[Creature] She wore murder in her hair...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Ravenclawe

Medium Monsterous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (27 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+5 natural, +3 dex), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Murdereress, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: All-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., flighty, immunity to disease and poison, plucksight, spell resistance 16
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +9, Gather Information +9, Hide +9, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (Local) +9, Listen +4, Move Silently +9, Search +4, Spot +12
Feats: Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Any urban
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: -

A pale, gaunt woman stands before you, all shriveled flesh, with a hooked beak of a nose. Her eyes are a sharp black with no hint of pupil with a strange mass of scars surroundings the sockets. Despite her seeming age she has thick tresses of a vibrant black shade that nevertheless forms a great tangled mass upon her head which has grown all the way to the ground. Her sleeveless dress of silk shows that hair of the same color and length hangs down from her armpits in a tangle as well. This hair twists and wavers back and forth as the occassional beak or wink momentarily show themselves before burrowing back within.

A ravenclawe, or tower hag as some call her, is a horrific being of urban heights. From her vantage point she has an eye to most of the city, as well as sending out her personal flock to gather information. For this reason many come to buy this knowledge from her, be it politican and lord to thief and assassin, and she is often also paid to be the latter as well. Though she is paid well she enjoys the constant feel of the open air and all her belongings lie about atop the roofs, open to the elements. When finally a bed disentegrates or a table collapses it is replaced and used until it to weathers into dust. She is a hardy soul, able to drink the foul waters trapped within the upper gutters, and eat whatever unrecognizable comestible brought by her loyal avians.

Ravenclawes speak Common, Elven and may speak with and understand the language of crows, ravens, pigeons, vultures and other carrion eating birds. A ravenclawe is about the same height and weight as a female human.

Combat
A ravenclawe is long able to put off her anger for just the right time to strike her enemies, attacking with claw or raven as the situtions requires. She and her feathered friends then share the corpse if possible for their meal.

All-Around Vision (Ex): The birds hidden within the ravenclawe's tresses are continuously pointing out things they notice to their mistress, bestowing a +4 circumstance bonus on Spot and Search checks. Opponents gain no flanking bonuses when attacking a ravenclawe.

Flighty (Ex): As a standard action a ravenclawe may direct the majority of her crows to grip her hair and take her aloft. She gains a flight speed of 40 feet with good maneuverability. She need not take a move action herself to remain flying, directing them with the slightest thought. If a ravenclawe begins to fall the birds immediately grab her to halt her plummet. These birds are absolutely dominated by her and cannot be manipulated by spells or powers.

Murdereress (Su): A ravenclawe may summon a *murder of crows three times per day as a standard action. A ravenclawe may step within the proximity of her summoned swarm without harm or impedement of any kind.
* Tomb of Magic, p. 87.

Plucksight (Ex): As a standard action a ravenclawe can direct one of her birds to pluck out one of her eyes. She may continue to see through the removed eye for up to 48 hours before it goes blind. The raven holding the eye is controlled completely by the hag and she may change its direction as one would glances from side to side. Unless both eyes plucked are affected simultaneously gaze attacks and blinding do not affect the ravenclawe. A raven can return and reinsert the eye at any time, which immediately regains sight. If the eye is destroyed or has gone blind the hag can regrow a new one in 1d4 hours, while the remaining one, if it still exists, rots away.

Spell-like Abilities:
At Will - Animal Messenger, Invisibility. 3/day Silence. Caster level 5th. Save DC's are Charisma-based.

Skills: A ravenclawe has a +8 racial bonus on climb and spot checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if distracted or endangered.

[Abd al-Azrad]

I like it. Not too powerful, but definately a concept piece. I have one problem: her Spot modifier is piss-poor. You'd think a creature whose entire existence is defined by her eyes would have a better Spot check.

The Ravenclawe has a good visual effect. A hideous woman, held up by her hair and surrounded by black birds, floating effortlessly towards the party.

Question: Why immunity to disease and poison? I know it works well with an urban environment- the hag lives like a street urchin, constantly exposed to the worst elements of the world... hm. Maybe I answered my own question. I'm just wondering why you gave this to her.

All in all, I think it's a very solid creepy information gatherer. Glad about the +9 Gather Info skill.

[Fizban]

I see this and think about the (not really that recent) movie The Brothers Grimm. I don't know why, I don't think I remember the witch in that one having these abilites, and either way it's kind of a classic monster idea (in that the movie wasn't the first to think of it).
Anyway, nice monster, as always. The armpit hair wigged me out.

[martyboy74]

The armpit hair wigged me out.

Well, yeah, where do you think the murder comes from?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I like it. Not too powerful, but definately a concept piece. I have one problem: her Spot modifier is piss-poor. You'd think a creature whose entire existence is defined by her eyes would have a better Spot check.

Well, not really defined for her eyes as she is known to move about. However, it could do with a bit of a rise.

Question: Why immunity to disease and poison? I know it works well with an urban environment- the hag lives like a street urchin, constantly exposed to the worst elements of the world... hm. Maybe I answered my own question. I'm just wondering why you gave this to her.

Pretty much as you say. Immunity to disease because she is constantly exposed to the elements, sleeping upon a sodden, vermin-filled bed, drinking water of the gutters... poison because she tends to eat whatever her ravens brings to her.

In fact, probably need to add that to the flavor text.

I see this and think about the (not really that recent) movie The Brothers Grimm. I don't know why, I don't think I remember the witch in that one having these abilites,

Nope, don't think it had anything like this lady in it, though it would have fit. If they had left out that stupid torturer it would have been a fantastic fairy tale movie.

The armpit hair wigged me out.

;D