ulak, a lamia matriarch [Pathfinder #2 pg 92]), Eschew Materials, Spell Focus (enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Silent Spell, Ability Focus (weakness), Arcane Poison (strength)
Skills Intimidate +27 [+19 ranks, +5 cha, +3 class skill], Profession (gladiator) +4 [+1 rank, +3 class skill], Ride +16 [+11 ranks, +2 Dex, +3 class skill], Spellcraft +19 [+15 ranks, +1 int, +3 class skill], Swim +5 [+5 str] (+13 [+5 stre, +8 racial] to perform special actions or avoid hazards), Use Magic Device +19 [+11 ranks, +5 cha, +3 class skill] [57 ranks: +2 fighter, +18 monstrous humanoid, +18 sorcerer, +19 int]
Languages Common, Giant, Undercommon
SQ long limbs, mimicry
Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds x2, potion of cure moderate wounds x4, potion of cure light wounds[i] x2, [i]potion of fly Other Gear +1 war razor, ring of protection +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, wand of speak with dead (19 charges), ancestral reliquary (aberrant) [RPG Superstar 2009], hungry decapitant [Pathfinder #2 pg 26], 400gp onyx (for animate dead)
===== Ecology =====
Environment Any
Organization Always encountered with the Headless Caravan (100-400 zombies, 20-80 ogre zombies, 20-80 advanced mount variant carrion golems [Pathfinder #7 pg 78], 11-20 advanced ghouls, 3-8 advanced flesh golems, Melora Ulak, and Sartel herself)
Treasure Standard coins, double goods, and standard items. Products of a god of nobility, Sartel's minions are compelled to hoard luxury items in the caravan as a form of offering to the master.
===== Special Abilities =====
Acidic Ray (Su) Sartel can fire an acidic ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The acidic ray deals 1d6+4 damage.
Long Limbs (Ex) Sartel's reach is 10 feet when making a melee touch attack. This does not increase her threatened area.
Mimicry (Ex) Sartel can mimic the sounds of any animal found along the path of the Headless Caravan.
Unusual Anatomy (Ex) There is a 25% chance that Sartel will ignore any critical hit or sneak attack directed at her.
Weakness (Su) Sartel can weaken a foe by making a melee touch attack as a standard action. If she hits, the foe must make a DC 21 [+10 base, +4 half of monstrous humanoid hit dice, +5 cha, +2 Ability Focus] Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of Strength damage.

Arcane Poison (Metamagic)
You can imbue your damaging spells with a deadly arcane venom.
Benefit: Upon gaining this feat choose one ability score (strength, dexterity, etc.). Any creature taking damage from an arcane poison spell takes 1d4 points of temporary ability score damage to the chosen ability immediately and another 1d4 points of temporary ability score damage 1 minute later. Each instance of damage can be negated by making a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 + base spell level + spellcasting ability score modifier). Spells that do not deal damage are not affected by arcane poison. Creatures that are immune to poison are immune to the arcane poison. An arcane poison spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new ability score. You can, however, apply arcane poison multiple times to the same spell, so long as each application affects a separate ability score.

I thought the Flesh Peddler was a great name, I can see that on the cover of a module.

Thanks to everyone that voted for me and who gave me feed back. I just finished up my Round 3 entry and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you agian.

-The Twitching King

Yes.

I went with
Gulga Cench

Count Falonbridge

The Peddler

and Sartel Bollen

This is awesome. I can see this villain in Korvosa all ready. When the voting is over you should tale us if you had a city in mind when you wrote Gulga up. I think most people just think Korvosa because it goes with all the flavor from the Crimson books. You got my vote.

-The Twitching King

I'm excited too. Its like I'm in a dungeon and I know there are 32 bad mo-fo down here; Knights of Cydonia just starting playing in the back ground and I'm pretty sure I'm not living through this.

It's so funny that I've never really liked trying to be a rules lawyer, but as I get ready for Round 3 I realized I should have be trying harder all these years.

I see this as a clockwork item. It make's it more real in my head that way. Creepy too. I wound name mine and train it on how to grab door handles so I could answer the door with out getting up.

I have no problem with you or anyone else wanting to draw up my villian; or item for that matter. I might even try my hand at some of the villains if I get a minute.

Do you want to post them in this tread?

First, let me thank you. I am surprised as I am honored. Having publishers, designers, and my peers even wanting to talk about something I wrote seems unreal to me.

Not exceeding the 200 word mark was really the main wall to climb for me. This is a flavor heavy item that I wanted to use to scare, freak out, and worry my players with. I knew the flavor would be the selling point, not what the item actually did, so some of the much needed space needed to be set aside for those details. There is a lot of scare stuff in D&D that people that have been playing the game for twenty plus years don't see as horror any more. In a world were you are must likely to fight something undead every couple of level I believe there needs to be more elements to set your characters ill at ease. Even if something not dieing don't scream horror anymore, your own body turning against you always will.

As for the questions, I do realize a simple "acts like the prying eyes spell" or “the eyes have the same stats as the eyes from the prying eyes spell” would of subdued most of them and should have been inserted somewhere within.

The 1d12 rounds of stunning is more of a flavor additive, meant to happen when the school of eyes finally comes forth from the body. I want the player to feel violated and to think their own insides are betraying them. Adding this mechanic forces the DM to tell that part of the story, so even in a non role-playing heavy party you still get a PC feeling like they're Jeff Goldblum from the Fly. Though the stunning most likely will not happen in combat, it adds to what the participant's will take away for that night's session.
As for the cost, this is why I made it so cheap but please let me know what you think. The eyes act as the eyes from the prying eyes spell, so they only have one hit point. So any area of effect spell, save for half or not, will most likely snuff out your magic item for 1d4 days. So in most cases you will only have the item for the first half of dungeon and rarely for any boss fight.

Though it is unclear in the entry the player does go through the stunning every time the eyes are reborn. And I would personal play out that the "host" is sickened and in pain the 1d4 days to add to the whole "there's aliens inside you" theme, as there should be a price for free spells even if it's just from a role playing stand point. Forcing actual sicken negatives to stats though would be too much because the eye fish will be dieing all the time, so your character would be sickened all the time. If you wanted to just spring the stunning on the player out of no where though, that could be equally scary. Like a swimming eyeball heartache.

As for the Charisma loss, I myself didn't see it that way. In Korvosa, every student wizard has an imp on there shoulder. The improve familiar feat lets you have little men made out of mud and sticks. Children in Golarion can have creepy soulbound dolls under their arm. None of which make anyone loss Charisma. So why would an eyeball fish?

I just wanted to say thank you again. I would love to here what you have to say, good or bad. Either way it will help me understand this item better. Thank you.

I like the Purple Dragons from the Dragon Compendion Vol. 1. They're like Red Dragons but more James Dean.

I was looking around, but couldn't find the answer...
Will the villain be show before the voting starts. I work a lot of crazy hours and am wondering if I will have time to read them all.

So is there any official word on if links to pictures are allowed? A buddy of mine drew up a picture of my villain and he wanted to know if he could put the link up and let people see it.

So... I didn't expect to get to round 2 at all and had nothing made up when they told me. I'm on night shift right now working 6pm to 6am... this week has really put the hammer to me.

Grats on everyone making it this far. I can't wait so see what you all have came up with.

This is awesome... awesome.

Sartel Bollen, Mistress of the Headless Caravan
Green Hag Sorcerer 9/Fighter 1

Background
Long ago an escaped slave and gladiator named Sartel fled Sedeq and entered the jungle valleys of the Zho Mountains. In the wilderness, through starvation and ignorance, she consumed poisonous Blackworm berries. As she lay dying with Blackworm sickness burrowing through her organs, snakes approached her and began to speak - they offered life in exchange for favors met. Sartel accepted their offer and serpent fangs pierced her flesh, their venom curing her and filling her mind with forgotten knowledge. That information led her to overgrown ruins and caverns deep within the mountains. Within the bowels of the earth she found the serpent head of Ydersius, and it began to bend her to his will.

Appearance
Over months of bonding with Ydersius, Sartel's body had changed. Her youthful beauty is still present but twisted. A hag's blackened teeth taints her smile. Her yellow eyes hide under a veil of hair knotted in greasy locks. She is adorned with trinkets and small skulls. She is filthy. Her ragged gladiator armor fits her poorly, but the thick iron gorget and pauldrons are well kept and in place. She often pats her snicker-snack war razor against her thigh.

Mounted sidesaddle on a headless zebra she is followed by hordes of decapitated servants, an army she has gathered to escort the god-head to its body. Rhinos, jackals, and rats march with men and ogres. Crows flock with vultures in the hundreds. None bare a head, but all are compelled by Ydersius to serve Sartel. With no mouths everything is eerily quiet. The stench of rot is overwhelming. Heads of scholars hang from her saddle ready to supply knowledge and offer council.

Motivations
Sartel's overall goal is to deliver Ydersius' head to his body. She collects the heads of scholars of the darklands and places them as offerings to Ydersius at his altar in the center of her caravan. The
god-head, in his turn, subsumes their knowledge into his own and reanimates their headless corpses as his servants to join the ranks of Sartel's army.

Plot Hooks
A score of decapitated monkeys deliver an ultimatum from Sartel to Xerbystes II. She demands the head of the Mouthpiece of Gurat (one of the last oracles and prophets) or they forfeit the farms and villages lining the Zho Mountains. Outraged, Xerbystes contacts heroes to terminate this brazen villain.

Snakefolk clerics of Ydersius, searching for Sartel, are encountered by the PCs. Needing their presence above the darklands to remain secret, the zealots try to slay the PCs. After the battle the PCs discover journals telling of the discovery of Ydersius' head and the impending doom of the world once it's reattached to his body.

One of the PCs stops by their childhood home to find the village full of headless zombies. A path, trampled by thousands of shuffling feet, leads away from the village and into the mountains.

I put my in an hour ago, but my name is not on your list. I'll go do it agian.

I truly believe that most Middle-Earth type settings need more Lovecraft/Clive Baker type horror elements in them, so that's what I went for.
A 3rd level commoner should fear going into the forest alone and most magic should have some negatives with their positives.
As for some of the comments... well I'm not as deep into the scene as most and I have no idea what gonzo means. Though I'm guessing it is something like "weird".

School of Eyes
Aura moderate divination CL 10th
Slot - ; Price 95,000gp ; Weight -

DESCRIPTON
This item first appears as a syrupy potion with an eyeball floating within. Once drunk a school of floating fish with large eyes for heads protrude from the drinker's body within 1d4 days. This process is very painful and stuns the drinker for 1d12 rounds. Once “born” these eyes hover near their parent host at all times, allowing them to see through their eyes, granting their parent the ability to see in all directions.
The parent of the school gains a +10 competence bonus on Perception checks. They also retain their Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed, and they cannot be flanked.
Eyes may also be sent out scouting, as per the prying eyes spell three times per day. Any situation that effects the parent's sights can effect the eye school as well; such as darkness, magical light, or fog. An eye that is destroyed is reborn in 1d4 days. The school my be released by the host at will, though once released they can not be returned.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Brew Potion, prying eyes, unseen servant, a humanoid eye Cost 47,500gp

Was there a reason the Four Horsemen were left out of this book?

I just started running the Crimson Throne adventure path and of course I'm using the Guide to Korvosa as an aid, but there are some things I cannot find. For one is laws, and I know that they were not written down in form so the GM could use want he needed when he saw fit, but I think there are some that I think should be announced formally.
Like is slavery outlawed in Korvosa?
Is it illegal to go into the sewers?
and stuff like that.

I alway describe the mimic as a T-1000 type monster, not the silly cartoon woody-wood picker version that comes to mind right away. I think that most pictures of the mimic don't help get away from that cartoon image that naturally comes to mind either. It's a treaty monster to draw without that comical edge to it.

Well the Absalom source book will be out next month... so hopefully that can put some light on this for the drunken faithful.

A small question. Where could I find the name of the bar and what city that bar is in that Cayden Cailcan was in when he agreed to go to take the test of the Starstone? I believe a pilgrimage is in order.

Will each order of Hellknights have their own style of armor? Like the the face of the breast plate of the order of the nail and the alien four eyed helm of the law-enforcer here.

... only serves flat Diet Coke at his parties.

Oh, cool, I didn't know that they were a monster in that book. Thank you.

Where can I find out more about minotaurs in Golarion? They are one of my favorite races and I don't think I'm seen them done right and any game setting. Will they be large size or medium? I say do both. You can do two minotaurs, you can even do three or more. Ox head, goat head, bison... each with it's own society, in their own part of the world. A good alignment one would be great for players. You could have it as all males of the race naturaly don't get along, giving plenty of reason for the smaller and younger minotaurs to wonder the land until they feel they are big or smart enough to go home and face the bull leader. Like a lions pride maybe.

I don't think it has to be spiders; but they need something besides just jet black skin. With there being less pin points to race based gods in the Pathfinder setting, some type of folk lore needs to be widely known about drow to make them as scary and feared by low level commoners as they fully should be. Maybe just demon and chaos worship in general, but have them rejected by Lamashtu. Norgorber portfolio also fits them well. And please, don't be scared to put a thin coat of Lovecraft on it; maybe with and Egyptian hook where the main goal of their society is to summon or hunt good and lawful outsiders to drink their blood.