Hello darkness my old friend... (PEACH)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

...Ive come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence....

Dark Bedfellow

Medium Outsider (extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+3 dex, +5 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+2) or Slam +8 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+2) and 2 slams +3 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Duskmusk, half-asleep, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, silent as shadow
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 11, Cha 19
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +12, Escape Artist +11, Hide +11, Intimidate +12, Listen +8, Move Silently +11, Perform (oratory) +12, Search +11, Spot +8
Feats: Iron Will, Run, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Often True Neutral
Advancement: By character level
Level Adjustment: +2

In their natural form Dark Bedfellows appear as tall, slim humanoids covered in a thin layer of chitinous scales. These scales are arranged in curious patterns which blur every few moments with a slight billowing of dark mist to reform in a completely new design. The head is large and tear-drop shaped with a single enormous eye set in the middle. A toothy maw directly below it takes up the rest of the face, leaving no room for nose or ears. Behind the head hangs a fleshy cowl that drapes the shoulders. Their lean, athletic legs end in a pool of shifting shadows that grasps and melds with the surrounding darkness.

When a loved one has died or is far away their mates sleep uncomfortably. In the shadows of night as they toss and turn they may call out in the darkness... and sometimes it is answered. Dark bedfellows live on the edges of the plane of shadow that resonates psychically with dreaming beings, waiting for someone to curse or cry out in the darkness. They then appear beside their summoner, allowing them to reach out and gain comfort from them. These beings then slowly seduce the mate in the night by kind words and playing upon their emotional confusion until they have won their hearts and are willing to be whisked away into the dark to spend their lives with their dusky lover. If their efforts are resisted they grow angered and begin to terrorize the being until they are so cowed that they lose their objectivity and begin to truley think they love the creature.

They often have an aristocratic air, their words generally soft spoken and their actions gentle. They are easily insulted however and become overbearing and abusive to those that do not show the respect they feel is deserved.

Darkfellows weigh some 150 lbs. and tend to be around six and a half feet in height. They speak common and undercommon plus 3 additional languages that vary from individual to individual.

Combat
Dark bedfellows, though strong in combat, prefer to remain aloof from violence. They tend to use their peculiar pheromones to daze and blind while they sneak off. If forced or greatly insulted though they leap forward to tear and pummel.

Duskmusk (Ex): Three times per day a Dark Bedfellow may increase the potency of their strangely pleasant, though chokingly musky scent in an invisible cloud out to twenty feet that lasts for 1 round + Con mod. Those who breathe in this cloud find their sight fading and must succeed on a DC 14 fortitude save or become Blinded for 1d4 minutes. Creatures with the Scent ability take a -4 penalty on their save. The save DC is Consitution-based.

Half Asleep (Su): The scent of a Dark Bedfellow causes those nearby to sink into a comfortable, partially unconscious state. Those within 5 feet of the Dark Bedfellow must succeed on a DC 16 will save or become Dazed for as long as they are within range. Each time the victim sustains damage they may make another save to awake. Those who make the save remain unaffected until they are exposed to it for a second time. While Dazed the victims may percieve the Dark Bedfellow as their departed loved one and reguard everything they do or say in the best possible light as if under the Charm spell. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Silent As A Shadow (Ex): Shadows seem to deaden the sounds of the Dark Bedfellow's movements. In areas of dim illumination they gain a +4 insight bonus on move silently checks, and in areas of complete darkness or deep shadow their movements are completely silenced. In complete darkness they may also walk straight up walls and across ceilings as the Spider Climb spell.

Spell-like Abilities: At will - Detect Thought, Disguise Self; 1/day - Shadow Walk. Caster level 5th. The save DC is Charisma-based.

[ghost_warlock]

Hmmm...I work nights and I was hoping to see a new VT critter today before I went to bed. This is oddly appropriate... :)

[Psiwave]

You thrust your players into a deeply disturbing and terrible world. Truely they are the lucky ones, for they must surely succome to the hideous delights that lie within before they can dwell on that which keeps we mere outsiders awake through the storm-addled night.
From what dark nightmares does your imagination crawl? in which shattered shadow realm do you reside?


another disturbingly brilliant beastie!

[Brickwall]

When I picture this thing, it's just plain weird.

Anyway, there is actually no supernatural ability they seem to have to convince the victim that they love them. Add it, maybe?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

You thrust your players into a deeply disturbing and terrible world. Truely they are the lucky ones, for they must surely succome to the hideous delights that lie within before they can dwell on that which keeps we mere outsiders awake through the storm-addled night.
From what dark nightmares does your imagination crawl? in which shattered shadow realm do you reside?

You write that or copy it? If the former, nice work!

Anyway, there is actually no supernatural ability they seem to have to convince the victim that they love them. Add it, maybe?

As mentioned its usually a detailed process, but while Dazed they see it as their loved one and eventually they come to think this thing is one and the same. Also gave it high ranks in diplomacy and perform (oratory) to woo their 'victims'.

[Psiwave]

lol, It's a Psiwave origional, but I have been reading Lovecraft at the beach all day, so that could explain it!

[Winged One]

*yoink*

[Abd al-Azrad]

I'm a bit wary about one thing- its Half-asleep ability seems to lull the Bedfellow's victim into a semiconscious state of pleasant succour (I think those were the words I want), but the ability appears to apply during any event, including combat. Is it really what you want to have the Bedfellow coaxing enemy fighters to sleep while simultaneously pummelling them with its fists? Because that doesn't really fit my perception of the ability.

Perhaps something like the Barding Fascinate ability, which doesn't work during combat?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Is it really what you want to have the Bedfellow coaxing enemy fighters to sleep while simultaneously pummelling them with its fists? Because that doesn't really fit my perception of the ability.

Perhaps something like the Barding Fascinate ability, which doesn't work during combat?

The latter is what it is generally used for, but if in combat they find it very useful to lull their enemies as they run off, or yes, give them a good sucker punch.

[Ravyn]

Wow. Just wow. *stubbornly resists the urge to follow some of her fellow players into rampant paranoia.*

Though--regarding the suckerpunch thing, it does seem a bit unlikely that anyone would sit through that without at least having a shot at snapping out of it... perhaps being damaged while Half Asleep should give the target another chance to save against it.

And might I add that you have excellent taste in music?

[Collin152]

Vorpal Tribble, your monsters are just plain EVIL. Sureley this abundance of Evil in the world can mean only a coming of great Goodness, for deep shadows can form only near great lights. And however great the light, shadows always will remain.
Think I will go meditate now.

[Brickwall]

So if this is the Dark Bedfellow, what's the Light Bedfellow?

...

Yeah, that'd balance out MY worries!

[Abd al-Azrad]

So if this is the Dark Bedfellow, what's the Light Bedfellow?

...

Yeah, that'd balance out MY worries!

Do you really want VT to make the Light Bedfellow? I don't think it would work out the way you want it to.

I imagine it would be that girl you've always wanted to hook up with, but were too good friends to make a move. Or something.

BTW, this used to be one of my favourite songs. I had a 30-year old jealous of me back when I was 16 just because I was impressing his girlfriend with my mad skillz at singing Sounds of Silence. I rarely have the opportunity to outperform a man twice my age. I relished it.

Ahh, good times.

[Amiria]

So what do they do with their abducted victims on the plane of shadow ? Have they whole flocks of victims in their home an feed on their emotions ? Or do they quickly get bored with them an then kill them or leave them to die on the plane of shadow ?

[SpiderBrigade]

Do you really want VT to make the Light Bedfellow? I don't think it would work out the way you want it to.

I imagine it would be that girl you've always wanted to hook up with, but were too good friends to make a move. Or something.

I suspect it might be a little worse than that. Or alternately, it might be one of the good monsters that VT does occasionally create. That's why he's so skilled. Some folk just know how to do creepy-evil, which VT obviously does too, but he can ALSO do bittersweet and surreally beautiful and just plain strange. All of which make the creepy-evil that much scarier....

[Azrael]

I rarely have the opportunity to outperform a man twice my age. I relished it.

Just wait until you're 45 or so. Shouldn't be too hard to out perform *cough* a 90 year old.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Though--regarding the suckerpunch thing, it does seem a bit unlikely that anyone would sit through that without at least having a shot at snapping out of it... perhaps being damaged while Half Asleep should give the target another chance to save against it.

Oh, had meant to add to it that being damaged had a chance to snap you out of it. Will adjust.

So what do they do with their abducted victims on the plane of shadow ? Have they whole flocks of victims in their home an feed on their emotions ? Or do they quickly get bored with them an then kill them or leave them to die on the plane of shadow ?

Basically take them to their homes on the plane of shadow as mistresses (or male equivalent). They tend to treat them well. As you can see their alignment isn't evil.

Just wait until you're 45 or so. Shouldn't be too hard to out perform *cough* a 90 year old.

I'm just gonna keep out of this... ;)