MythMage
2007-09-09, 01:26 AM
Love Shroud
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–
Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus 2d6 electricity)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus 2d6 electricity)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical surge, euphoric link, possession, sinister charge, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, receptacle, spell resistance 16, telepathy 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7
Abilities: Str –, Dex 15, Con –, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +15, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +17, Listen +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11
Feats: Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Persuasive
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or with thrall
CR: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –
A thin green vapor rises from the mirror. It coalesces into a faint human shape, that of a nobleman in delicate courtly attire. The green man orders you to keep away, green lightning crackling from his eyes and hands.
A love shroud may form when a person dies when filled with overwhelming and unrequited desire for intimacy, romantic or sexual. For example, a man who kills himself because the woman he desires has jilted him may rise as a love shroud.
These selfish undead still surge with the passion that they were unable to satisfy in life, and it manifests in the form of painful electricity with which a vengeful love shroud punishes living beings. A love shroud can also cause pain even long after it is encountered, just like it suffered pain from afar due to the refusal of the object of its desire.
Love shrouds are an insidious invention of the Demon Lord of Undeath, Orcus. His curse warps the soul of the dead creature, turning it toward his own wicked ends by taking advantage of the soul’s vulnerability. It is said that Orcus himself chooses what creatures will become love shrouds, creating them from afar for his own twisted purposes whenever the opportunity arises.
A love shroud speaks all the languages it knew in life, and can communicate telepathically as well.
COMBAT
If a love shroud can, it will generally flee from danger, though it will stay to help its thrall if the thrall is in danger. However, a love shroud is ultimately selfish and will flee on its own if saving its thrall seems very dangerous. It will only fight to the death in defense of its receptacle. If the love shroud has a thrall and its receptacle is endangered, it will attempt to distract the assailants for as long as possible using its sinister charges to give the thrall time to escape with the receptacle. If the love shroud's receptacle is in danger and it has no thrall to move it, the love shroud will open with a lightning bolt, then attempt to charm those who seem little harmed.
Electrical Surge (Su): A love shroud deals an additional 2d6 points of electricity damage when it strikes with its incorporeal touch and when it hits with a melee weapon. While the love shroud has a physical body, it has a melee touch attack which deals 2d6 points of electricity damage. Whenever a love shroud deals electricity damage this way, it also implants a sinister charge.
Euphoric Link (Su): A love shroud’s influence has an emotionally overpowering effect on those it “romances”. As a full-round action, a love shroud may attempt to create a euphoric link with a creature that it has charmed. The creature must attempt a Will save (DC 17), which it may not fail voluntarily, or become enthralled, dependent upon the love shroud almost like someone addicted to a drug. The duration of the charm effect becomes permanent. For each hour that the thrall spends without being aware of the love shroud’s presence, it must succeed on a Will save (DC 17) or become shaken. If it fails another save, it becomes frightened; this effect cannot cause it to become panicked, however.
As long as the love shroud occupies the same space as its thrall, the thrall’s body courses with euphoric feelings. The thrall gains immunity to pain effects and nonlethal damage, and receives a +3 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. However, the thrall must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 17) in order to perform any action requiring precise thought or patience. The thrall does not benefit from any of these bonuses against its “lover”, and in fact suffers a -3 morale penalty on saving throws and Armor Class against the love shroud’s attacks.
A love shroud may have only one thrall at a time through this ability. If the charm effect upon a thrall is broken, the euphoric link is broken too; however, the love shroud can still cause euphoria with his coexistence for up to 6 rounds thereafter. The save and check DCs are Charisma-based; the duration is Hit-Dice based.
Possession (Su): A love shroud can commandeer the body of a creature it has established a euphoric link with. Once per round, as a standard action, the love shroud can attempt to enter its thrall’s space. The creature may resist with a Will save (DC 17), though it may not want to. If the save fails, the love shroud vanishes into the creature’s body; if the save succeeds, the love shroud is repelled back to its own space and can’t attempt to possess the thrall again for the next 1d6 rounds. This effect functions otherwise as the magic jar spell (caster level 8th), except that no receptacle is required, and the love shroud can still use its electrical surge and sinister charge special abilities. The save DC is Charisma-based.
This ability also functions on the dead body of any creature who shared a euphoric link with the love shroud at its moment of death. If the love shroud possesses the dead body, treat the body as a zombie or skeleton, as appropriate. This ability will not function on a body which has been dead longer than 6 days, though prevention of decay (such as with gentle repose) extends this window. The length of the window is Hit Dice-based.
Once a love shroud has successfully used this ability on a creature or corpse, it cannot affect that creature or corpse again for 6 hours.
Receptacle (Ex): A love shroud begins existence tied to an item which was of value to it when it died. The item must be a memento of the love shroud’s unrequited love; if no such item existed when the love shroud died, such an item comes into existence along with the love shroud (replicating a lost item if such a memento once existed but has been destroyed). The item is nonmagical but is necessary for the love shroud’s existence. If the love shroud is destroyed while its receptacle yet exists, it reforms after 1d10 days, none the worse for wear. If the receptacle is destroyed while the love shroud still exists, the love shroud immediately becomes aware of its destruction, but is not immediately weakened. If the love shroud has a thrall, it can create a new receptacle by spending one week crafting the item while possessing its thrall. The love shroud must spend 8 hours each day on the project.
For each day that a love shroud spends without a receptacle or thrall, it gains a negative level. These negative levels can’t result in actual level loss, and vanish when the love shroud creates a new receptacle.
Sinister Charge (Su): A creature damaged by a love shroud’s electrical surge ability has an unobvious electrical charge stored in its body without its knowledge. At any time in the next week, the love shroud may activate the charge as a swift action. The creature is suddenly wracked with a painful electric surge and suffers 1d6 points of electricity damage. In addition, the creature must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 17) or be stunned for 1 round and suffer a -2 penalty on all attacks, skill checks, and saving throws for the next round; even if it succeeds, it still suffers the penalty. The effect repeats every round until the creature succeeds on a Fortitude save, the creature receives a remove curse effect, the love shroud wills it to stop as a free action, or 3 rounds have passed. A creature who does not suffer the electricity damage does not suffer the stunning or penalty for that round, though it still attempts a saving throw to end the effect. A love shroud can only plant one sinister charge on a creature at a time, and once the effect ends, the sinister charge is gone. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Spell-like Abilities: 3/day – charm person (DC 15); 1/day – lightning bolt (DC 17). Caster level 6th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Telepathy (Su): A love shroud can communicate telepathically with any creature within 60 ft. that has a language.
Love Shroud, Greater
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 13d12 (84 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect) or 30 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (+4 Dex, +6 deflection), touch 20, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/–
Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d6 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or slam +13 melee (1d6+7 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or touch +13 melee (3d6 electricity plus sinister charge)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d6 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or 2 slams +13 melee (1d6+7 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or touch +13 melee (3d6 electricity plus sinister charge)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical surge, euphoric link, possession, sinister charge, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Create body, darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, receptacle, spell resistance 20, telepathy 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +12
Abilities: Str –, Dex 18, Con –, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 23
Skills: Bluff +24, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Diplomacy +26, Intimidate +26, Listen +20, Sense Motive +20, Spot +20
Feats: Ability Focus (charm person), Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (charm person)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or with thrall
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 14-39 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –
A strikingly beautiful woman passes by on the dark road. She carries an ornate candle, whose green flame strangely illuminates her red hair. After a moment, she notices your smitten stare and smiles back. Her expression soon goes beyond a smile however, and she seems nearly euphoric after a moment. Her eyes glow as if filled with emerald flames, replacing the light of the now-darkened candle. Then, she sags, the source of her joy apparently gone, and the light in her eyes flows forth like a river of glowing smoke. The smoke coalesces before her, and a handsome young man with soft features and cold eyes glares at you: “She’s taken.”
Greater love shrouds may form from powerful creatures when filled with overwhelming and unrequited desire for intimacy, romantic or sexual, or from any such being who suffers from his desire to an exceptional extent. Normal love shrouds can also become greater love shrouds through age or additional traumatic experiences.
COMBAT
A greater love shroud fights much like a normal love shroud, except that its corporeal form allows it to protect and move its receptacle on its own if need be. It does not create a body unless it needs to, usually relying on its thrall to do its fighting; in combat, it only creates a body if it needs to carry away its receptacle and has no thrall to do it.
Create Body (Su): A greater love shroud can create a corporeal form. It may exist in this body for up to 13 minutes per day, and the time needn’t be continuous. Creating or dispersing its body is a move action for the love shroud. While in corporeal form, the love shroud loses the incorporeal subtype, its incorporeal touch attack, and its fly speed. It gains a Strength score of 24, a speed of 30 feet, and two slam attacks which deal 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage and utilize its electrical surge and sinister charge abilities. It retains its deflection bonus even in its created corporeal form. The duration is Hit Dice-based.
A greater love shroud may only use its incorporeal touch in incorporeal form, and not its other attacks.
Electrical Surge (Su): A greater love shroud deals an additional 3d6 points of electricity damage when it strikes with its incorporeal touch and when it hits with a melee weapon. While the greater love shroud has a physical body, it has a melee touch attack which deals 3d6 points of electricity damage. Whenever a love shroud deals electricity damage this way, it also implants a sinister charge.
Euphoric Link (Su): The save and check DCs of a greater love shroud’s euphoric link are each 22. The greater love shroud’s coexistence with its thrall grants a +6 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws; the thrall still does not benefit from these bonuses against the greater love shroud, and suffers a -6 morale penalty on saving throws and Armor class against the greater love shroud while the two occupy the same space. Finally, the greater love shroud can affect a former thrall for up to 13 rounds after the euphoric link is broken.
Possession (Su): A greater love shroud’s possession attack has a save DC of 22 and has an effective caster level of 15th. A greater love shroud can affect a corpse which has been dead for up to 13 days.
Sinister Charge (Su): The save DC for a greater love shroud’s sinister charge is 22.
Spell-like Abilities: 3/day – quickened charm person (DC 19); 1/day – lightning bolt (DC 19). Caster level 13th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–
Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus 2d6 electricity)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +5 melee (1d6 plus 2d6 electricity)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical surge, euphoric link, possession, sinister charge, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, receptacle, spell resistance 16, telepathy 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7
Abilities: Str –, Dex 15, Con –, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +15, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +17, Listen +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11
Feats: Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Persuasive
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or with thrall
CR: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –
A thin green vapor rises from the mirror. It coalesces into a faint human shape, that of a nobleman in delicate courtly attire. The green man orders you to keep away, green lightning crackling from his eyes and hands.
A love shroud may form when a person dies when filled with overwhelming and unrequited desire for intimacy, romantic or sexual. For example, a man who kills himself because the woman he desires has jilted him may rise as a love shroud.
These selfish undead still surge with the passion that they were unable to satisfy in life, and it manifests in the form of painful electricity with which a vengeful love shroud punishes living beings. A love shroud can also cause pain even long after it is encountered, just like it suffered pain from afar due to the refusal of the object of its desire.
Love shrouds are an insidious invention of the Demon Lord of Undeath, Orcus. His curse warps the soul of the dead creature, turning it toward his own wicked ends by taking advantage of the soul’s vulnerability. It is said that Orcus himself chooses what creatures will become love shrouds, creating them from afar for his own twisted purposes whenever the opportunity arises.
A love shroud speaks all the languages it knew in life, and can communicate telepathically as well.
COMBAT
If a love shroud can, it will generally flee from danger, though it will stay to help its thrall if the thrall is in danger. However, a love shroud is ultimately selfish and will flee on its own if saving its thrall seems very dangerous. It will only fight to the death in defense of its receptacle. If the love shroud has a thrall and its receptacle is endangered, it will attempt to distract the assailants for as long as possible using its sinister charges to give the thrall time to escape with the receptacle. If the love shroud's receptacle is in danger and it has no thrall to move it, the love shroud will open with a lightning bolt, then attempt to charm those who seem little harmed.
Electrical Surge (Su): A love shroud deals an additional 2d6 points of electricity damage when it strikes with its incorporeal touch and when it hits with a melee weapon. While the love shroud has a physical body, it has a melee touch attack which deals 2d6 points of electricity damage. Whenever a love shroud deals electricity damage this way, it also implants a sinister charge.
Euphoric Link (Su): A love shroud’s influence has an emotionally overpowering effect on those it “romances”. As a full-round action, a love shroud may attempt to create a euphoric link with a creature that it has charmed. The creature must attempt a Will save (DC 17), which it may not fail voluntarily, or become enthralled, dependent upon the love shroud almost like someone addicted to a drug. The duration of the charm effect becomes permanent. For each hour that the thrall spends without being aware of the love shroud’s presence, it must succeed on a Will save (DC 17) or become shaken. If it fails another save, it becomes frightened; this effect cannot cause it to become panicked, however.
As long as the love shroud occupies the same space as its thrall, the thrall’s body courses with euphoric feelings. The thrall gains immunity to pain effects and nonlethal damage, and receives a +3 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. However, the thrall must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 17) in order to perform any action requiring precise thought or patience. The thrall does not benefit from any of these bonuses against its “lover”, and in fact suffers a -3 morale penalty on saving throws and Armor Class against the love shroud’s attacks.
A love shroud may have only one thrall at a time through this ability. If the charm effect upon a thrall is broken, the euphoric link is broken too; however, the love shroud can still cause euphoria with his coexistence for up to 6 rounds thereafter. The save and check DCs are Charisma-based; the duration is Hit-Dice based.
Possession (Su): A love shroud can commandeer the body of a creature it has established a euphoric link with. Once per round, as a standard action, the love shroud can attempt to enter its thrall’s space. The creature may resist with a Will save (DC 17), though it may not want to. If the save fails, the love shroud vanishes into the creature’s body; if the save succeeds, the love shroud is repelled back to its own space and can’t attempt to possess the thrall again for the next 1d6 rounds. This effect functions otherwise as the magic jar spell (caster level 8th), except that no receptacle is required, and the love shroud can still use its electrical surge and sinister charge special abilities. The save DC is Charisma-based.
This ability also functions on the dead body of any creature who shared a euphoric link with the love shroud at its moment of death. If the love shroud possesses the dead body, treat the body as a zombie or skeleton, as appropriate. This ability will not function on a body which has been dead longer than 6 days, though prevention of decay (such as with gentle repose) extends this window. The length of the window is Hit Dice-based.
Once a love shroud has successfully used this ability on a creature or corpse, it cannot affect that creature or corpse again for 6 hours.
Receptacle (Ex): A love shroud begins existence tied to an item which was of value to it when it died. The item must be a memento of the love shroud’s unrequited love; if no such item existed when the love shroud died, such an item comes into existence along with the love shroud (replicating a lost item if such a memento once existed but has been destroyed). The item is nonmagical but is necessary for the love shroud’s existence. If the love shroud is destroyed while its receptacle yet exists, it reforms after 1d10 days, none the worse for wear. If the receptacle is destroyed while the love shroud still exists, the love shroud immediately becomes aware of its destruction, but is not immediately weakened. If the love shroud has a thrall, it can create a new receptacle by spending one week crafting the item while possessing its thrall. The love shroud must spend 8 hours each day on the project.
For each day that a love shroud spends without a receptacle or thrall, it gains a negative level. These negative levels can’t result in actual level loss, and vanish when the love shroud creates a new receptacle.
Sinister Charge (Su): A creature damaged by a love shroud’s electrical surge ability has an unobvious electrical charge stored in its body without its knowledge. At any time in the next week, the love shroud may activate the charge as a swift action. The creature is suddenly wracked with a painful electric surge and suffers 1d6 points of electricity damage. In addition, the creature must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 17) or be stunned for 1 round and suffer a -2 penalty on all attacks, skill checks, and saving throws for the next round; even if it succeeds, it still suffers the penalty. The effect repeats every round until the creature succeeds on a Fortitude save, the creature receives a remove curse effect, the love shroud wills it to stop as a free action, or 3 rounds have passed. A creature who does not suffer the electricity damage does not suffer the stunning or penalty for that round, though it still attempts a saving throw to end the effect. A love shroud can only plant one sinister charge on a creature at a time, and once the effect ends, the sinister charge is gone. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Spell-like Abilities: 3/day – charm person (DC 15); 1/day – lightning bolt (DC 17). Caster level 6th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Telepathy (Su): A love shroud can communicate telepathically with any creature within 60 ft. that has a language.
Love Shroud, Greater
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 13d12 (84 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect) or 30 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (+4 Dex, +6 deflection), touch 20, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/–
Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d6 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or slam +13 melee (1d6+7 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or touch +13 melee (3d6 electricity plus sinister charge)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +10 melee (1d6 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or 2 slams +13 melee (1d6+7 plus 3d6 electricity plus sinister charge) or touch +13 melee (3d6 electricity plus sinister charge)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical surge, euphoric link, possession, sinister charge, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Create body, darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, receptacle, spell resistance 20, telepathy 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +12
Abilities: Str –, Dex 18, Con –, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 23
Skills: Bluff +24, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Diplomacy +26, Intimidate +26, Listen +20, Sense Motive +20, Spot +20
Feats: Ability Focus (charm person), Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (charm person)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or with thrall
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 14-39 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –
A strikingly beautiful woman passes by on the dark road. She carries an ornate candle, whose green flame strangely illuminates her red hair. After a moment, she notices your smitten stare and smiles back. Her expression soon goes beyond a smile however, and she seems nearly euphoric after a moment. Her eyes glow as if filled with emerald flames, replacing the light of the now-darkened candle. Then, she sags, the source of her joy apparently gone, and the light in her eyes flows forth like a river of glowing smoke. The smoke coalesces before her, and a handsome young man with soft features and cold eyes glares at you: “She’s taken.”
Greater love shrouds may form from powerful creatures when filled with overwhelming and unrequited desire for intimacy, romantic or sexual, or from any such being who suffers from his desire to an exceptional extent. Normal love shrouds can also become greater love shrouds through age or additional traumatic experiences.
COMBAT
A greater love shroud fights much like a normal love shroud, except that its corporeal form allows it to protect and move its receptacle on its own if need be. It does not create a body unless it needs to, usually relying on its thrall to do its fighting; in combat, it only creates a body if it needs to carry away its receptacle and has no thrall to do it.
Create Body (Su): A greater love shroud can create a corporeal form. It may exist in this body for up to 13 minutes per day, and the time needn’t be continuous. Creating or dispersing its body is a move action for the love shroud. While in corporeal form, the love shroud loses the incorporeal subtype, its incorporeal touch attack, and its fly speed. It gains a Strength score of 24, a speed of 30 feet, and two slam attacks which deal 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage and utilize its electrical surge and sinister charge abilities. It retains its deflection bonus even in its created corporeal form. The duration is Hit Dice-based.
A greater love shroud may only use its incorporeal touch in incorporeal form, and not its other attacks.
Electrical Surge (Su): A greater love shroud deals an additional 3d6 points of electricity damage when it strikes with its incorporeal touch and when it hits with a melee weapon. While the greater love shroud has a physical body, it has a melee touch attack which deals 3d6 points of electricity damage. Whenever a love shroud deals electricity damage this way, it also implants a sinister charge.
Euphoric Link (Su): The save and check DCs of a greater love shroud’s euphoric link are each 22. The greater love shroud’s coexistence with its thrall grants a +6 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws; the thrall still does not benefit from these bonuses against the greater love shroud, and suffers a -6 morale penalty on saving throws and Armor class against the greater love shroud while the two occupy the same space. Finally, the greater love shroud can affect a former thrall for up to 13 rounds after the euphoric link is broken.
Possession (Su): A greater love shroud’s possession attack has a save DC of 22 and has an effective caster level of 15th. A greater love shroud can affect a corpse which has been dead for up to 13 days.
Sinister Charge (Su): The save DC for a greater love shroud’s sinister charge is 22.
Spell-like Abilities: 3/day – quickened charm person (DC 19); 1/day – lightning bolt (DC 19). Caster level 13th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.