[A to Z April] V is for V is for Vile Portal (item)

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

The Vile Portal is a legendary relic of a former time, and an evil religion. Also known as the Portal of Jiranah, this relic, like other portals, transport all those who enter its boundaries to another place. Jiranah, the God of Sorrow and the Blinding One, is inconstant and vindictive. The portal bearing her name is equally inconstant and vindictive.

It is rarely found in the same location twice, and if there is a pattern to where the portal sends its users, no one has discovered the secret. Once through the portal, the user must either use normal, physical means to return to their original location (or normal magical means) or the user must call forth the powers of Jiranah, calling out her name and performing an act of worship. If Jiranah is appeased, the creature will be returned to the starting point.

In addition, unless the user is of Chaotic Evil alignment, traveling through the portal will cause a shift in alignment one degree toward Chaotic Evil. The shift is cumulative; the return trip--if any--adds an additional degree shift. This is the price Jiranah exacts for the use--or abuse--of her power. The only way a creature can counter that shift is through an atonement spell and performing a ritual or quest for their personal deity.

Legend has it that there exist relics of Jiranah that control the portal; some are said to be able to locate the portal and others are said to summon the portal to their location. bel: a stylized bat surrounded by runes from various languages, all meaning "bat." Some barkeeps will remove the label--which is easily done--in order to hide the beverage from all but the most discerning, knowledgeable customers.


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Previous "V"s:
2014: V is for Vaena Shieldbadger (npc)
2013: V is for Varra Turnskull (npc)
2012: V is for Vapor Dwindle (spell)
2011: V is for Vesseth

[A to Z April] F is for Fel Column (item)

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

In the city of Orcweepmere there is a street known as the Way of Gods. Similar streets exist in many cities: it is a place where every conceivable religion--practiced or forgotten--maintains a place of worship. The entrances to and exits from the Way of Gods are always in the same place; however, the distances between the entrances and exits vary from day to day and from traveler to traveler. If asked how big is the Way of Gods, those who know the best invariably answer, “As big as it needs to be.”

In one secluded corner is a square, or town commons. Various temples and places of worship dedicated to minor, forgotten deities fill the buildings surrounding the square. In the center of the square sits a column known as the Fel Column.

The column is 113 feet tall; it is 11 feet wide at the rounded tip and 13 feet wide at the base. Mages and scholars make a great deal out of these numbers; those who best understand divine power understand that these numbers have incredible unholy power. Despite its great height and relative narrowness, the column has no surrounding structure or visible support at the base; it is a free-standing column.

A free-standing column of bile.

The column is a liquid in a constant state of movement, fluid swirling and spinning, seemingly spiraling ever upwards towards the top. It never splashes or sprays outside of the column, even in the strongest winds or tempests. It never varies in size or shape. It never varies in color, it is an unearthly greenish-yellow. No one knows from whence it came or exactly when it first appeared. Everyone who claims to know cites a different date. No one knows what it represents, whether it is a tribute to a deity or a deific being itself.

One thing is certain, however: the bile is incredibly toxic; any who come in contact with the column suffer both physical damage and physical weakness. (In game terms, any creature that touches the Fel Column instantly suffers 1d2 points of permanent CON damage and 1d2 points of permanent CHA damage. Because of the nature of the fluid, there is no save and the damage cannot be cured, reversed, or restored by any means short of divine intercession by means of a miracle spell.) Even creatures who are resistant to or immune from the effects of acid receive damage from the Fel Column.

In addition, the smell which emanates from the Fel Column is disgusting--overwhelmingly so. The stench causes any living creature that comes within 10 feet of the Column to make a Fortitude save (DC 15, Charisma based). Failure causes the creature to be sickened for 2d6 minutes. If the creature is successful with his save, he cannot be affected again by the odor for 24 hours. The sickened effect can be removed by either a delay poison or neutralize poison spell. If the creature is immune to poison, it is unaffected by the smell; creatures who are resistant to poison receive all normal saving throw bonuses.

If any creature attempts to bottle or store the bile or remove any portion of the fluid from the column, in addition to the creature taking the aforementioned damage from both the acid and the smell (as applicable), the bile instantly becomes inert and harmless upon removal from the column.


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Previous "F"s:
2014: F is for Flying Frost (spell)
2013: F is for Frost Wound Patch (locale)
2012: F is for Flesh Alliance (spell)
2011: F is for Found Items

[A to Z April] K is for Kell's Force Tonic (beverage)

Kell’s Force Tonic is modeled after a libation created a century ago by the Mad Wizard Kell, who was determined to create a beverage that was both delicious to drink and, because of his paranoia, an effective way to better see corporeal undead. In his honor, those few enterprising individuals who still mix up a batch of tonic for sale market the Force Tonic in the same kind of small brass bottle that Kell was known to use. Like Kell’s, each bottle contains one dose of the Force Tonic. To pay their respects, these bottles have an etched image of Kell on their side.

The Tonic is a grey-colored liquid that has a barely-noticeable smell of fresh-baked bread and a smooth, pleasant vanilla taste. A single dose provides a slight buzz; the “side effects” take effect in 3d4 rounds. These “side effects” allow the individual the ability to see and touch incorporeal creatures for its duration; namely, 5d6 rounds. The Tonic does not come cheap, however, at 400 gp per dose.



**Due to Blogger-related issues beyond my control, this post apparently didn't actually publish on Saturday as scheduled. So, I repost it today.

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Previous "K"s:
2013: K is for Kith, Sin (creature)
2012: K is for Kel, Scokin (npc)
2011: K is for Key, Skeleton (item)

[A to Z April] I is for Island, Oraoss (map)

The island nation of Oraoss lies approximately 1500 miles southwest from the continental port of Coldtreath. It lies in a temperate zone and has a wide range of climates and terrains for a relatively small island at 15,000 square miles. The island is characterized mainly by the sharp division created by the central mountain range–the Dazao Mountains–which separates the lush, wooded eastern side from the gently rolling plains and barren desert on the west. The southern tip of the island is an enormous marshland, the Raekri Marshes, which are nearly impassable without an expert guide. The island is surrounded by four smaller islands as well as a small island range, the Uabal Islands.

The capitol city, Raolde, is an average size city by continental standards, large by Oraossian standards. Its population of 3,254 adults is dominated by elves (92%) followed by humans at 2%. Another 5% is made up of an equal mix of dwarves, halflings, gnomes, half-elves, and orcs. Walled by stone, Raolde is famous for its scholars (its major export followed closely by blueberries) and its courtesans. Many travel to see its beautiful architecture and experience the thrill of the gladiator rings. Most who visit realize only later that the locals grossly overcharge outsiders for their experience.

Despite the dominant elvish population, crime is out of control in Raolde. Three separate thieves’ guilds operate in Raolde under the nose of its governing official, the Lawgiver Kera Pata. Nominally an elected official, the Lawgiver heads a corrupt government. Raoldian officials, while ostensibly the most cultured and refined of the population of Oraoss are still largely seen as bumpkins to their counterparts in Coldtreath and other large cities on the continent.

Most of the other towns and cities on Oraoss are embarrassed to be associated with those from Raolde. The Uabals have unofficially declared independence; the Lord of Cear Keep, Bik Iloamai (known as “the Subjugator” to many throughout Oraoss) is the self-styled Lawgiver-in-exile, claiming to be the heir to the deposed once-Lawgiver. Seeing himself as the “true government” of Oraoss, Bik Iloamai occasionally sends decrees across the Uabal Strait to be distributed by messenger to the various Oraossian cities; these decrees contain more than a hint of madness and irrational mandates.

Oraoss also boasts a large population of dwarves who inhabit Kilfik Hall, nestled at the base of Fivejade Peak, the tallest mountain on Oraoss (soaring 1,200 feet above sea level). Snow is often seen on the very top of Fivejade Peak during the rainy season. The dwarves of Kilfik Hall harvest the snow and ice and export it throughout Oraoss. Nestled in the arms of the Utui Hills, the passageways and chambers of Kilfik Hall are rumored to extend throughout the center of Fivejade Peak, although few outsiders have ever been invited into the Hall and no outsider has been known to be allowed past the Asssembly Room just within the main gates.

The usual applies to this image: free to use, just drop me a note to let me know if, where, when, and how it was used. The PDF can be grabbed HERE.


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Previous "I"s:
2013: I is for Ice Quartz Caverns (map)
2012: I is for Iron Hide Zombie (creature)
2011: I is for Inkeeper (npc)

Winter is Coming II Blog Carnival: The Frusenspöke

Around these parts, we were taken by surprise by a massive winter storm that changed our climate from a nice temperate Autumn to deep Winter overnight. Record-setting snowfalls, low temperatures...the works.

I don't like winter. At all. While I would much rather be too cold than too hot, I generally dislike the snow, ice, and all that comes with it. How serendipitous it was, then, to stumble across Dicemonkey's proposed RPB Blog Carnival: Winter is Coming II. The premise of the carnival was simply stated in the title: Anything wintry and cold. I thought it was extremely fitting, considering my lousy mood with snow falling outside my window. Unfortunately, the deadline to participate was November 14, so I knew I had to work fast to get something in.

So, without further ado, my "generic" RPG description of a new critter: "The Frusenspöke." I'll be statting this one up for 3.x a bit later and posting it up for general consumption; I just wanted to get the general stats up for inclusion in the Carnival.

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The Frusenspöke

No one is quite sure of the original source of the frusenspöke. Some blame the usual suspects: evil wizards, foul sorcerers, necromancers, and other doers of dark deeds. There are those who blame the restless dead themselves, discontent to simply lie quietly among the never-ending cold and snow. Others blame it on divine retribution. Still others blame organisms within the snow and ice itself, organisms that come from “beyond the outer places” and are older than civilization itself. Whatever their source, however, all who know about the frusenspöke agree upon two things: they are evil and they are deadly. Note: the typical zombie as presented in the ruleset are modified as listed below.

Appearance:
Frusenspöke come in as many varied stages of decomposition as a regular zombie. However, these creatures have several consistent characteristics that set them apart. Their skin is a sky-blue in color and covered with a thin layer of frost and the occasional razor-sharp ice crystals. There are also thick razor-sharp ice crystals in whatever hair or fur the base creature normally has.

Attacks:
Frusenspöke have four separate forms of attacks: slam, bite, crystalline flesh, and a breath weapon.
Slam: as per the typical zombie, plus a slight amount of cold damage on a successful melee attack. (Note: the damage normally taken from flesh-to-flesh contact from the frusenspöke’s crystalline flesh [see below] does not occur with a frusenspöke’s slam attack)
Bite: as per the base creature (or a similarly-sized creature with a low damage bite attack), plus a medium amount of cold damage on a successful bite attack.
Crystalline flesh: any creature coming into flesh-to-flesh contact with a frusenspöke will take a minor amount of slashing damage from the razor-sharp ice crystals that cover the frusenspöke’s skin, hair, and fur. This damage is automatic upon contact regardless of who initiates the contact; it is not considered a separate attack.
Breath weapon: a frusenspöke can emit a cloud of noxious, freezing gas once every four rounds. The cloud is essentially a 10'-radius fog bank that deals a medium-high amount of cold damage to affected creatures who do not successfully avoid the cloud. It may also cause nausea to those enveloped by the cloud.

Those creatures who succumb to the frusenspöke’s bite or breath weapon and die as a result will rise themselves as a frusenspöke within 24 hours. Any high-level magic that cures a majority of damage and ills will prevent the creation of a new frusenspöke from such attacks.

Movement:
Frusenspöke are able to move through ice and snow as if through air. While other creatures are slowed to at least one-half normal speed through snow drifts and across ice, frusenspöke retain their full movement rate.

Perception:
Frusenspöke do not suffer any negative modifiers to perception rolls through snow or ice storms. Frusenspöke likewise do not suffer any negative modifiers to perception rolls due to fog banks. These creatures treat cold-related weather effects as other creatures would treat a beautiful, clear, sunny spring day.

Defenses:
Frusenspöke are immune to any type of cold- or water-related attacks and spells. They take double damage, however, from fire- and fire-related attacks and spells.