So I've seen the divine art in the blog. And brudda, it is divine. But it got me to thinking. Between lillends, succubi, and erinyes, you know what this game's bestiary is missing? Where's the LG version?
We consider love a good thing, an important thing, and every culture has an enormous number of rules and traditions surrounding it. Many people would say that real love isn't dirty (erinyes), it isn't dangerous lust (succubi), and it isn't always blazing, reckless passion (lillends). It can be a source of deep, quiet contentment, and visible beauty as well.
A community with strong morals regarding sex and marriage, a rich tradition of courting and romance and abiding family ties, is a community resilient in the face of enormous shocks. It's one that will be happy and healthy. And that's exactly the kind of community Erastil likes. So here's an angel that stands up for the sacrament of matrimony, for lifelong love, by giving us an eternal example of fidelity rich with love, sex, friendship, and family. In fact, it's such an important job, here's two, and maybe someone will be inspired to draw us a picture of the happy couple.
(This is my first attempt at a creature writeup with the Pathfinder system, so comments are appreciated.)
FIDELES
A fidele usually appears to be a towering human, though other races are not unknown, with the antlers of a deer, elk, antelope, or similar creature, and deep, dark eyes. Male or female, they are gentle in mien and physically impressive, usually quite attractive: strong, healthy, vibrant with the life of the natural world. They are almost always encountered in married pairs promoted from petitioners among Erastil's faithful. This origin means some fideles have attributes rearranged from those presented here; for example, in a pair one often carries a pair of light weapons for melee combat while the other carries Erastil's signature longbow and switches the Str and Dex attributes.
Erastil charges fideles with exhorting mortals to respect the bonds of marriage and enjoy it to the fullest when it is achieved. Their feelings for their spouse are deep, joyful, and often on unabashed display. They assist licit lovers that face obstacles and punish adulterers, rapists and other offenders against love. Shelyn is also known to call upon them for these missions, while they are often demurely aghast at the behavior of Calistria and her faithful.
Fideles often advance as rangers, taking as a favored enemy either outsiders (evil) or mortals similar to the humanoid form they bear, the companion-bond version of hunter's bond, and the combat style that favors feats they already have. A few become clerics of Erastil.
Fideles (singular, Fidele) CR 7
LG Large Outsiders (Angel, Extraplanar, Good, Lawful)
Initiative: +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft, Listen +13, Spot +13
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AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural)
HP 45 (7d8+14)
Fort +7 (+11 versus poison), Ref +8, Will +8
DR 10/evil; immune electricity, petrification; Resist fire 10; SR 18
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Speed: 40 ft.
Melee Short sword +11 (1d8+5/19–20) or
Ranged Composite Longbow +9 (2d6+5/x3)
Full Attack: Melee Short sword +9/+4 (1d8+5/19–20) and short sword +9/+4 (1d8+2/19–20) or
Ranged Composite Longbow +9/+7 (2d6+5/x3)
Special Attacks: Charge +11 (1d8+7)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd):
At-will: Guidance, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Stabilize
1/day: Bless, Detect Evil, Protection from Evil, Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds
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Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +7, Grp +11
Feats: Run, (Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting) or (Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot)
Skills: Acrobatics +15, Climb +15, Craft (any one) +14 or Profession (any one) +13, Diplomacy +16, Heal +13, Knowledge (nature) +12, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Survival +17
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal
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Environment: Heaven
Organization: Mated pair
Treasure: Standard
Advancement: By character class; Favored Class (ranger)
Level Adjustment: +6
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Special Abilities:
A fidele’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned and good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Ever Touching (Su): All fideles wear wedding bands, some ornate and some simple, that are part of them and connect them to their mate. They are constantly aware of their mate's state as per the status spell. Wounds are shared equally by the two fideles, with injury rounded up. Any baneful effect that would lower the hit points of a fidele, such as negative levels, Constitution damage, or other effect must first overcome any relevant spell resistance or saves from both fideles, but if it does so it affects both fideles equally. For example, both fideles must fail a save versus poison, but if they do, the poison affects both. Vice versa, if one fidele makes a continuing save against poison or disease, both have saved. If removed, the bands are useless (a fidele never will, and when a pair of fideles is slain, the bands cease to function; the rings are useful only as particularly foul trophies).
To my Lover's Side (Sp): If separated from its mate, a fidele can use plane shift and greater teleport both once per day to the plane and immediate physical vicinity of their mate.
Unshakeable Fidelity (Su): No mind-affecting effect whatsoever can cause a fidele to act against the interests of its mate as it would rationally understand them.
Alternate Form (Su): At will, a fidele may change between its humanoid form and the form of a deer, elk, or antelope -- whatever species of animal its horns specify. They may also change into medium specimens of whatever humanoid species they appear as.
Tongues (Su): Fideles can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 18th). This ability is always active.
Memory (Ex): Unusually for ex-petitioners, fideles fully remember their time as mortals unless later effects damage their memories. Erastil is a very old god; some fideles have memories of ancient histories indeed.
Skills: Fideles have a +4 bonus on Survival checks.
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I'm not really good at stat blocks so I can't comment on that, but the concept and your description is GREAT. Committed relationships aren't really a fantasy staple, but it's certainly something any society is going to encourage so it's only right that the gods would support it. ANd you've managed to make it both powerful and sexy. Bravo.
Since you have listed the three evil versions, you could spin that around. The Greek philosophers defined 3 types of Love: Spiritual, Brotherly, and Physical (Agape, Platonic, and Erotic, IIRC). Why not representatives of each of those aspects?
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Nice! I'm imagining woodcarvings of these folks being given as gifts/good luck charms/WARNINGS to young couples in traditional rural communities.
Thinking about it further, with just a splash of Egyptian flavor these would work great as servants of Isis, as she has traditionally been portrayed in D&D.
Two things though:
Lillendi really aren't(or at least weren't) about sex. They're champions of art/muses. In the original Planescape fluff, they actually reproduced parthenogenically!
And hey, Trumpet Archons are kinda hot! In a planetar sort of way.("Bald and green" seems to be a theme with the Upper Planes for some reason. Anyone have any idea where it came from?)
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Bravo.
I'll offer some opinions/observations:
- I find the race interesting and strange for being simultaneously nature-oriented and lawfully-aligned. I don't see this often.
- The 'Ever-Touching' ability should probably state that damage is "split", rather than "shared", OR "halved, then shared". The bit about "particularly foul trophies" is just awesome - the kind of awesome that inspires instant sub-plots in the minds of DMs.
- I would have loved a small paragraph covering how one might cope with the loss of it's mate through imprisonment (they are lawful, after all) or other extreme means (such as being trapped within an anti-magic field, perhaps). The 'To My Lover's Side' ability might transport one to a mate, but they might not use the ability if trespassing or risking their mate's well-being.
- 'Unshakeable Fidelity' is great, but whenever I read the words 'mind-affecting effect', I beat a kitten to death with a puppy. (Who started this?) ...I digress. I would offer this text as an alternative:
Unshakeable Fidelity (Su): No fidele of sound mind would act against the interests of it's mate, and all attempts to magically influence such behavior automatically fail after their execution.
- The 'Memory' ability could benefit from a bonus to knowledge(history) and the +4 to Survival should probably be listed under skills in the template. Probably as 'Survival +x (+4 racial)'.
This is just some stuff I noticed. I love the concept - thanks for sharing it.
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Ever Touching (Su): All fideles wear wedding bands, some ornate and some simple, that are part of them and connect them to their mate. They are constantly aware of their mate's state as per the status spell. Wounds are shared equally by the two fideles, with injury rounded up. Any baneful effect that would lower the hit points of a fidele, such as negative levels, Constitution damage, or other effect must first overcome any relevant spell resistance or saves from both fideles, but if it does so it affects both fideles equally. For example, both fideles must fail a save versus poison, but if they do, the poison affects both. Vice versa, if one fidele makes a continuing save against poison or disease, both have saved. If removed, the bands are useless (a fidele never will, and when a pair of fideles is slain, the bands cease to function; the rings are useful only as particularly foul trophies).
I love this ability; it makes for more resilient creatures, without having to overload them with unnecessary Hit Dice and immunities.
The concept is a very evocative one, and one not often seen. I like them, and would be tempted to use them. The suggestions below are merely to make them run smoother during play, and head off any problem situations.
I would suggest that hit point damage split be rounded down, as is the common assumption for all rounding (see the Shield Other spell).
Once reduced to negative hp, would both make separate stabilisation checks? Using the core 'round-down' rules, this means this damage would not be split. It also allows for the possibility of one surviving, and the other, not.
It could use a wording that baneful effects, if both saves are failed 'affect both fideles equally and fully'. I'm assuming that was your intent?
What effects would cures have? Would healing also be split? What about restorations, remove poison, and other removal of baneful effects? Would aiding one automatically have the same effect as making a successful recovery save on the other?
I am assuming that both partners could have their own base hp total, which could differ? I know that the temptation, in written adventures, is to use the standard stat array, and average hp rolls, which would ensure that both would drop at the exact same moment. But it could lead to interesting moral quandary, if one, tougher, partner were to survive the other. What would be the effect of that? Would it wither and die? Would it fall from grace, by going on a orgy of vengeance? Would it contemplate taking another mate? What if there were a chance the deceased could be returned to life? (I believe all such possibilities are non-OGC).
Thank you for all the kind comments! I'm glad people enjoy the idea.
Ever Touching is definitely a tricky ability. It's intended that any cures, wounds, baneful spells, etc. are all shared. Wounds happen once and subtract from what might be considered a common pool of hit points. Disabled status and death would happen when the common pool hit the negative of Constitution for the weaker fidele. With a bit of editing, and adding in a note of thematic guidance for the GM, I think "Ever Touching" should be updated like this:
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Ever Touching (Su): All fideles wear wedding bands, some ornate and some simple, that are part of them and connect them to their spouse. In many ways, they are one being. They are constantly aware of their mate's state as per the status spell. The pair share a single pool of totaled hit points which is affected by any wounds or cures either receives; when this pool is 0, both fideles are disabled, and the boundary between dying and dead is set by the lower of the two Constitutions. Any other baneful effect that would lower the hit points of a fidele, such as negative levels, Constitution damage, or other effect must first overcome any relevant spell resistance, magical defenses, or saves from both fideles, but if it does so it affects both fideles equally and fully. For example, both fideles must fail a save versus poison, but if they do, the poison affects both; if an enervation spell is failed by both fideles, it affects both with the same number of lost levels, and the total number of hit dice lost is subtracted from the common pool. Vice versa, if one fidele makes a stabilization check or a continuing save against poison or disease, both are safe.
The GM should adjudicate any unusual effects with an eye toward maintaining the shared status of the fideles. If their wedding bands are removed, by theft or violence, the more precise status effect is suspended but the shared life is not. The bands are useless to others: a fidele will never remove theirs willingly, and when a pair of fideles is slain, the bands cease to function; the rings are useful only as particularly foul trophies. It might be theoretically possible to kill one fidele and not the other, but the task would be extremely tricky. It is just the sort of twisted experiment fiends enjoy trying, but to date, no such project is known to have met with success. Since a fidele without a spouse is not a fidele, speculation is either that they would return to petitioner status (and desperately seek powerful magic to restore their spouse to eternal life) or fall and become some flavor of fiend, likely an erinyes.
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The comments on Knowledge (history) and the skill block are sound; I'll alter these in my draft.
This dearly needs an illustration.
Great work, Jem! Most player created "monsters" are undead, aberrations and evil ousiders. Good outsiders really get the short end of the stick.
My group loves playing exalted games. We have a NG cleric of Shelyn/Apostle of Peace, a LG monk and a CG fey (petal) sorcerer. We are always looking for new creatures for planar allies and important NPC's. I'm already planning for how to bring a fidele into the game.
Thanks again!
By the way, wouldn't fideli be a better plural than fideles? (Just a suggestion here. Feel free to tell me to stick it where the sun don't shine.) :)
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That's an insanely cool critter. I am constantly impressed by the bursts of creativity that Erastil inspires on these boards.
I love the pooled hit points notion.
It does seem like the Fideles are a natural to have the Hive Mind benefit of not being able to be surprised or flanked if their partner isn't also flanked or surprised. (Unless you already put that in there and I didn't notice it.)
That's an insanely cool critter. I am constantly impressed by the bursts of creativity that Erastil inspires on these boards.
I love the pooled hit points notion.
It does seem like the Fideles are a natural to have the Hive Mind benefit of not being able to be surprised or flanked if their partner isn't also flanked or surprised. (Unless you already put that in there and I didn't notice it.)
Thank you all. (Chris, I was going off 'Adeste Fideles' but pronouncing it 'fidelz'. Unless Paizo cares to adopt them officially, hey, any plural that sounds good.)
To give credit where credit is due, I've seen the 'hit point pool' in other places, done various ways; one I can recall off the top of my head is legion devils from Fiendish Codex II. Likewise the Hive Mind concept, though I didn't include that here.
One of the most common nonstandard feats I've seen done up that wasn't added here is Improved Flanking. I'm sure fideles would be eager to take teamwork-oriented combat feats, if there were many.
Since you have listed the three evil versions, you could spin that around. The Greek philosophers defined 3 types of Love: Spiritual, Brotherly, and Physical (Agape, Platonic, and Erotic, IIRC). Why not representatives of each of those aspects?
Such an interpretation would only work if that is what love is like in the setting. Personally, I wouldn't have a setting like that though, since I personally can't see "Physical" being a form of love. In fact, outwith greek mythology I don't see many myths that ever portray lust as a good thing (though that may just be my own personal findings).
That and well...truthfully, I think lust should be considerd somthing evil in D'n'D, it's an emotion which sparks jealously, hate, and other petty emotions, mostly ones I see evil characters acting on more easily than good characters.
That said, I'm loving the concept, it's nice to see a roleplaying fantasy archtype revolving around love and devotion to a single person(Particularly since such a conceapt seems to be getting rarer. Seems most modern fantasy settings have some form of needless, gratiutious sexual conitations).
I also particularly like the Unshakable Fidelity ability, kinda brings my mind to fairy tale-esc fantasies where love is enough to break through even the darkest form of magic.
Though in terms of mechanics I might offer one or two more offensive abilities, such as the ability to maybe sense if an act of adultary or rape is happaning nearbye, or a smite-like ability which only works on those unfaithful.
I might make one or two abilities more powerful, considering that if one in any pair is killed the other seems to have little power for a 7HD outsider. Or maybe even grant them a revivify spell-like ability which only functions on their other half?
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Though in terms of mechanics I might offer one or two more offensive abilities, such as the ability to maybe sense if an act of adultary or rape is happaning nearbye, or a smite-like ability which only works on those unfaithful.
I might make one or two abilities more powerful, considering that if one in any pair is killed the other seems to have little power for a 7HD outsider. Or maybe even grant them a revivify spell-like ability which only functions on their other half?
I have to disagree with some of the above. But it leads to some interesting ideas...
I think that sensing nearby rape/adultery is plain weird and not very useful. Furthermore, some games will never even touch on this subject matter - especially those with younger players. On the other hand, having the ability to sense whether or not someone has been faithful to their significant other would fall in line with the angels' personalities and divine agendas.
As far as the second comment goes, I feel that the exact opposite is true of the fideles. I think that these creatures are more interesting and unique because they're less powerful without one another. And because they're sharing hit points, a curing ability is unnecessary.
The trumpet archon babes can wear chainmail bikinis, too!
Others have suggested this, but I think that angles aren't specified as male/female on purpose, because they are more egalitarian than demons (angels don't say "this rank can only be male, this can only be female). I also think a female solar would be pretty hot. Female hound archon, less so.
This is a cool creature just the same I'd use them.
Nice job. Why are they Large, though?
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I like this concept alot, though I have to agree with other posters that the creature's specialties might never come up in a game. Rape in a modern moral sense is abhorrent, but in some barbaric cultures it was part of the looting process. Plus orcs pretty much make all of their half orcs in this fashion. Would the race become a natural enemy of all orcs because of this?
LG monsters need more coverage and this is an excellent example. Bravo. Now put Wayne Reynolds on it!!
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Such an interpretation would only work if that is what love is like in the setting. Personally, I wouldn't have a setting like that though, since I personally can't see "Physical" being a form of love. In fact, outwith Greek mythology I don't see many myths that ever portray lust as a good thing (though that may just be my own personal findings).
That and well...truthfully, I think lust should be considerd something evil in D'n'D, it's an emotion which sparks jealously, hate, and other petty emotions, mostly ones I see evil characters acting on more easily than good characters.
myth stuff
Greek mythology isn't thick with positive tales of lust either.
Not because lust is wrong but because there's not much of a story in; "Two people found each other attractive and had sex which they enjoyed."
The social function of myths (a major aspect of these stories long term survival, by which they gain the glorious appellation of 'myth') is often cautionary and allegorical (ie. Narcissus: don't be too vain or you will waste your life).
It was early Greek philosophy, not myth, that identified these three categories of love. Historical classifications of love are complex and difficult for us to grasp because our societies contain assumptions about love (and what the word 'love' means) which other societies, especially those of another age, might not share.
Many people regard the origin of European 'romantic' love as occurring in the middle ages with 'Courtly Love'. We most often encounter the concept in French versions of Arthurian myths. These romances were pretty far from modern romance however, as they typically involved an un-married man and a married woman and were never physically consummated; their key feature was unrequited yearning.
So, if Modern Western notions of love post-date the Middle Ages, that means that all of our mythical sources exist outside of the modern idea of 'romantic love'.
More to the point: I don't generally see dnd classifying emotions as good or evil and I am glad of that.
I actually do not regard lust as innately evil and I am glad that the game is flexible enough to contain both of our contrasting viewpoints.
Some people might see 'rage' as a negative emotion - but I don't think that perspective should be reflected in the game by doing things like making all Barbarians evil.
More to the point: I don't generally see dnd classifying emotions as good or evil and I am glad of that.
I actually do not regard lust as innately evil and I am glad that the game is flexible enough to contain both of our contrasting viewpoints.
Some people might see 'rage' as a negative emotion - but I don't think that perspective should be reflected in the game by doing things like making all Barbarians evil.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that it's an emotion I can see evil character's acting more on, and there arequite a few emotions that can fall into that catagory.
And, not trying to go off topic, but I've never been a big fan of the "Anger" part of a barbarian's rage. I never liked how, in terms of fluff, it was always interpretated as "You get angry, take theses bonuses and off you go" especially since it's an ability the barbarin can use at his own discreation and has a limited number of uses.
For instance, what if the barbarian was to rage, using up all his rage points in normal combat, then in the very next encounater a character he deeply cares for is killed. If a barbarians rage is interpreated as simply "being angry", then according to the fluff it is impossible for the barbarian to enter a ferious rage (the emotion, not the mechanic) simply because he has already used up all his "anger".
Anyway, back to the topic. Well in any event, lust-associated outsiders already exist in the forms of Succubi and Inccubi. Remember that while D'n'D take's it's monsters from multiple sources, alot of the celestials, demons and devils come from biblical mythology, in which lust was always considered an evil and vile emotion.
Also, whilst a minor thing, from a gameplay point I can see lust being used as evil as well. Take for instance the creature shown in the OP. I can easily see plots using that monster where good-aligned PC's are asked to help find a Fidele's compaion, who cannot be found and, for some reason or another (possible due to Dimensional Lock), or possibly as a recurring villan should a party of evil PC's dispatch one member of a pair as part of another quest, cauasing the other to seek vengence.
A creature of lust, if used IG, I can only really see making use of the lust aspect to really do one thing - Lure a PC or NPC to work for their master. But using that type of control does, to an extend, seem evil to me, and it is the kind of thing you would expect from evil villans rather than someone good.
I can think of quite a few fantasies, sci-fis, or even lust normal stories in which the hero or an ally is lured to work with the villain by a lustful creature, but never one where the heroes of the tale conquear the villian by having an attractive person woo the villian and, in doing so, convince him to give up his evil plans.
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I'm still loving this thread. (and anticipating Jem's next draft)
I can say that the sub-plot I've been hammering out in my mind goes a little something like this, so far:
The players meet an NPC who has become infatuated with a fidele and has themselves believing they've fallen in love with the creature at first sight. The NPC is beside themselves emotionally after having just discovered the fidele has a lifelong mate. The PCs will be offered an exorbitant amount of money to help remedy the situation by discovering and executing a plan to kill the fidele's mate without implicating the NPC employer.
Alternatively, for much less cash, the PCs could attempt convincing the NPC it's never going to happen. ("How come every time I take you out you've got to fall in love with the most difficult person you can find?"... We all have awkward friends like this, right? Finally their stupidity comes in handy. lol)
(Zaister: Large is their native form; they'll probably often be encountered in either humanoid or animal form.)
Some concerns have been mentioned on where fideles would be used in a game. A few ideas:
* summonable entities (VII, perhaps) and planar allies, as mentioned above
* background plot elements; something for a nice young NPC couple to aspire to
* encounters on Mt. Celestia or with heralds of a suitable deity
Some adventure possibilities:
* CR 8 or so: a rich merchant or noblewoman (or man, sexes are fully interchangeable in setup) has disappeared after a series of violent incidents involving supernatural powers. The worried husband contacts the PCs. (Insert reason suitable to the party: you're friends of mine, if this is a previously-used NPC couple; we hear you're capable of handling a ruckus of this sort; etc.) Someone else is on her trail, too: one of a pair of fideles.
As it turns out, the lady was having a fling, and the other man was getting tired of waiting for her to find an excuse to divorce him, so he paid up for a devil to make her a widow, supposedly without her knowing. The wife, who was having second thoughts about the whole affair, is now seriously worried not only for her husband but that she might be implicated in devil-summoning and murder, and has fled.
The fideles' jobs are to get her back, protect the husband by defeating the devil, and repair the marriage, and the male of the pair has been tracking her through the wilderness. When the PCs find them, he senses that his wife, back protecting the husband, is being attacked, and returns to her side, leaving the PCs to bring the woman home. As an alternative lead-in, he may have found her but have to return, and finds that he and his spouse must stay, so he asks the PCs to go get the runaway, starting the search from where he had tracked her. (Wilderness obstacles and unrelated mishaps to taste.)
The PCs can also attempt to track down who the other man was. The devil is obligated to silence and the wife has enough shreds of sentiment to refuse to reveal him. The fideles would certainly like to know. (Between their craft skills and their humanoid shape, fideles can easily take up long-term roles as quiet watchers over a community.)
For extra fun if desired, the way the erinyes' orders are worded, if the wife moves to intervene in the struggle, she's a legitimate target ("any who stand in your way") and the devil can kill her off, massively enjoying the chance to betray her mortal employer so.
* Invasion of the Barbarian Housewives (CR varies by size of town and local lord's defenses): this small walled settlement is under siege by, apparently, several dozen barbarian women ranging from barely out of teenhood to the far side of middle age, all of whom are fully capable of riding and shooting with the best of them but not so great at laying sieges. They're demanding in the local tongue, as best they speak it, that the local chief give up his daughter. Naturally everyone is objecting to the outrageous request, and the daughter is being kept well out of sight.
In fact said daughter is quite ready grab a horse, ride off into the night and become a barbarian queen. The invaders are the wives of a current barbarian chief and several of their family members, and the girl has met one or two along with the husband when he previously journeyed to town on a trading jaunt. They quite liked her, too, and have come to release her from her fortress 'prison.' (Hubby is busy with the usual monster-eradication duties.) She's fine with being a later wife. Her father isn't fine with it, and furthermore by the laws of the town she's too young to wed, though she's no younger than one wife horsed outside the walls right now.
A female fidele is riding with the invaders as one of the support troops, but would rather see the situation resolved before bloodshed starts occurring. Her spouse is now in town seeking either someone with access to the local lord's social circle or some folks skilled at sneaking about to assist a breakout.
I'm still loving this thread. (and anticipating Jem's next draft)
As requested! Contains all the changes discussed in this thread so far, and cleans up some of the abilities' wording slightly:
FIDELES
A fidele usually appears to be a towering human, though other races are not unknown, with the antlers of a deer, elk, antelope, or similar creature, and deep, dark eyes. Male or female, they are gentle in mien and physically impressive, usually quite attractive: strong, healthy, vibrant with the life of the natural world. They are almost always encountered in married pairs promoted from petitioners among Erastil's faithful. This origin means some fideles have attributes rearranged from those presented here; for example, in a pair one often carries a pair of light weapons for melee combat while the other carries Erastil's signature longbow and switches the Str and Dex attributes.
Erastil charges fideles with exhorting mortals to respect the bonds of marriage and enjoy it to the fullest when it is achieved. Their feelings for their spouse are deep, joyful, and often on unabashed display. They assist licit lovers that face obstacles and punish adulterers, rapists and other offenders against love. Shelyn is also known to call upon them for these missions, while they are often demurely aghast at the behavior of Calistria and her faithful. Between their ability to take mortal shape and their usual skill with some normal profession, a pair of fideles can be a well-known part of a community for many years. Those who often move from one community to another or become more deeply involved with the affairs of mortals than with heavenly wars might replace some ranks in Knowledge (religion) with Knowledge (History).
Fideles often advance as rangers, taking as a favored enemy either outsiders (evil) or mortals similar to the humanoid form they bear, the companion-bond version of hunter's bond, and the combat style that favors feats they already have. A few become clerics of Erastil.
Fideles (singular, Fidele) CR 7
LG Large Outsiders (Angel, Extraplanar, Good, Lawful)
Initiative +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft, Listen +13, Spot +13
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AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural)
HP 45 (7d8+14)
Fort +7 (+11 versus poison), Ref +8, Will +8
DR 10/evil; Immunities electricity, petrification; Resist fire 10; SR 18
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Speed: 40 ft.
Melee Short sword +11 (1d8+5/19–20) or
Ranged Composite Longbow +9 (2d6+5/x3)
Full Attack: Melee Short sword +9/+4 (1d8+5/19–20) and short sword +9/+4 (1d8+2/19–20) or
Ranged Composite Longbow +9/+7 (2d6+5/x3)
Special Attacks: Charge +11 (1d8+7)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd):
At-will: Guidance, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Stabilize
1/day: Bless, Detect Evil, Protection from Evil, Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds
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Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +7, Grp +11
Feats: Run, (Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting) or (Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot)
Skills: Acrobatics +15, Climb +15, Craft (any one) +14 or Profession (any one) +13, Diplomacy +16, Heal +13, Knowledge (nature) +12, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Survival +17
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal
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Environment: Heaven
Organization: Mated pair
Treasure: Standard
Advancement: By character class; Favored Class (ranger)
Level Adjustment: +6
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Special Abilities:
A fidele’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned and good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Ever Touching (Su): All fideles wear wedding bands, some ornate and some simple, that are part of them and connect them to their spouse. In many ways, they are one being. They are constantly aware of their mate's state as per the status spell. The pair share a single pool of totaled hit points which is affected by any wounds or cures either receives; when this pool is 0, both fideles are disabled, and the boundary between dying and dead is set by the lower of the two Constitutions. Any other baneful effect that would lower the hit points of a fidele, such as negative levels, Constitution damage, or other effect must first overcome any relevant spell resistance, magical defenses, or saves from both fideles, but if it does so it affects both fideles equally and fully. For example, both fideles must fail a save versus poison, but if they do, the poison affects both; if an enervation spell is failed by both fideles, it affects both with the same number of lost levels, and the total number of hit dice lost is subtracted from the common pool. Vice versa, if one fidele makes a stabilization check or a continuing save against poison or disease, both are safe.
The GM should adjudicate any unusual effects with an eye toward maintaining the shared status of the fideles. If their wedding bands are removed, by theft or violence, the more precise status effect is suspended but the shared life is not. The bands are useless to others: a fidele will never remove theirs willingly, and when a pair of fideles is slain, the bands cease to function. The rings are useful only as particularly foul trophies. It might be theoretically possible to kill one fidele and not the other, but the task would be extremely tricky. It is just the sort of twisted experiment fiends enjoy trying, but to date, no such project is known to have met with success. Since a fidele without a spouse is not a fidele, speculation is either that they would return to petitioner status (and desperately seek powerful magic to restore their spouse to eternal life) or fall and become some flavor of fiend, likely an erinyes.
To my Lover's Side (Sp): If separated from its mate, a fidele can use plane shift and greater teleport both once per day to the plane and immediate physical vicinity of their mate.
Unshakeable Fidelity (Su): No magic, charm or other effect whatsoever can cause a fidele to act against the interests of its mate as it would rationally understand them.
Alternate Form (Su): At will, a fidele may change between its humanoid form and the form of a deer, elk, or antelope -- whatever species of animal its horns specify. They may also change into normal-sized specimens of whatever humanoid species they appear as.
Tongues (Su): Fideles can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a [i]tongues[/i[ spell (caster level 18th). This ability is always active.
Memory (Ex): Unusually for ex-petitioners, fideles fully remember their time as mortals unless later effects damage their memories. Erastil is a very old god; some fideles have memories of ancient histories indeed. Older fideles have +4 to Knowledge (History) checks.
Skills: Fideles have a +4 bonus on Survival checks included in the statistics above.
I like the idea of the Fideles. Press onward!! The ability to share/pool damage has potential beyond these creatures though. Seems like it could be a generic power as well for other creatures. The rings, though, are the focus of the ability in the Fideles.
One minor thought....
They assist licit lovers that face obstacles and punish adulterers, rapists and other offenders against love.
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Perhaps the Fideles have a streak of mercy as well? Offering counsel to those who are contemplating illicit love and/or redemptive quests to those who have offended?
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Anyway, back to the topic. Well in any event, lust-associated outsiders already exist in the forms of Succubi and Inccubi. Remember that while D'n'D take's it's monsters from multiple sources, alot of the celestials, demons and devils come from biblical mythology, in which lust was always considered an evil and vile emotion.
Also, whilst a minor thing, from a gameplay point I can see lust being used as evil as well. Take for instance the creature shown in the OP. I can easily see plots using that monster where good-aligned PC's are asked to help find a Fidele's companion, who cannot be found and, for some reason or another (possible due to Dimensional Lock), or possibly as a recurring villain should a party of evil PC's dispatch one member of a pair as part of another quest, cauasing the other to seek vengeance.
A creature of lust, if used IG, I can only really see making use of the lust aspect to really do one thing - Lure a PC or NPC to work for their master. But using that type of control does, to an extend, seem evil to me, and it is the kind of thing you would expect from evil villains rather than someone good.
I can think of quite a few fantasies, sci-fis, or even lust normal stories in which the hero or an ally is lured to work with the villain by a lustful creature, but never one where the heroes of the tale conquer the villain by having an attractive person woo the villain and, in doing so, convince him to give up his evil plans.
In terms of a plot hook, lust is going to be a negative, because 90% of adventures involve PCs setting right something that has gone bad. However, I am happy, as a DM, to occasionally use a cheerful bit of lust as a PC reward.
My players also understand lust and so I can use it (alongside much other stuff) to set up NPC relationships and give them a sense of the world they inhabit.
I suppose a similar example might be pride - I appreciate how taking pride in family or work (as long as it's not overweening pride) can be a good thing but if it's part of the mcguffin to get my players climbing the Mountain Of Stroppy Dragons then it'll probably be a negative manifestation of pride...
Anyway, I forgot to say - awesome creature!
Perhaps the Fideles have a streak of mercy as well? Offering counsel to those who are contemplating illicit love and/or redemptive quests to those who have offended?
For the redemption quests tt would depend on the offensive. Forgivness for such things can't be given by the Fidele's, they would nned be forgiven by the person wronged to really considered themselves "Redemmed".
Just had a thought I wanted to share:
LG already has "Hotties": We know them as Paladins.
LG are often perceived as being rather firm in the "stuffed shirt" department. Evil creatures, especially seductive ones (succubi/incubi, erinyes, various and asundry NPCs), tend to be (subconsciously?) associated with a "broad willingness to get nasty".
A few stray thoughts about the Lust issue. Some of them inspired by Runelords, so I'll put them in spoiler tags (but it's not much in terms of actual spoiling, but I'm erring on the side of caution):
Out of that source material, my own interpretation of the fall of the Thassalonians was that the Runelords came to the conclusion that it was easier to harvest the negative than it is to cultivate the positive. (And perhaps the dragons and other outre entities that gave Xin rune magic to begin with understood that, and they saw the corruption of the Empire as inevitable when they did it- but that is a side track)
But, I reasoned, the positive must have it's own benefits, just like the negative. The thought that came to mind was that the positive is self-renewing and self-sustaining. Love and fidelity is a renewing source of power and energy. While the energy of Lust consumes like fire, leaving destroyed material behind and eventually petering out without additional fuel.
Fusion versus fission, if you like.
I don't know if the Editors would agree with me and it's fine if they don't, but for my own campaign, I view it as the application of the rune magic that carries with it the positive or negative. That is, for all their inhuman power, the Runelords took the easy way out. It was just too much trouble to nuture the positive, because sin requires no discipline and effort. We hear again and again in our culture that "it is hard to make a stand" it is "difficult to the right thing", but so easy "just to give in."
Hell, the Emperor preaches the same perspective in Star Wars. Give in to the hate, because it's strong and it's easy. Obi-Wan makes it all sound like hard work. Runelords are selfish creatures, and each successor is just as weak and flawed as the one they replace.
Anyway.. this doesn't have much to do with these neat creatures Jem has come up with.. but they were a few thoughts on Lust and Sin that I was compelled to share.
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A few stray thoughts about the Lust issue. Some of them inspired by Runelords, so I'll put them in spoiler tags (but it's not much in terms of actual spoiling, but I'm erring on the side of caution):
** spoiler omitted **...
Watcher
those are really interesting notions, really interesting oens, and so true
Iomedians feel offended by this topic's tittle, but we approve its idea..
beginning... we would pursue a crusade agaisn those who believe that "hottie" and LG are mutually explusive... please first look at our goddess... and surelly we will have some LG Valkyries in the near future :D
Again I point out that with the charisma paladins have and the fact that they must be LG, it seems the natural conclusion that the Paladin is the LG Hottie.
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I don't know if the Editors would agree with me and it's fine if they don't, but for my own campaign, I view it as the application of the rune magic that carries with it the positive or negative.
That's all sorts of awesome, and fits in with the notion that there isn't such a thing as a 'bad emotion' or a 'good emotion.' Yoda's feeble black and white logic aside, there's stuff in this world that it's very right and appropriate to fear, or to be angry at, or to hate, and there are times when love leads to stalking and obsession and possessiveness, and hope leads to people spending their food money on lottery tickets...
Thank you Set and Montalve!
I take your compliment as high praise, as I always enjoy your own posts.
Yoda's feeble black and white logic aside,
Heh. I had to work on this. You know you've undergone a mental shift when you think first "Yoda8myhead" and then second, "Oh, yeah, the original Yoda."
Since you have listed the three evil versions, you could spin that around. The Greek philosophers defined 3 types of Love: Spiritual, Brotherly, and Physical (Agape, Platonic, and Erotic, IIRC). Why not representatives of each of those aspects?Such an interpretation would only work if that is what love is like in the setting. Personally, I wouldn't have a setting like that though, since I personally can't see "Physical" being a form of love. In fact, outwith greek mythology I don't see many myths that ever portray lust as a good thing (though that may just be my own personal findings).
That and well...truthfully, I think lust should be considerd somthing evil in D'n'D, it's an emotion which sparks jealously, hate, and other petty emotions, mostly ones I see evil characters acting on more easily than good characters.
Physical Love does not mean lust. Lust is negative because it is in excess. As Plato says, it becomes evil when that physical desire, overrides the person's rational beliefs and becomes Lust. But the physical desire in and of it self promotes a healthy relationship when in correct doses.
That healthy does is Passion which is physical love, but can be positive assuming it does not override good sense and become lust. There is a difference there.
In terms of setting, I do not see why there cannot be an culture of emphasizing passion and still be positive. A society/being of 'free love' for instance. Not all will agree with it, but it certainly doesn't have to be evil. It could have a system of beliefs based around removing those negative emotions (jealousy, bitterness etc) from the physical aspect of love.
As for physical love only inspiring negative emotions, I think you are really wrong here. How many myths have the Hero charging out to save the 'beautiful' maiden. And that her beauty/radiance/loveliness inspired him to greatness. It can be superficial, but it is definately present in myths of all cultures.
I have seen dnd plot hooks that involve a PC's lover, instead of love. They seem to work just fine. I have seen subplots involving pc's attempting to woo a potential lover (usually by some great deed). It depends on the GM and the Players.
hmmm...the "Anti-succubus" sounds interesting.
the word Succubus comes from the latin words: sub(under) and cubo(to lay), so succubus literally means "one who lies under"
since there are some occasions where succubi fall in love with the one they are "draining" I think that the opposite of succubi should originate from the succubus itself, possibly becoming the "anti-succubus" once the succubus falls inlove with her prey
now an ANTI-succubus would be called an Etiamora "devoted to the on beside them"
The Etiamora are the physical manifestation of one's love and devotion to their partner. they come from Succubi who discover the blessings of love for someone and the resulting affection from that special person they had come to have feelings for. Etiamora are characterized by smooth glowing skin of lavender that changes intensity depending on the amount of love shared between them and their partners. their hair is long and silver, with golden feathers weaved within it.
The Etiamora have no definitive shape or size due to them originally being succubi, so they retain the appearance they initally used to seduce their partner. the only differences are their skin color is a glowing lavender, their horns are now golden streams of feathers; their bat-like wings are now 6 radiant angel wings which can radiate a very powerful light capable of inflicting a few effects depending on the situation.
I'll draw a picture and come up with a stat block soon, but here are a few abilities I thought up
Dawn of Love(evocation): the enemy must roll 1d% + 1d6 if they do not match or best a roll of 60 + your characters constitution they are stunned for 1d4 round following this shaken for 1d6 rounds. the penalty for shaken doubles for CE creatures
The Longevity of Partnership(necromany):
one of the greatest gifts that can be given, your Etiamora bestows you with the gift of extra life, and the effects of aging no longer affect you. the player may roll 4d12, multiply the sum of this number by 10, this is how many extra years you may live
e.g. 4, 12 ,9, 5= 30 * 1= 300 extra years and the negative effects of aging do not affect you
Unyielding dedication: at the start of the dayn roll a d6+2 the outcome is how many extra full actions you have for the day, if the outcome is 8 then you also gain the ability to cast Cure Critical Wounds once a day as 5th level caster, regardless of your current class.
Power of Love as a result of being paired with an Etiamora, you gain one extra HD toward damage rolls
e.g if your regular HD is 2d6 it is now 3d6
does not work for spells aside from healing.
