The Werehouse

[Tvtyrant]

The Werehouse
The Werehouse is a strange and abominable creature that lives off of trickery. It takes the form of hotels, wearhouses and office buildings to lure humans inside. In order to feed well, it stays in house form for a month or two while waiting for the humans to become less wary of the houses sudden appearance. Once an appropriate number of individuals has moved into the house the werehouse transforms into its true form, a normal appearing human. The individuals inside are shunted into a pocket dimension filled with acid, which dissolves them into a nutritious soup that the werehouse consumes upon resuming its house form.

Once a werehouse has fed in a region it moves in its human form to a different area and sets up again, leaving a mystery behind it. Due to its inactivity in house form, a werehouse can remain still for decades if need be without feeding. This allows them to pick the perfect moment to feed, with some of the newer houses becoming posh dance clubs or bars in order to lure even larger meals.

In a traditional D&D setting, the werehouse appears as an inn or tavern. It usually arouses initial suspicion, with several months or years going by without an owner. Inevitably the building becomes occupied however, biding its time. A group caught in the house when it transforms can make a DC 25 reflex save to leap out of a nearby window or door during the transformation, but if the save is failed they are taught in the stomach and must cut or planeshift out. The walls of the stomach have hardness 10 and 55 HP to cut through, and the stomach closes in 1d4 rounds. Individuals inside the stomach take 2d6 acid damage a round and have to face a number of oozes that infest the houses’ stomach.

[TroubleBrewing]

Something from the nightside?

[Tvtyrant]

Something from the nightside?

Now that you mention it, probably. I was just working on a wearhouse encounter for my game tomorrow and started giggling over the idea of a werehouse.

[Rephath]

Awesome idea. Corny, but amusing.

Also, a normal building that stores large amounts of wares is a "warehouse." A warehouse that turns into a human is a "werehouse." There is no such thing as a "wearhouse."

[darbythegambler]

Awesome idea. Corny, but amusing.

Also, a normal building that stores large amounts of wares is a "warehouse." A warehouse that turns into a human is a "werehouse." There is no such thing as a "wearhouse."

That should be a separate homebrew, The Wearhouse. A building magically modified to be used as equipment.

[Waker]

The name Werehouse seems to imply a form of lycanthropy. Does the curse spread to another person if they draw a splinter or have a roof tile fall on their head? Could you force a Werehouse to reveal it's true nature by planting a garden of Wolfsbane around it or perhaps hammering a silver nail into it?

Kinda reminds me of the time I sent the Dread Gazebo against the party. An advanced Huge Mimic...with Sorcerer levels.

[zhdarkstar]

That should be a separate homebrew, The Wearhouse. A building magically modified to be used as equipment.

My first thought when I read the typo was about the House People from Adventure Time.
http://adventuretime.wikia.com/wiki/House_People

[Rephath]

Lycanthropy is traditionally not contagious.

For wearhouse, I'm thinking a combination suit of armor/RV. Just like some RV's have expanding flaps that can make the thing bigger by pulling them out, the wearhouse has expandable sections covered in hard armor but that can be pulled out to give you more room.

Think of a sleeping bag. They took the mattress blankets, and bedding and turned it all into a single item that can be easily transported. Now apply that to an entire wearable house. The armor expands its sections into a roof that keeps off the sun, rain, and snow. The padding converts to bedding. It comes with a mini-kitchenette, setup for a bathroom, and so on. Unless we include a pocket dimension, likely no guest house.

[AuraTwilight]

Lycanthropy is traditionally not contagious.

By what standard? It's always been contagious in D&D, and in folklore it's been as contagious as vampirism has ever since the idea that humans could become one without selling their soul to the devil rose up.

[Tvtyrant]

Awesome idea. Corny, but amusing.

Also, a normal building that stores large amounts of wares is a "warehouse." A warehouse that turns into a human is a "werehouse." There is no such thing as a "wearhouse."

I was not aware that there was no such thing as an awarehouse. Thank you!

If the Werehouse spread, I would think it would do so by hitting someone with the front door (which would be the "bite.") They would undergo a horrific transformation into a house designed for a creature of their size, with their arms slowly turning into wings and their eyes becoming windows.

[Steward]

I was not aware that there was no such thing as an awarehouse. Thank you!

I suppose an awarehouse would be an enchanted house that boosts your Wisdom score, or some kind of kennel that Awakens (as the spell) animals, right?



If the Werehouse spread, I would think it would do so by hitting someone with the front door (which would be the "bite.") They would undergo a horrific transformation into a house designed for a creature of their size, with their arms slowly turning into wings and their eyes becoming windows.

If these creatures become well known or commonplace, it might be the origin of the old saying, "don't let the door hit you on the way out." (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/don%27t_let_the_door_hit_you_on_the_way_out) What we consider a flippant, sarcastic way of saying, "go away" may have originated as a gloomy warning of a dire threat that anyone who has ever entered a building can fall victim to. :smalleek:

[Scootaloo]

I hear they often share habitat with the dreaded gazebo...

[Debihuman]

I made a few adjustments to your text and based the werehouse on a Colossal Animated Object. The human portion is relatively boring at the moment but it can be beefed up. This is test stat block at the moment. Please let me know what you think. Note: Constructs do not need to eat, breathe or sleep. I debated whether to make these living constructs but they would be considerably tougher to defeat.


Also, a normal building that stores large amounts of wares is a "warehouse." A warehouse that turns into a human is a "werehouse." There is no such thing as a "wearhouse."

See my variant wearhouse now :smallamused:


Lycanthrope, Werehouse (Warehouse Form)
Colossal Construct (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 32d10+80 (256 hp)
Initiative: -3
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 11 (-8 size, -3 Dex, +12 natural), touch -1, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+49
Attack: Slam +25 melee (4d6+13)
Full Attack: Slam +25 melee (4d6+13)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./20 ft. (long)
Special Attacks: See text
Special Qualities: Alternate form, DR 10/silver, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; also see text
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 28*, Dex 4*, Con —, Int —*, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: —*
Feats: —*
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, neighborhood (2-5) plus 1d3 gazebos
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
*See also Alternate Form.

A werehouse is a strange and abominable creature that lives off trickery. Its natural form is that of a common edifice to lure prey inside. Once 2d12+6 individuals have occupied the werehouse, the werehouse shunts the occupants into a pocket dimension before it transforms into a normal-appearing human.

A werehouse trembles violently before it transforms, allowing perceptive occupants a chance to escape. Anyone caught in the house before it transforms can make a DC 26 Reflex save to leap out a nearby window or dash through a door during the transformation. Creatures that have 5 or more ranks in Spot gain a +1 Circumstance bonus for every 3 points of Spot they have. The save DC is Constitution-based.

If the save fails, occupants are caught in the pocket dimension and must cut or planeshift out. The walls of the pocket dimension have hardness 10 and 55 hit points to cut through. Individuals that successfully cut their way out are randomly transported 3d10+20 miles from the werehouse.

While trapped in the pocket dimension, victims take 2d6 points of acid damage each round until they either escape or die. A successful Reflex save (DC 26) halves the damage. Any creature killed by the acid completely dissolves. Dissolved creatures cannot be raised or reincarnated but can be brought back with wish or miracle. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Once a werehouse has killed in a region, it moves in its human form to a different location before it transforms into its house form to kill again. A werehouse can remain dormant for 2d10 years before needing to kill. This allows the werehouse to pick the perfect moment, with some of the newer houses becoming posh dance clubs or bars in order to lure large quantities of prey.

Combat

Werehouses rarely fight in their warehouse form. They can move and attack as an animated object but prefer to take human form and flee.

Alternate Form (Su): A werehouse can assume the form of a nondescript human (A werehouse's human stats are rolled normally but it has a +4 Str and -4 Int). A typical werehouse's human stats are as follows: Str 14, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11. A human-looking werehouse speaks Common or the prevalent local language. It has the skills and feats of a first level human warrior, but keeps its own hit points. A werehouse in human form doesn't need to breathe, eat or sleep and may forget to do those things because it doesn't spend much time in human form.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a werehouse's slam attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. A werehouse cannot spread lycanthropy in its human form.

Variant Werehouse
The wearhouse is a werehouse that appears to be a clothing store. The smaller ones are known as wereboutiques. They cater to an upscale clientele and their human stats are +2 Strength and -2 Intelligence rather than the standard +4 Strength and -4 Intelligence.

[LordErebus12]

so its basically a colossal+ mimic?

[Waker]

If these creatures become well known or commonplace, it might be the origin of the old saying, "don't let the door hit you on the way out." (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/don%27t_let_the_door_hit_you_on_the_way_out) What we consider a flippant, sarcastic way of saying, "go away" may have originated as a gloomy warning of a dire threat that anyone who has ever entered a building can fall victim to. :smalleek:

Curses, you beat me to it.

[LordErebus12]

I hear they often share habitat with the dreaded gazebo...

Point scored to Scootaloo. It should be added under

Organization: Solitary, Neighborhood (2-5) plus 1d3 Gazebos

[Debihuman]

Updated the Werehouse. Let me know what you think.

Debby

[Deathkeeper]

Updated the Werehouse. Let me know what you think.

Debby

I thought it was pretty funny.
It's also kinda horrifying, though. Some snobby fellow smashes you in the face with a door to an overpriced clothing store and just a few days later you're horrifically transformed into wood, brick and glass, and have to spend years at a time with annoying people walking around buying the overpriced clothes that are suddenly in your wooden guts until you can get enough inside to eat. Horrifying.

[Rephath]

This whole werehouse thing has gone from a bad idea to a horrible idea in the best way possible. I'm loving it more and more.

[Tvtyrant]

I made a few adjustments to your text and based the werehouse on a Colossal Animated Object. The human portion is relatively boring at the moment but it can be beefed up. This is test stat block at the moment. Please let me know what you think. Note: Constructs do not need to eat, breathe or sleep. I debated whether to make these living constructs but they would be considerably tougher to defeat.



See my variant wearhouse now :smallamused:


Lycanthrope, Werehouse (Warehouse Form)
Colossal Construct (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 32d10+80 (256 hp)
Initiative: -3
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 11 (-8 size, -3 Dex, +12 natural), touch -1, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+49
Attack: Slam +25 melee (4d6+13)
Full Attack: Slam +25 melee (4d6+13)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./20 ft. (long)
Special Attacks: See text
Special Qualities: Alternate form, DR 10/silver, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; also see text
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 28*, Dex 4*, Con —, Int —*, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: —*
Feats: —*
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, neighborhood (2-5) plus 1d3 gazebos
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
*See also Alternate Form.

A werehouse is a strange and abominable creature that lives off trickery. Its natural form is that of a common edifice to lure prey inside. Once 2d12+6 individuals have occupied the werehouse, the werehouse shunts the occupants into a pocket dimension before it transforms into a normal-appearing human.

A werehouse trembles violently before it transforms, allowing perceptive occupants a chance to escape. Anyone caught in the house before it transforms can make a DC 26 Reflex save to leap out a nearby window or dash through a door during the transformation. Creatures that have 5 or more ranks in Spot gain a +1 Circumstance bonus for every 3 points of Spot they have. The save DC is Constitution-based.

If the save fails, occupants are caught in the pocket dimension and must cut or planeshift out. The walls of the pocket dimension have hardness 10 and 55 hit points to cut through. Individuals that successfully cut their way out are randomly transported 3d10+20 miles from the werehouse.

While trapped in the pocket dimension, victims take 2d6 points of acid damage each round until they either escape or die. A successful Reflex save (DC 26) halves the damage. Any creature killed by the acid completely dissolves. Dissolved creatures cannot be raised or reincarnated but can be brought back with wish or miracle. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Once a werehouse has killed in a region, it moves in its human form to a different location before it transforms into its house form to kill again. A werehouse can remain dormant for 2d10 years before needing to kill. This allows the werehouse to pick the perfect moment, with some of the newer houses becoming posh dance clubs or bars in order to lure large quantities of prey.

Combat

Werehouses rarely fight in their warehouse form. They can move and attack as an animated object but prefer to take human form and flee.

Alternate Form (Su): A werehouse can assume the form of a nondescript human (A werehouse's human stats are rolled normally but it has a +4 Str and -4 Int). A typical werehouse's human stats are as follows: Str 14, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11. A human-looking werehouse speaks Common or the prevalent local language. It has the skills and feats of a first level human warrior, but keeps its own hit points. A werehouse in human form doesn't need to breathe, eat or sleep and may forget to do those things because it doesn't spend much time in human form.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a werehouse's slam attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. A werehouse cannot spread lycanthropy in its human form.

Variant Werehouse
The wearhouse is a werehouse that appears to be a clothing store. The smaller ones are known as wereboutiques. They cater to an upscale clientele and their human stats are +2 Strength and -2 Intelligence rather than the standard +4 Strength and -4 Intelligence.


So beautiful. I wonder if there should be a variant that destroys already existing buildings and taking their form?

[Rephath]

Do werehouses always have to be houses? Can they be businesses? Because there could be a wearhouse (http://www.menswearhouse.com/) werehouse.

[Deathkeeper]

Do werehouses always have to be houses? Can they be businesses? Because there could be a wearhouse (http://www.menswearhouse.com/) werehouse.

It's already in Debihuman's spoiler. Hence my comment above, because being a store must suck.

[Debihuman]

The dread gazebo (in case someone wanted it too),


http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/68beb4ad13.jpg