Fane
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 9d8+27 (67 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), climb 40 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (+3 dex, +7 natural, -1 size), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19
Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d8+6) and 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d8+6) and 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Bane of faerie
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, shrubbing, spell-resistance 19, thwart nature's lure, unseen by the green
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +7
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 19, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +5*, Listen +10, Move Silently +9, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Blind-Fight,
Darkstalker, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Track(B)
Environment: Any forest
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3–5)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 10-19 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
A fane is a difficult beast to describe, many referring to it as a vague furry terror. It shares characteristics of both a shaggy dog and a wolverine, though with a lithe, long-limbed body more in keeping with those of the feline persuasion. The fur is muted shades of greys and browns that makes it difficult to see in the forest while it stands still.
It possesses thick raptor-like talons on its feet, allowing it to propell itself through undergrowth or up a tree with incredible speed. Its wide, muscular muzzle is filled with sharp teeth, with two sets of prominent fangs protruding from the top and bottom and extending past the lips. The small black eyes possess a spark of intelligence and more than a little cunning.
Fane are the breeding project of a colony of peoples who found themselves unwelcome by the neighboring forest that housed a portal to the Unseelie Court. Despite being beset by marauding redcaps and children stolen away by walking trees, many were too stubborn or angered to leave. It was only a miracle that they managed to survive their first years, aided by ferocious guard dogs.
Unbeknownst to the village one of their 'stolen' children had merely gotten lost during a wandering and had just enough training from his father to survive. He managed to eek out an existence, though always running and hiding from the violent fey. Though he loved the forest and the ways of the animals, learning the ways of the druids, he loathed its inhabitants and the evil taint of the Unseelie.
He had grown into a young man before he refound the struggling village. He aided them by training and putting a number of enchantments upon the guarding canines, along with grafting traits of the toughest woodland animals. The result were beasts that had a minimal intelligence and a hatred of fey creatures. What he had not planned on were the effect the background magic of the forest had upon them, increasing the supernatural spark he had planted within. The villagers were overjoyed however as the fey were slaughtered and scattered. When the fane then turned on the villagers, having run out of other challenging opponents, their former masters were completely unprepared, and wiped out. The fane spread throughout the forest, and though many were destroyed as warriors from the Unseelie Court retaliated, dozens of other creatures carried the next generation. For one of the benefits of their breeding was that Fane could produce viable offspring with any small to large mammalian animal. The pups resembled slightly the animal parent, though most of these characteristics faded away as it matured.
Fane can speak Common and Fey. They weigh upwards of four-hundred pounds. They are some twelve feet long and stand nearly seven foot at the shoulder.
Combat
A fane often stalks its prey to an area it frequently visits and then uses its shrubpelt ability to blend in with its surroundings and lie in wait. It will then observe its foe for some time before leaping forth to maul.
A fane's natural attacks are considered cold iron for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Bane of Faerie (Su):
A fane gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against fey. Likewise, it gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
In addition, the blow of a fane's claw withers a single plant of any size. An affected plant creature takes an extra 9d6 points of damage and may attempt a Fortitude saving throw for half damage (DC 18). A plant that isn’t a creature doesn’t receive a save and withers and dies within the next 24 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Shrubbing (Sp): As a full round action a fane can burrow itself partially into the ground, its fur thickening and lengthening into a wooden material that appears as a tall, leafless bush. This acts as the Tree Shape spell, and the fane may remain this way indefinetely.
Thwart Nature’s Lure (Ex): A fane has a +8 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey.
Unseen by the Green (Su): A fane walks as a ghost through bough and bush, and cannot be sensed by creatures with plant traits, even those with blindsight and tremorsense, unless able to use True Seeing or a similiar ability. This also includes creatures that are bound to plants, such as dryads.
As well, the fane may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at its normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect it, though it gains a +8 bonus on checks to free itself.
Skills: A fane gains a +6 bonus on climb, hide, move silently, and survival checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
*In wooded areas, the Hide bonus rises to +8.
RSS Feeds: 
[Creature] And the fairies danced no more...
