[Alluria Publishing] Just in Time for Halloween!

[Emberion]

Alluria Publishing released the Pathfinder RPG version of the Obitu PC race. Come, warm your bones by the fire.

From the darkest corner, Lord Varquil the Lich plotted. Legions of his undead clashed with the holy power of the temple brethren yet again. The dreaded army of bone and blade lost yet again. This was but another defeat in a long series of losses, and Varquil needed to change his strategy. Martial quietus filled the land for nearly a century, and many assumed the old lich had finally met his maker. However, nothing could be further from the truth. A new breed was being developed: undead imbued with life—true life. The obitu were to be a life force as docile and obedient as his other minions with one marked difference; they were technically living, breathing entities. This made the obitu immune to turning and other pitfalls common to his other low level soldiers. Best of all, they shared the same visage as his favorite shock troops, the skeleton.

Created by infecting undead with an arcane disease, the numbers of obitu grew quickly to the thousands. As they marched towards the distant citadel, something else began to grow as well; their free will. By the time the temple bastion was in sight, many obitu already began to doubt the wisdom of serving an evil master. The worst defeat that Varquil ever suffered was at the hands of his own creation. The obitu rapidly converted to the goodly faith and became a bane to undead ever since. So wrap your boney fingers around that broadsword, march to the clatter of skeletal feet, and pull back that hood to reveal your undying smile.

[DitheringFool]

Got it - but a question: the product doesn't really talk about how undead see/treat obitu. I assume since they are living things undead don't treat them any differently, but according to their backstory, they managed to live amongst the ranks of undead and even fool the free-willed commanders and a lich.

Any comments or thoughts?

[Emberion]

DitheringFool wrote:

Got it - but a question: the product doesn't really talk about how undead see/treat obitu. I assume since they are living things undead don't treat them any differently, but according to their backstory, they managed to live amongst the ranks of undead and even fool the free-willed commanders and a lich.

Any comments or thoughts?

Well, you are right. Most undead can sense living creatures, and obitu show up on the radar as a living thing. For those that cannot, the obitu could possibly trick these undead into believing they were skeletons, perhaps with a minor disguise (obviously, most undead skeletons do not have glowing green eyes and normal adventuring equipment.) Undead likely fear obitu more than they do most creatures...both for their contagious nature and the reputation of the Grim Reapers.

As far as living amongst other undead...that was only during their creation...they didn't fool the lich, they were the creation of the lich. Varquil (the lich) designed the obitu to ignore and benefit from positive energy. Free-will was an unfortunate side-affect for their lich creator. By the time he figured out his creation was entirely free-willed, it was too late. Arrogance and preoccupation of the lich was likely the best cover for the first obitu. Varquil had thought he designed the perfect foot soldier, and took so much pride in his creation, he often overlooked any anomalies that might suggest the obitu was anything other than perfect. Also, don't forget that fledgling obitu (and they were ALL fledglings in the beginning) are very much like living equivalents to undead skieletons...and really don't have to do too much to blend in. Added to that was certain mistrust in place between Varquil and certain higher ranking free-willed undead, who no-doubt tried to blame the obitu, his prized creation, for the leak in information. The lich found the notion so preposterous that he naturally assumed his vampire generals most assuredly took him to be a fool.
Since then, obitu only mingle with undead peacefully when they are fledglings, and then, only for a short time. Even this would be a very rare occurrence.

This is described in the document.

[Lyingbastard]

Without lungs, how are they a living breathing race?

[Emberion]

Lyingbastard wrote:

Without lungs, how are they a living breathing race?

As described in the document, most obitu biological processes take place in its skull. Although it is a Medium-sized creature, its anatomy is more-akin to a tiny sized organism. It has small lungs in its skull, along with a stomach and other organs. Although completely alien, it might be best to compare an obitu's biology to that of an arthropod/insect; it has an exoskeleton, and similar processes to support respiration and blood circulation. Obviously, the magical disease also shares some part in animating and sustaining the obitu's biological processes.

[Lyingbastard]

Emberion wrote:

Lyingbastard wrote:

Without lungs, how are they a living breathing race?

As described in the document, most obitu biological processes take place in its skull. Although it is a Medium-sized creature, its anatomy is more-akin to a tiny sized organism. It has small lungs in its skull, along with a stomach and other organs. Although completely alien, it might be best to compare an obitu's biology to that of an arthropod/insect; it has an exoskeleton, and similar processes to support respiration and blood circulation. Obviously, the magical disease also shares some part in animating and sustaining the obitu's biological processes.

So, it eats through it's eye holes?

[Emberion]

Lyingbastard wrote:

Emberion wrote:

Lyingbastard wrote:

Without lungs, how are they a living breathing race?

As described in the document, most obitu biological processes take place in its skull. Although it is a Medium-sized creature, its anatomy is more-akin to a tiny sized organism. It has small lungs in its skull, along with a stomach and other organs. Although completely alien, it might be best to compare an obitu's biology to that of an arthropod/insect; it has an exoskeleton, and similar processes to support respiration and blood circulation. Obviously, the magical disease also shares some part in animating and sustaining the obitu's biological processes.

So, it eats through it's eye holes?

Also described in the document, an obitu eats about as much as a Small-sized creature through a worm-like feeding tube that extends into its mouth from the bottom of its skull. A thin membrane under its jawbone keeps food from pouring out while the tube is doing its job. An obitu would use its teeth to tear small chunks, but would not chew. It would simply take a bite, and then pause while its tube lowers into its mouth cavity and sucks it all up to be digested, which happens fairly quickly. While the document doesn't go into detail...and probably too much information anyway,...waste is likely excreted via the same tube (yuck!).

[DitheringFool]

thanks for the clarification! I really enjoy the Obitu and I would also add that the art in these products is great! The paladin-looking Obitu on the horse from the cover is especially chilling since "she" is wearing what appears to be female armor.