[Creature] Ashes to ashes...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Lady Blackscuttle



Medium Outsider (native)
Hit Dice: 6d8+36 (63 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+2 dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+7
Attack: Switch +9 melee (1d4+1 plus 1d6 fire)
Full Attack: Switch +9 melee (1d4+1 plus 1d6 fire)
Space/Reach:5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cast away the chill, spell-like abilities, switch
Special Qualities: Ashes to ashes, coalbody, coal scuttle, damage reduction 5/evil, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold and fire, low-light vision, snow walk, tongues
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +10
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 12, Wis 21, Cha 19
Skills: Diplomacy +13, Heal +16, Hide +11, Knowledge (local) +10, Listen +14, Search +10, Spot +14, Survival +16
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Self-Sufficient
Environment: Any cold land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: 1d4 hearthstones and switch
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 6-19 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

Lady Blackscuttle appears as a beautiful but rather elderly woman with bright, kind black eyes and long dark-grey hair usually bound up in a thick bun. She appears to be dressed in a simple black dress and shawl, though this outfit is actually a part of her body. She is almost always to be found carrying a rusty, soot-stained coal scuttle with a slim piece of wood sticking out from the glowing hot coals within.

The Lady Blackscuttle are angelic beings that attempt to bring comfort to those during the winter months. They are formed from the smoke and ash that rises from the last desperate log or piece of coal of a freezing family. The powers of the higher planes infuses the dust, forming an incarnation of compassion and hope.

They are constantly seeking out the cold and hungry, and will spend as long as is needed to wean them back to health, usually leaving them with the gift of a hearthstone to heat their dwellings or merely be worn on their person. The woman will then disapear up the flu or out through a crack and float upon the winds until coming upon another that they may aid.

Lady blackscuttle stands a few inches above five foot though weighs only around 20 lbs. She speaks using her Tongues ability.

Combat
Lady Blackscuttle great dislikes fighting, her life being dedicated to healing, but she will angrily defend children and the weak, applying her switch ferociously. Otherwise she merely puffs into a cloud of soot to escape.

Ashes to Ashes (Su): Lady Blackscuttle may disipate at will into a foggy cloud of ash that acts as a Gaseous Form spell.
As well, if she dies she immediately crumbles away into soot and floats away on the breeze. Unless having died in an unhallowed area she will return back to life the following year. A limited wish, wish and similiar spells can permanently kill her.

Cast Away The Chill (Ex): Lady Blackscuttle may turn or destroy cold creatures as a good cleric turns undead. She can also rebuke or command fire creatures as an evil cleric rebukes undead. She may do this a number of times per day equal to twice her Charisma modifier.

Coalbody (Ex): Lady Blackscuttle is not subject to critical hits and is immune to bleeding, such as from a Wounding weapon. She is also immune to poison and disease.

Coal Scuttle (Su): Lady Blackscuttle may produce up to four hearthstones a week within a coal scuttle she's wielded for at least that time period.

Snow Walk (Ex): Lady Blackscuttle may move overtop snow without falling through or leaving a trace of her passing as the Snow Walk spell.

Spell-like Abilities:
At will - Create Food and Water, Detect Poison, Purify Food and Drink, *Thaw. 3/day - **Estanna's Stew, *Evergreen, **Heart's Ease. Caster level 10th.

* Found in Frostburn
** Found in the Book of Exalted Deeds.

Switch: A Lady Blackscuttle's switch acts as a +1 flaming club. It deals both bludgeoning and slashing damage. She uses her dexterity modifier when using this switch as if possessing the Weapon Finesse feat.

Tongues (Su): Lady Blackscuttle can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to Hit Dice). This ability is always active.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hearthstone

This appears as a large charcoal nugget red-hot with eternal heat. The heat from a single nugget produces enough heat to warm an area out to 60 feet. This heat is uniform, being as warm at the source as the edge. As well, all non-magical snow or ice within 100 feet of a nugget instantly thaws. A nugget in contact with non-living, flamable substances automatically ignites the material even if soaking wet, though only if it is done so in the spirit of providing needed warmth. The hearthstone will not start fires intended for malicious purposes. Attempts to light a fire with the coal underwater automatically fails.

The hearthstone itself is only very warm to the touch and will not burn flesh, though any fires that are lit from it are normal flames in all ways. Its internal fire cannot be put out, even by immersion in water or magic, unless the coal is destroyed. It possesses two hit points and has a hardness of 5.

[Tussy the Druid]

Don't ask why, but my the first thought that came to mind was Mary Poppins. I like the christmas feel the Lady Blackscuttle bring. If I encounted a campaign with one.... I would be so tempted to destroy it :D

[Mewtarthio]

What if somebody Charms another person and convinces them to start a fire with a Hearthstone to provide warmth while secretly plotting to take the newly-created fire and go qualify for Pyrokineticist? Does the Hearthstone detect that intent, or does it detect the enchantment on its wielder and fail, or does it work normally when it senses the benign intentions of its wielder.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

What if somebody Charms another person and convinces them to start a fire with a Hearthstone to provide warmth while secretly plotting to take the newly-created fire and go qualify for Pyrokineticist? Does the Hearthstone detect that intent, or does it detect the enchantment on its wielder and fail, or does it work normally when it senses the benign intentions of its wielder.

The stone only detects the intent of the wielder. If charmed to set fire but thinking they are aiding someone then the coal is not to know.

[Twisted.Fate]

I like it! It has a great flavor, and seems well-balanced to me. I'd love to see this in a game. Seems somehow more fey than outsider, though, but that's just my love of fey. Good work!

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Giving this a seasonal bump

[Zenos]

Really good.

[littlechicory]

Merry Christmas to you too, Vorpal Tribble!

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Merry Christmas to you too, Vorpal Tribble!

And God bless us, everyone!

[FlyMolo]

I like it. Good to throw against "I kill it" PCs who need taking down a peg. Especially somewhere cold.

I could see illicit trade in hearthstones, although they'd be a little hard to conceal. Just carry around a snowball, and when it melts, hey presto, you've found your hearthstone dealer.

[Falconer]

I really like this idea, it seems well-thought and pretty original. Good job.