[Template, PEACH] Knowledge is Power - Hide it Well

[Lord_Gareth]

In a storm-shrouded stronghold in the Outlands, hidden away from all mortal and immortal eyes, lies a library known as the Athenaeum Nefarious, full of dark secrets carefully hoarded and guarded by its mistress, Illurien. The tempest that surrounds the library is liquid knowledge, secrets so horrible as to shred the minds of those exposed to it and leave them gibbering mad.

Illurien is obsessed with knowledge, both forbidden and benign. She seeks to know all, to hoard every secret into her library to pore over them and exalt in her knowing. And so it is that, occasionally, the mistress of the Athenaeum Nefarious has bred with mortals, to learn what it means to be with another - and to give birth to a child. Some of these children she kept, to learn what it might be to raise a child, and these are hopelessly insane. Some, however, were left with their fathers - the Illuriad, the children of Illurien.

Illuriad

Illuriad is an inherited template that may be added to any humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or dragon with an Intelligence of 6 or higher (hereafter referred to as the base creature).

An Illuriad uses the base creature's statistics and special abilities except where noted below.

Size and Type - The base creature's type changes to Outsider (Native, Water) and loses all other subtypes.

Speed - The base creature's land speed increases by 15 feet. This increase is supernatural in nature and does not function in an antimagic field, and may be surpressed by a dispel magic or similar effect for one round per caster level of the caster.

Armor Class - Unchanged

Special Attacks - Tempest Lash - Once a minute, the Illuriad may lash out with their own watery essence, sapping 1d6 points of Intelligence from their victim and dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage. The tempest lash is a melee touch attack and is treated as a natural attack.

Storm of Thoughts - Once per day, the Illuriad may unleash their collected thoughts and memories into a psychic scream that lasts for one round per point of Intelligence modifier they possess. Creatures within 30 feet (except the Illuriad) that possess an Intelligence score must make a Will save (DC 10 + the Illuriad's Intelligence modifier) or be deafened and dazed while the scream continues. The Illuriad can take no other actions while screaming, but may end it at any time as an immediate action. This is a mind-affecting ability, but not a sonic one.

Special Qualities -

- Darkvision out to 60 feet.
- A +4 bonus against all mind-affecting abilities
- A +4 racial bonus on all Knowledge checks. All Knowledge skills are class skills for Illuriad. Illuriads are never illiterate.
- Illuriads gain a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. spells with the Water or Fire descriptors due to their stormy nature.

Abilities - Adjust ability scores as follows: Str -2, Dex +2, Con -4, Int +4, Wis +2

Skills - Illuriads gain skill points as an outsider and have skill points equal to (8+Int modifier) x (hit dice +3). Do not factor in class levels into this calculation - only racial hit dice are affected.

Challenge Rating - Unknown (help?)

Alignment - Usually nuetral (any)

Level Adjustment - +1

Appearence - The Illuriad looks a lot like the base creature, but is usually surrounded by a small storm. The tempest of water droplets is actually their collected thoughts and memories - those who actually drink the water can see flashes of the Illuriad's mind. Occasionally, an Illuriad takes after its mother, becoming a humanoid creature entirely composed of its own water droplets, forming organs and all other functions of the living body. When an Illuriad uses its Tempest Lash or its Storm of Thoughts, its body often shimmers into a watery form and the storm around it intensifies to a hurricane gale (no game effect).

And there we go! Help would be nice ^_^.

[Veri]

You are a newb.

Joking <3. Seems like a good idea. Id remove the Str penalty, lower the int bonus to +4 and it would fit nicely with +1 la.

[Neftren]

Good, but why the speed bonus? I mean, it already gets a bonus (6+6=12=+6 Mod) of 30 feet to it's movement. I could see huge abuse with a Duskblade and Spring Attack/Rapid Blitz chain. Dart in, hit for a few times, channel and pop out without taking damage.

[Mewtarthio]

An additional note: How is the victim of "tempest lash" determined? You need to specifiy whether it's part of a regular melee attack, a melee touch attack, or even a ranged attack (touch or not).

[Luean]

Originally Posted by Neftren

I mean, it already gets a bonus (6+6=12=+6 Mod) of 30 feet to it's movement.

Umm, 12 = +1 Mod, not +6 o_O
+6 would be 22/23 on a stat.

[Lord_Gareth]

Luean's right about the modifier thing ^_^ However, I gave them that because A. people always whine and moan about flight speeds like their mother has and B. because I like the "speed of thought" pun.

@Mew - THANK YOU! This is the kind of thing I always forget ^_^ Fixed

[Neftren]

Originally Posted by Luean

Umm, 12 = +1 Mod, not +6 o_O
+6 would be 22/23 on a stat.

Erm. I was referring to the fact that if I had 18 Int +6 Int that's 24 Int. Which ends up in a 35 ft. speed bonus?

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

I think it's probably better to go with a flat speed boost rather than a variable one, since it's a big boon at low levels and at high levels you'll be outrunning everything but the monk. Considering a 16 Int at base, I just got a base speed of 65 feet. Bit much, in my opinion. Maybe a flat +10ft would be good...or, better yet, a Haster supernatural ability activated 1/hour or something, lasting for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. Speed of thought and all that.

Also, while the save bonuses and attacks make sense and are flavorful, the +6 Int is going a little far. I might make the adjustments a flat -2, +2, -2, +2, +2, as that's still a net gain, and helps avoid making this a cheap Wizard boosting template. Barring that, at least drop it to +4 Int instead of +6. That done, it's probably sitting fairly nicely at a +1 LA. Higher than most we see, but probably still +1.

-The Djinn

[Lord_Gareth]

Thank'ee for the advice, Djinn (or Gid, as I should say). I added a type modifier to the Storm of Thoughts (mind-affecting) and reduced the speed bonus to a flat +15 feet. Their Int bonus is now +4.