[Mystic Muse]

Kulumar


(From Denizens of Avadnu.)

Description and Details: Kulumars are eyeless predators with a mystical affinity for shadow. Fast, muscular, and agile, Kulumars stand 8 to 10 feet tall and weigh an average of 400 pounds. Their hairless skin is an almost reflective blue, and their long limbs end in black claws useful for clinging to walls and ceilings. From the bottom of Kulumars' worm-like heads grow stalks that allow them to sense their surroundings. Kulumars naturally cast no shadows. But can steal shadows from other creatures.

Kulumars are known to ally themselves with Aboleths and Drow, or perform services in return for knowledge or magic. They are treacherous and deceitful, but generally twist words instead of lying outright. If Kulumars were slightly less belligerent and enigmatic, they would easily find friends among the underworld races.

Adventures: Kulumars often adventure to obtain shadow slaves, or to find knowledge and magic. Most Kulumars are not actually casters, but have a fondness for magic all the same. Kulumars will also accept bribes of the aforementioned things to do mercenary work.

Religion: Kulumars are not known for worshiping any deity.

Ecology/background: It is unknown whether Kulumars reproduce, as there exists no documentation of Kulumar young. It is believed that Kulumars are Sexless and that only a set number exist. A leading theory holds that Kulumars are shadows cast on the material plane by some extra-planar monster but Kulumars respond to this notion with politely amused descriptions of indecipherable esoterica.

Kulumars lurk in the deepest parts of the earth, wandering alone through tunnels and caverns. Some collect arcana, while others seem intent on destroying all intelligent beings they find. They never associate with each other, but readily talk to those who question them, even during combat. They are polite and articulate, and occasionally helpful, but often difficult to understand. Questions about their nature, habits, and purpose are answered with talk of penumbras, the “Low world,” and the “Blue shadow,” and Kulumars seem unable to define these terms without relating them to each Other. Kulumars can discuss most other issues rationally.

Languages: Kulumars speak undercommon, and can speak additional languages with each point of Intelligence bonus they have as per normal.

Favored Class: Rogue is a Kulumar's favored class.


Class

Spoiler

HD: d8

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Feature
1	+0	+2	+2	+0	Kulumar body, Blindsight 30'
2	+1	+3	+3	+0	Shadow Rend, Shadow Slave,
3	+2	+3	+3	+1	Climb Speed, Blindsight 60', Shadow Slave Range 240'
4	+3	+4	+4	+1	Maintain Shadow, Command Shadow, Bite
5	+3	+4	+4	+1	Shadow jump, Enter Shadow, Blindsight 90'
6	+4	+5	+5	+2	Growth, Hide in Plain Sight, Shadow Slave Range 480'

4 Skill points+int per level, quadruple at 1st level. Class skills: Bluff, Climb, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, and Tumble.



Proficiencies: The Kulumar is not proficient in any armor or shields, and is only proficient with its natural weapons.

Features:

Kulumar Body (Ex): The Kulumar loses all other racial bonuses and gains Aberration traits, 2 claw attacks for 1d6+strength damage each, a 40 foot base land speed and medium size.

The Kulumar also gets a natural armor bonus equal to its Constitution modifier.

Blindsight (Ex): A Kulumar can sense all foes within 30 feet as a sighted creature would. Beyond that range, it is considered blinded. Kulumars are invulnerable to gaze attacks, visual effects of spells such as illusion, and other attack forms that rely on sight. It increases by another 30 feet at level 3 and 5 to a total of 90 feet.

Shadow Rend (Su): A living creature hit by both of a Kulumar's claw attacks, or who is transported with the Kulumar during a shadow jump, risks having its shadow stolen. The Creature must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 HD+Charisma modifier) or have its shadow pulled through its body and ripped out by the Kulumar. The Kulumar then casts the creature's shadow, and the creature it was stolen from casts none. A Kulumar can cast any number of shadows from different angles.

For every day the creature goes without a shadow, it partially fades into nonexistence, taking 1d4 points of Constitution drain. When its constitution reaches 0, it dies and disappears, along with its shadow. If the creature rejoins with its shadow by touching it (An unarmed melee touch attack against the Kulumar if it is casting the shadow, or against the shadow if it is detached from and controlled by the Kulumar), it regains any Constitution lost. Only a miracle or Wish spell can replace a living creature's shadow, and this does not restore lost Constitution. Returning from the dead rejoins a creature with its shadow and restores all lost Constitution.

Shadow slave (Su): At level 2, a Kulumar can detach from its body any shadows it has stolen as a free action. A shadow so detached lifts off the ground and resembles a dark, transparent version of the creature it was originally connected to. Treat the shadow as an unseen servant with an AC of 13 that follows the Kulumar's verbal commands while within 120 feet. If the Shadow leaves this range, or if the Kulumar is killed (which automatically detaches all the Kulumar's shadows) it immediately heads toward where it last saw its rightful owner, willingly rejoining if Possible. If the shadow is destroyed, it cannot be rejoined with its owner. Kulumars treat their shadows as slaves, sending them to open doors, carry their belongings, and fulfill the request of guests.

Climb Speed (Ex): At level 3, the Kulumar gains a 30 foot climb speed.

Shadow Slave Range(Su): At level 4 and 6, the range over which a Kulumar can control its shadow slaves increases to 240 feet and 480 feet respectively. At 12 HD, the Kulumar can control the slaves from any distance, or even from another plain.

Maintain Shadow (Su): At level 4, a Kulumar learns to maintain the link between its shadows and the creatures they were stolen from. Each day, the Kulumar can prevent the Constitution drain caused by shadow loss to a number of creatures whose shadows it has stolen equal to 3+HD+Charisma modifier.

Command Shadow (Su): At level 4, a Kulumar can send commands to its stolen shadows telepathically as a free action, so long as they are within range.

Bite (Ex): At level 4, the Kulumar gains a secondary bite attack dealing 1d6+1/2 strength modifier damage.

Shadow Jump (Su): At level 5, the Kulumar can travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. Even unwilling creatures can be transported with the Kulumar if they are restrained or grappled. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. The Kulumar can jump a range equal to 20 feet times its HD. This ability takes a Standard action, and is usable a number of times per day equal to its HD.

Enter Shadow (Su): At level 5 a Kulumar can create a new body for itself out of a shadow slave and abandon its old form. As a standard action, the Kulumar dissolves its body into a murky blue shadow that dissipates into the ground (Detaching any shadows in the process), and warps a single shadow slave within range of its control into a body identical to its old one. This destroys the shadow slave and cures the Kulumar of 1d10 points of damage. The overall effect is similar to teleportation, but carried objects are not transported, and this can allow the Kulumar to jump across planes.

Growth (Ex): At level 6 the Kulumar may grow another size category (Ordinarily to large size). Its AC, bonus to hit, base damage, grapple and skills change accordingly (Hide remains the same as it was before the growth), but it doesn't get any ability score bonus or penalties.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): At level 6 the Kulumar can use the hide skill even while being observed. As long as they are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, Kulumars can hide themselves from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. Kulumars cannot hide in their own shadows, or in the shadows of their shadow servants.

Comment

Spoiler

The original doesn't do much with the shadow slaves, and they probably won't last very long with just the way they originally work. By taking the Stygian Slaver PRC, gutting it with a machete, and grafting the remains onto the original monster, it works much better, and the shadow slaves actually have a point. The original PRC required level 3 arcane spells too, which the Kulumar has no reason to have, and the PRC has no advantages for. It will never be taken in any campaign where optimization matters, and so I wanted to give the class some of the decent abilities of the Stygian Slaver without requiring them to take the class.

I gave it Rogue as its favored class, the reason being that rogue boosts what it actually does.

Aberrations tend to have will as their highest save, but this is much more of a melee monster than a caster one, so I thought fortitude and reflex made more since.

Changelog

Spoiler

Changed growth to "May"