A ravishing woman enters the room, dressed in a fine gown and headdress inspired by elegant arches and towers of noble architecture. Her beauty is oddly alien, too fair to be real.
XP 3,200
CN Medium fey
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
Aura blinding beauty (30 ft., DC 21)
AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 17 (+7 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 60 (8d6+32)
Fort +13, Ref +18, Will +16
DR 10/cold iron
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +10 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks stunning glance, the lady's scorn
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
1/day - dimension door
Spells Known (CL 8th)
3rd (6/day) - deep slumber (DC 20), lightning bolt (DC 20)
2nd (7/day) - detect thoughts (DC 19), hideous laughter (DC 19), resist energy
1st (7/day) - charm person (DC 18), disguise self (DC 18), hold portal, unseen servant, ventriloquism (DC 18)
0 - daze (DC 17), detect magic, light, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic
Str 10, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 25
Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 27
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Casting, Dodge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +18, Escape Artist +16, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nobility) +11, Linguistics +11, Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +16
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan, choose seven other languages favoured by the elite and diplomats of the region.
SQ dark inspiration, unearthly grace
Blinding Beauty (Su): As Nymph.
Dark Inspiration (Su): As Nymph's Inspiration. In addition, once per day the Spirit of the City may cast suggestion (CL 8th, DC 20) on the subject of her inspiration as a spell-like ability regardless of distance. After the spell expires, the subject must make an additional will save. On a failure, the Spirit of the City may choose to have the subject forget anything that had happened during the suggestion's duration.
Spells: A Spirit of the City casts spells as a 7th-level sorcerer.
Stunning Glance (Su): As Nymph.
The Lady's Scorn (Su): As a standard action, a Spirit of the City can direct her scorn and turn her beauty into a vision of terror against a single intelligent creature within 30 feet that has been affected by her stunning glance. The target is afflicted with feelings of shame and humiliation, taking a -6 penalty to charisma and a -4 penalty to will saves until the curse is removed. A Spirit of the City may remove a curse of scorn with a touch, including such curses placed by other creatures.
Unearthly Grace (Su): As Nymph.
As villages grew into towns and cities, most nymphs withdrew from the land and went into the wild and secluded places of natural beauty. A small few, however, took to loving the rise of civilisation as a natural expression of the world. Their mystic nature shifted and blended into the development of society and nobility. This change of heart did not come without consequences. Living amongst mankind darkened the hearts of these fey and they became more like parodies and exaggerations of high society, letting their capricious nature give in to the thrill of scheming for its own sake.
Now preferring to call themselves Spirits of the City, these fey walk amongst the elite, adoring praise and surrounding themselves with sycophants that are easily discarded on a whim. Many disguise themselves as mortal humans, using their powers to play at being foreign dignitaries or even establish themselves as local elite. Their constant schemes put them at odds with each other and competitions are fierce, if fought using the weapons of manipulation and guile. The aim is never to kill, but to humiliate and damage social standing.
Many an unwitting adventurer has been drawn into her plots and subsequently cursed by her scorn after failing her. An enemy Spirit may be willing to remove the curse to gain an ally against her rival, but the surest way to undo it is to apologise sincerely and humbly to the one that placed it... although there may be a favour owed.
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Comments are welcomed. :)
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Ooh, I like the twist.
NOTES:
Spell-like Abilities should be CL 8
Spells should be CL 7, she should have eight 1st level spells per day, and five 3rd level spells per day
Abilities swapping the Int and Wis has no real effect...
Skills: HD(6 + Int) = 8(6 + 3) = 72 ranks, you used 80 ranks
Languages: Aklo = why is this one mandatory? this creature is not an evil fey...
The Lady's Scorn too strong in exchange for wild empathy but it is cool idea. does not have a limited uses per day, doesn't allow for a save, and has the effect of 1.25 curses (penalty to an ability and will saves). maybe once per day as a spell-like ability, with a DC 21 will save, and drop the will save penalty since most of her prepared spells are higher DC will saves...
Overall: Very well put together, but since the saves on all the spells are so high, I would recommend bumping the CR of this creature.
Ooh, I like the twist.
NOTES:
Spell-like Abilities should be CL 8
Spells should be CL 7, she should have eight 1st level spells per day, and five 3rd level spells per day
Abilities swapping the Int and Wis has no real effect...
Skills: HD(6 + Int) = 8(6 + 3) = 72 ranks, you used 80 ranks
Languages: Aklo = why is this one mandatory? this creature is not an evil fey...
The Lady's Scorn too strong in exchange for wild empathy but it is cool idea. does not have a limited uses per day, doesn't allow for a save, and has the effect of 1.25 curses (penalty to an ability and will saves). maybe once per day as a spell-like ability, with a DC 21 will save, and drop the will save penalty since most of her prepared spells are higher DC will saves...Overall: Very well put together, but since the saves on all the spells are so high, I would recommend bumping the CR of this creature.
Whoops. I did make a few mistakes due to largely copying from the book and skimming a bit. I miscalculated skills, too. This is what I get for writing a creature two hours after I should have gone to bed. Thanks for pointing stuff out.
The swap of int and wis was a very minor one and just for theme than anything else, de-emphasising wisdom very slightly. It does mean wisdom damage will hurt a little bit more.
I added Aklo as this fey straddles the line between good and evil, torn by capriciousness between helping and hurting. So it can freely associate with good or evil fey and know their language.
I will go over this again and likely adjust CR up in response to a more effective casting type for its ability scores.
Do note the curse can only be applied to a creature that's been stunned by stunning glance so allowance for a save is already there. Think of it as the ability to spend an action to increase the penalties on a creature that already failed the save.
The comments are appreciated.
And I'll do it tomorrow when I'm not more asleep than awake! Ideas may come while half-dreaming, but the cognition that accompanies this state isn't too solid.
I wanted to say that I really like the design on this creature. A Nymph that has adjusted to city life should be a little twisted, but I can very easily see a creature like that blending in with high society.
A Spirit of the City would make either a great villain to contend with who is acting on her fey nature - perhaps slandering someone who is trying to make the city a better place because they wore the wrong clothes out of season or something similarly trivial, or as a neat contact/guide for PCs. Such a unique fey would undoubtedly have connections with a lot of people and creatures in the city it lives in...which is why I support it understanding Aklo. It feels like a Spirit of the City cares little for standard morality and thus is fine with deals on either side of the good/evil or law/chaos axis. Sort of like a Godfather or Information Baron from a noir film.
Of course, trading information with a fae becomes a lot more binding and dangerous than with some 'normal' underground kingpin.
In a campy sense for some reason I think of a Spirit of the City surrounded by oiled up speedo-wearing guys carrying it around on a big red pillow-y lounge chair from party to party.
Again I really like the style of the creature and I hope to be able to use it in a game someday.
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Again I really like the style of the creature and I hope to be able to use it in a game someday.
I agree. When my current party enters Rathadoum, they will encounter a Spirit of the City.
After the explanation,I think Aklo does fit. But the Lady's Scorn will be once per day. And since my party has a Cha 6 barbarian, should get some giggles from me...
Can she make a Karas?
Can she make a Karas?
Probably, but with less supernatural sci-fi fantasy action and more Chicago-esque razzle-dazzle.
This fae is now singing "Good to Momma" in my head.
Can she make a Karas?Probably, but with less supernatural sci-fi fantasy action and more Chicago-esque razzle-dazzle.
This fae is now singing "Good to Momma" in my head.
Less awesome and more showtunes?
The description of the nymph sounds more like she's the spirit of a Disney castle rather than a city. It needs more inclusion of city elements, most buildings in cities are pretty short, and cities in general are pretty grimy places to live. There'd also be more indivdidual variation depending on culture and ethnical factors as well.
The name is what these fey call themselves, not that they are actual spirits of cities in magical terms. They are vain and shallow, dressing up as they imagine avatars of civilisation to be.
Don't call one an 'urban nymph'. Ever. :P
(I'm going to redo the stats later, and yes, good idea. 1/day for The Lady's Scorn.)
Cool idea. I think that the name requires tweaking though; it's too cumbersome, especially for an "in-group" name. In the spirit of D&D's appropriation of myth, maybe the Lares, like from Roman mythology? Or the Praestites, as in Lares Praestites?
Cool idea. I think that the name requires tweaking though; it's too cumbersome, especially for an "in-group" name. In the spirit of D&D's appropriation of myth, maybe the Lares, like from Roman mythology? Or the Praestites, as in Lares Praestites?
Nice idea UR, and a cool name for it J.S. Stick with just Lares would be my suggestion, the connection between these fae and the Roman household gods / spirits seems right. I have a lone (and lonely) Dryad plunked down in the middle of my main city... I think she just got a promotion :D
A ravishing woman enters the room, dressed in a fine gown and headdress inspired by elegant arches and towers of noble architecture. Her beauty is oddly alien, too fair to be real.
XP 4,800
CN Medium fey
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
Aura blinding beauty (30 ft., DC 21)
AC 23, touch 23, flat-footed 17 (+7 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 67 (9d6+36)
Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +16
DR 10/cold iron
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +10 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks stunning glance, the lady's scorn
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
1/day - dimension door
Spells Known (CL 7th)
3rd (5/day) - deep slumber (DC 20), lightning bolt (DC 20)
2nd (7/day) - detect thoughts (DC 19), hideous laughter (DC 19), resist energy
1st (8/day) - charm person (DC 18), disguise self (DC 18), hold portal, unseen servant, ventriloquism (DC 18)
0 - daze (DC 17), detect magic, light, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic
Str 10, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 25
Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 27
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Casting, Cosmopolitan, Dodge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +19, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Linguistics +15, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +17
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan, choose eight other languages favoured by the elite and diplomats of the region.
SQ dark inspiration, unearthly grace
Blinding Beauty (Su): As Nymph.
Dark Inspiration (Su): As Nymph's Inspiration. In addition, once per day the Lares may cast suggestion (CL 7th, DC 20) on the subject of her inspiration as a spell-like ability regardless of distance. After the spell expires, the subject must make an additional will save. On a failure, the Lares may choose to have the subject forget anything that had happened during the suggestion's duration.
Spells: A Lares casts spells as a 7th-level sorcerer.
Stunning Glance (Su): As Nymph.
The Lady's Scorn (Su): Once per day, as a standard action, a Lares can direct her scorn and turn her beauty into a vision of terror against a single intelligent creature within 30 feet that has been affected by her stunning glance. The target is afflicted with feelings of shame and humiliation, taking a -6 penalty to charisma and a -4 penalty to will saves until the curse is removed. A Lares may remove a curse of scorn with a touch, including such curses placed by other creatures.
Unearthly Grace (Su): As Nymph.
As villages grew into towns and cities, most nymphs withdrew from the land and went into the wild and secluded places of natural beauty. A small few, however, took to loving the rise of civilisation as a natural expression of the world. Their mystic nature shifted and blended into the development of society and nobility. This change of heart did not come without consequences. Living amongst mankind darkened the hearts of these fey and they became more like parodies and exaggerations of high society, letting their capricious nature give in to the thrill of scheming for its own sake.
Now preferring to call themselves Lares, these fey walk amongst the elite, adoring praise and surrounding themselves with sycophants that are easily discarded on a whim. Many disguise themselves as mortal humans, using their powers to play at being foreign dignitaries or even establish themselves as local elite. Their constant schemes put them at odds with each other and competitions are fierce, if fought using the weapons of manipulation and guile. The aim is never to kill, but to humiliate and damage social standing.
Many an unwitting adventurer has been drawn into her plots and subsequently cursed by her scorn after failing her. An enemy Lares may be willing to remove the curse to gain an ally against her rival, but the surest way to undo it is to apologise sincerely and humbly to the one that placed it... although there may be a favour owed.
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Fixed! HD adjusted up a bit with the increased CR, to give a little more hit points in case of combat. It's still a 'skewed' creature, with some abilities beyond its CR and others much below.
Oops! I did forget that. Oh well. It's a minor thing to change so I won't bother posting another statblock.
Hey, did anyone end up using this critter? If so, how did it work out for you?
I was thinking to adjusting it a bit to give it bard spells and abilities and joining her to theatre, having her fill the role of actress and singer/musician, mingling with the highborn and cultured.
Bard abilities would give her a wealth of knowledge about the city and a primary contact for rumors, it fits well with a function as a behind the scene manipulator and guardian of art and culture.
I'll change some skills fitting in perform, possibly giving her intelligence 18 wisdom 15 and several spells and abilities of an 8th level bard.
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Hey, did anyone end up using this critter? If so, how did it work out for you?
I used it, but I lowered the DC for the spells by 2 when I did and made her CE. The Spirit of the City was teamed with a 8th level gnome summoner. Against a party of five 7th level players. The party fled the first encounter. For the second encounter, the group was better prepared and took them out.
I had the Spirit of the City as the actual ruler of the town she was in. The villagers had unknowingly used her tree to construct the town lodge. She could not bear to part with her tree, so she became the mayor, and has been for the last 20 years. She secretly teamed up with the gnome to terrorize the town. Kidnapping young men, killing them, and returning their corpses to the town. The corpses had been remodeled into replicas of the lodge.