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View Full Version : Pathfinder [Monster] It is coming, and it is bringing the plane with it.



Xuldarinar
2015-04-26, 06:15 PM
(Whatever it is named ultimately)
(Flavor text!)

(NAME)-----------------CR ??
XP ???
?? ??? Outsider (???)
Init +?; Senses ???
DEFENSE
AC ??, touch ??, flat-footed ?? ()
hp ?? (???)
Fort +?, Ref +?, Will +?
OFFENSE
Speed ?? ft.
Melee ???
Space ?? ft.; Reach ? ft.
Special Attacks ???
STATISTICS
Str ??, Dex ??, Con ??, Int, Wis ??, Cha ??
Base Atk +?; CMB +? (?); CMD ? (?)
Feats ???
Skills ???
SQ ???
ECOLOGY
Enviornment ???
Organization ???
Treasure
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Planar Conversion (Ex): Each [insert name here] is attuned to one specific planar trait (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm#planarTraits) (e.g., Fire-dominant, Good-aligned, Evil-aligned, Timeless, et cetera). Each [insert name here] carries an aura with a radius of 10 feet of the lesser version of that trait (if one exists), and a five-foot radius aura of the full version of that trait. When a [insert name here] stays in place for a full 24 hours, the [insert name here] causes that spot of the plane to begin Planar Conversion, and pick up the planar trait in a pattern that matches the [insert name here]'s aura (the full version of the trait in a five-foot radius, the lesser version [if it exists] in a ten foot radius). For every full day that the [insert name here] spends inside the full version of the planar conversion zone, the zone expands: the full version zone extends by five feet in radius, the lesser version (if it exists) by ten feet in radius. In any day in which the [insert name here] does not live at least one full hour inside the full version of the zone, the zone contracts (5 feet for the full version, 10 feet for the lesser version [if it exists]).






I've worked out a concept that i'd like to flesh out, both in flavor and function.

A race native to virtually every plane, different verities to every plane. They are malevolent, and they center around a single ability and goal. They transform the area round where they settle into a place akin to the plane they are attuned to. An area around them gradually takes on the properties of the plane they hail from, often becoming inhospitable to those present. The table above will be filled out as this is developed, more than likening being split into several tables for verities of every plane.

Lord of Shadows
2015-04-27, 07:32 PM
Sounds vaguely.... Lovecraftian...
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Mr.Cobalt
2015-04-27, 07:54 PM
Wait I'm confused, is it that there's a subset of this race native to every plane capable of turning regions of other planes into the plane they're attuned to, or is it one race native to some malevolent outer plane trying to convert the rest of the multiverse to their plane, and there are several subspecies of this race each specialized to survival on one of the normal planes in order to better "terraform" it to their needs?

Xuldarinar
2015-04-28, 12:19 AM
Sounds vaguely.... Lovecraftian...
.

That sounds.. appropriate. It might become that way.


Wait I'm confused, is it that there's a subset of this race native to every plane capable of turning regions of other planes into the plane they're attuned to, or is it one race native to some malevolent outer plane trying to convert the rest of the multiverse to their plane, and there are several subspecies of this race each specialized to survival on one of the normal planes in order to better "terraform" it to their needs?

Though flexible, I envisioned something closer to the former than the latter though.. though perhaps given the infinite variations presented by the sheer size of the abyss, how about this?

A creature spawned by the depths of the abyss, that is neither demon nor qlippoth, but something else born of the malevolent chaos. Each verity is attuned to a different set of planar traits, be them something consistent with an existing plane or perhaps something else else entirely. Their ability, be it something they do passively or actively, is to alter the planar traits of their immediate area to that of the traits they are attuned to. For instance, a layer of the abyss might be a place of molten rock and flame, not because it formed that way but one or many of these creatures long dwelled there. Called to the material plane, the temperature in their new domain rises and fire magics grow more potent. Anything flammable before too long catches and rock begins to melt. Even if one such entity found themselves in the plane of fire, in time in the water would be a sphere vastly different from the endless sea around it. A place where one consistent with the traits of the positive energy plane takes of residence, people might believe is blessed because those that pass through have their wounds mended and everything seems to glow almost. In time, however, things become too radiant and things dwelling there too long begin to burst, overwhelmed with positive energy. An individual's effects wouldn't be global, and be it a reaction of the plane or something to their own ability, its effects tend to grow and then stop their spread. If long removed from an area, the planar traits return to the way it was.


Now, one could make one verity but traits dependent upon the planar traits, or different verities that themselves are constant with each of the planes. I'm open to other potential flavoring, which might help give direction for providing statistics for such a creature, but I want to create something that shows up and changes the area around them to something consistent with someplace else, with another plane.

Lord of Shadows
2015-04-28, 12:06 PM
Interesting...

Perhaps things have been held in a balance for all these millennia, allowing the world to develop, and now a force is stirring that intends to tip the balance. You describe this a force from the Abyss, which people might think at first due to its effects, but what if it was from elsewhere, somewhere "outside" the known multiverse. This brings in a more Lovecraftian feel to it, the unknown force from beyond, coming to take over everything.

The force, whether it is a creature, a spirit, or whatever, had been dormant, allowing the world to be at relative calm. It is now awake, and seeks to grow and expand, and sends its spawn across the planes to transform the worlds of the multiverse into its own image.

The deities of the world would know, or have some idea, of what was happening, and might try to direct their followers to take action. Some would want to oppose the changes, some would support, and some would try to disbelieve, thinking that this is not possible.

Something like that. Maybe.
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Xuldarinar
2015-04-28, 04:59 PM
-snip-

Alright. I like this. Now we have a direction.

necroon
2015-04-28, 05:34 PM
Awesome Idea!

Just throwing some ideas out there off the top of my head


Given them an Aura that gives the traits of the plane they are "bringing with them".
Determine the Strength and Size of the Aura based on an Elemental like classification scale or perhaps a dragong age category scale.
them get stronger based on the time they spend in a plane.
Have creatures that stay in the bubble too long start to have their Type or sub-type changed while they are inside the aura.
Have creatures killed by this thing rise as elementals if they stay dead too long inside the aura. Perhaps give a saving throw but make it much harder for creatures that aren't native to the plane combat is taking place on: sort of representing their link to the plane that's trying to resist becoming part of something else.

Lord of Shadows
2015-04-28, 05:58 PM
Some further thoughts:



them get stronger based on the time they spend in a plane.

This, yes, since the longer they remain on any single plane, the more "permanent" a fixture they become, and therefore make an ever more stronger connection to the other side. Like a disease, growing and festering...



Have creatures that stay in the bubble too long start to have their Type or sub-type changed while they are inside the aura.

Perhaps some auras at first seem beneficial.. or maybe they really are. That might be the "way in" that a group of adventurers would need in order to one day confront this outside force. The old "sneak past the guards by pretending to be a guard" routine. But that is undoubtedly going to be the capstone, super high-level, ending adventure of the whole campaign. Right before "The End."
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Jack_Simth
2015-04-28, 08:18 PM
Hmm...


Planar Conversion (Ex): Each [insert name here] is attuned to one specific planar trait (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm#planarTraits) (e.g., Fire-dominant, Good-aligned, Evil-aligned, Timeless, et cetera). Each [insert name here] carries an aura with a radius of 10 feet of the lesser version of that trait (if one exists), and a five-foot radius aura of the full version of that trait. When a [insert name here] stays in place for a full 24 hours, the [insert name here] causes that spot of the plane to begin Planar Conversion, and pick up the planar trait in a pattern that matches the [insert name here]'s aura (the full version of the trait in a five-foot radius, the lesser version [if it exists] in a ten foot radius). For every full day that the [insert name here] spends inside the full version of the planar conversion zone, the zone expands: the full version zone extends by five feet in radius, the lesser version (if it exists) by ten feet in radius. In any day in which the [insert name here] does not live at least one full hour inside the full version of the zone, the zone contracts (5 feet for the full version, 10 feet for the lesser version [if it exists]).

Example: A positive-dominant [insert name here] sits down for a cup of tea with a friend for an hour. For the hour the [insert name here] sits there, a five-foot radius around the [insert name here] gains the Major Positive-Dominant trait, and a ten-foot radius around the [insert name here] gains the Minor positive dominant trait. If the [insert name here] then leaves, the aura follows. Later, the [insert name here] gets injured, and rests up in bed for a full week. For the first 23 hours, nothing happens. At the 24 hour mark, the bed that the [insert name here] lies in (and a five-foot radius around it) picks up the major positive energy dominant trait; for a ten-foot radius around the bed, there is also the minor positive dominant trait. 24 hours later (48 hours in), both of those zones extend, to 10 and 20 feet, respectively. Another 24 hours later (72 hours in), both of those zones extend again, to 15 and 30 feet. Another 24 hours later (4 full days in), both of those zones extend, and so on. After the full seven days, the major dominant trait extends 35 feet, and the minor dominant trait extends 70 feet. The [insert name here], still not feeling well, stays in the building, within 35 feet of the bed, for another week, but is up and about moving around inside major positive dominant zone. The [insert name here] is still within the major zone, so the radius continues to expand, and at the end of the second week (14 days), the major positive dominant zone extends 70 feet in radius from the original bed, and the minor positive dominant zone extends 140 feet in radius from the original bed. The [insert name here], now feeling better, heads well out into the fields to harvest the crops for twelve hours a day for the next month, coming back to the same house to sleep at night. The zone remains stable, neither growing nor shrinking for that 30 day period. The [insert name here] then takes the crops to a remote city to sell them, and stays away for a week selling crops and purchasing various other items. While the [insert name here] is away, the zone shrinks without the maintenance, and by the time the [insert name here] returns home, the major positive dominant zone is back down to 35 feet in radius from the original bed, and the minor dominant zone is back down to 70 feet in radius from the original bed. If the [insert name here] then goes on vacation for two weeks well away from home, then the zone collapses before the [insert name here] returns.


So you've got a slow cancer on the plane. Hard to get started (stay in one precise spot for a few days), but once it's going, the source could be anywhere inside....

Lord of Shadows
2015-04-28, 08:56 PM
So you've got a slow cancer on the plane. Hard to get started (stay in one precise spot for a few days), but once it's going, the source could be anywhere inside....

That is really good..

OK, Xuldarinar, more points to ponder:

Do you want to have every planar aspect represented, or just some? Your original post mentioned a "malevolent" force. There are several ways this can go:

Only "malevolent" traits are present, and disrupt the normal order of things as they gain in power. The [Whatever it is named] is the only one of its kind and couldn't care less about the death and destruction it is causing. Or maybe it just doesn't know, like a boot heel squashing a bug.

All planar traits are present, and all are all part of a single [Whatever it is named] that cares not what happens to the planes. This opens the possibility of both benevolent and malevolent traits, and those with benevolent ones could gain access to the [Whatever it is named] in the final confrontation because of that.

All planar traits are present, and are part of two (or more) groups that are each coming from two (or more) [Whatever it is named] that oppose each other in a yin-yang sort of way. Or, malevolent vs. benevolent. Same potential effect as above for a final confrontation.

Only a select few "primordial" traits exist, like elemental energies, and the rest of the changes are side effects from them. The primordial traits could be divided the same as above - assigned to a single entity, or to opposing entities.
More that I can't think of off the top of my head...
Keep in mind that, if there is a "something" out there that hasn't taken over the world already, there is probably some reason why it hasn't. It has been sleeping, or imprisoned, or too far away, whatever. Maybe something in our universe attracted its attention, like an inter-dimensional arcane accident. (Spelljammer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelljammer) accident causes Ludicrious Speed (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LudicrousSpeed), maybe?)

Of course none of this will be known to the characters right away, and much of it may never become known, but as long as you know what's going on, all is good in the world. Well, so to speak.
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Xuldarinar
2015-04-29, 02:29 AM
-snip-
I like this, I'll be using this. We do need a name though.... but we'll get there whenever we do.



-Also snip-

I think we are looking at an Elder Evil situation here. They weren't here previously, or they just didn't know to come here before.

Lord of Shadows
2015-04-29, 07:57 PM
I think we are looking at an Elder Evil situation here. They weren't here previously, or they just didn't know to come here before.

I like the idea of some event attracting the attention of The Other (for lack of a better name).. a multi-dimensional arcane accident, some divine miracle twisted by a chance converging of powers, whatever. It could even be something that has happened before "in the mists of time" and there is an old, forgotten, obscure prophesy that no one remembers any more, and wouldn't believe it if they did.
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