Tribute: The White Ferret

A few days ago, some images like this began circulating on the web.

Together with the images, there was this message.

Hello Awesome Crafters,
Last week my 17 year old son Wyatt Ferris took his own life after suffering a traumatic brain injury. He was very active in the gaming community, both as player and GM. In order to show our endless love for Wyatt and to honor his countless hours at the gaming tables, we're asking GMs and storytellers around the world to add Wyatt as an NPC in your games. Wyatt was a paladin, cavalier, war priest, rogue, swashbuckler, investigator, Hellknight bodyguard, and more. Please see the photos here of Wyatt and use the hashtags #Play4Wyatt #WyattNPC so we can follow his continued adventures. Thank you for helping this broken hearted mother mend after this tragic loss. I love the gaming community for starting this for my son. My Twitter is @baddicebad.

The only thing I can do for this family and this beautiful boy, as a mom and a (I hope) designer, is to join this chain of love.
So, please, feel free to use this superhero to save your PCs when they are in trouble.

Ferryman Whitt/The White Ferret CR 21

XP 102,400

Human vigilante 8 (Zealot)/Evangelist 9/marshal 8

NG/CG Medium humanoid (human, mythic)

Init +17; Senses Perception +18

Defense

Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +14

AC 24, touch 17, flat-footed 17 (+7 armor, +5 Dex, +2 dodge)

hp 176 (17d8+76+32)

Defensive Abilities hard to kill, mythic saving throws, recuperation, unshakable +16, unstoppable; Immune non-mythic diseases, fear, and poison

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee +5 benevolent dueling rapier +22/+17/+12 (1d6+13, 18-20)/Cailean’s fighting tankard +16/+11 (1d6+9)

Ranged +1 conserving shortbow +18/+13/+8 (1d6, x3)

Special Attacks fire of belief 8/day (1d6+8 damage), frightening appearance (DC 23), intoxicating strike 1/day, mythic power 19/day, smite evil 5/day (+5 attack, +16/+32 damage), startling appearance, surge +1d10

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th; concentration +22)

3/day- liberating command

2/day- knock

1/day- dispel magic

Zealot Spells Known (CL 16th; concentration +21)

6th Level (1/day)- heal, unshakeable zeal

5th Level (4/day)- break enchantment, compelling rant, dispel evil, mass cure light wounds

4th Level (5/day)- cure critical wounds, divine power, freedom of movement, mass daze (DC 19), restoration

3rd Level (6/day)- burst of speed, contagious zeal, create food and water, cure serious wounds, heroism

2nd Level (6/day)- cure moderate wounds, delay poison, enthrall (DC 17), lesser restoration, remove paralysis, sense fear

1st Level (7/day)- cure light wounds, detect evil, divine favor, pick your poison, protection from evil, remove fear

0-Level (at will)- create water, daze (DC 15), detect magic, detect poison, read magic, virtue

Domain Fervor inquisition

Tactics

Before Combat Whitt always gathers all information he can about any new face in town. If someone looks like trouble, he tries to “know them better” over a mug of his homemade ale before engaging in combat. When The White Ferret enters, he will have his fighting tankard full and all his protective spells on.

During Combat The White Ferret fights with rapier and tankard. His fighting tankard functions as a light mace rather than a light hammer because of his divine fighting style, and is always charged with five cure potions and one dose of ale. The White Ferret uses his agility and improvisational talents to dodge the opponent’s strikes and buff himself and his allies.

Morale If there’s no point in continuing a fight, the White Ferret evokes his illusory drinking buddy and disappears in the turmoil.

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 21

Base Atk +12; CMB +12 (+14 on disarm, feint, and dirty trick with tankards); CMD 27 (29 vs. disarm, 31 vs. bull rush and trip)

Traits Acrobat, Fortified Drinker

Feats Acrobatic, Amateur Swashbuckler, Ballroom Brawler, Deific Obedience, Divine Fighting Technique, Drink is LifeM, Great FortitudeM, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Street Smarts*, Truth in Wine, Two-Weapon FightingM, Weapon Finesse*, Weapon FocusM (rapier)

Skills Acrobatics +24, Appraise +16, Bluff +18, Craft (alchemy) +16, Diplomacy +18/+22, Disguise +18, Escape Artist +18, Heal +18/+22, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (religion) +16, Perception +18, Perform (sing) +18/+22, Profession (brewer) +18, Sense Motive +22/+26, Stealth +18

Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnomic, Halfling, Sylvan

SQ amazing initiative, aura of good, divine boons (liberation, drinking buddy 1/day  [17 rounds], intoxicating strike), dodging panache (+5), dual identity, fervent action, force of will, gift of tongues, marshal’s order (advance), multitude of talents, mythic path abilities (beacon of hope, commanding entrance, confidence, fearless, master of mercy, menacing presence, persuasive countenance, pure body), panache (5 points), protective grace +2, seamless guise, skilled (Perform, Sleight of Hand), social talents (companion of the lonely, discreet enquiries, feign innocence, gossip collector, intrigue feats, obscurity, safe house, social grace [Diplomacy, Heal, Perform (sing), Sense Motive], vigilante talents (environmental weapon [Forest, Mountain, Urban, Water], lethal grace, zealot smite)

Gear +1 conserving shortbow (8,330 gp) with 20 arrows (20 gp), +5 benevolent dueling rapier (86,320 gp), +5 champion expeditious vouchsafing leather armor (102,160 gp), belt of physical might +4 (Dex, Con) (40,000 gp), Cailean’s fighting tankard (10,301 gp), headband of mental superiority +4 (64,000 gp), potions of cure serious wounds (750 gp), purifying pearl (19,000 gp), quick change mask (650 gp), ring of delayed doom (9 stones) (45,000 gp), rod of splendor (25,000 gp), stagger-proof boots (2,000 gp), true love locket (6,000 gp), vigilante’s kit (8 gp), 461 gp in coins and jewels.

Great Hero The White Ferret has the stats, traits, and gear of a PC of equivalent level, increasing his CR of 1.

His tranquil river village only knows him as Whitt, the local ferryman and brewer, but The White Ferret is really much more. Once a slave in the nearby evil-dominated land, he escaped thanks to fortuitous circumstances and gave thanks to the God of Wine for his freedom, pledging to help others to escape tyrants and pursuers. Keeping a low profile, he is often in the town’s tavern, offering drinks to familiar faces and newcomers both, and keeping his ears open for gossip and alarming news. He helps as many fugitives as he can to hide, passing the river safely, and finding the way for a safe place once on the opposite side. He also keeps at bay evildoers and slavers and gathers friends and allies for the day when the nearby country’s armies will try to invade his town. That day, they will find the thing’s not so easy...

Monstrous Cultures: The Jorogumo Cult of the Spider Queen

Here's another article that didn't make it in Wayfinder, a few years ago. And I can understand why- the NPC stat had some gross mistakes. Revised and adjusted, I present it to my faithful readers now. Hope she can be your BBEG sometimes.

We, the Daughters, don’t know whose daughters we are. Our origins are a mystery even for us.

Many foolish humans say that we are just spiders transformed by magic, or some other eldritch force. They think so because our young are born in spider form, and only with maturity we become able to change our shape. It’s a misconception coming from stupidity and ignorance, well showing how lowly they are.

I also heard some stories about a powerful human shapechanger who joined in love with a giant spider, generating our race. She allegedly was a female, which would explain why there are no males among us. This is also a theory I reject– because it implies that we have common origins with the lowly humans, and that our birth was an act of blasphemy, and we are somewhat inferior to them.

It is indeed true that we depend from humans and humanoids for our kind to survive, and this is a worrying fact. Spiders have their own males, and so the inferior species, but we have none. What if continued mating with humans should weaken our blood and powers in the end? What if our daughters become more and more human– till one day our people is all but gone? We don’t know our past. We know of no gods who could have generated us. And we are unsure about our future. We are alone. We feel so alone.

And yet– why should things stay this way? Our Queen seems not to worry about these very important questions. She likes keeping her many human slaves and living as we have always done, without thinking about our species’ essence, without thinking about tomorrow. This is not how a true leader should be. The Queen is weak and corrupt. We can continue following her and stagnate miserably waiting for our end– or we can dare to face our future and take a great step forward.

If we, the Daughters, have no memory of our first mother– why couldn’t we choose one? Why couldn’t we become adoptive daughters, if not blood daughters? It’s not a long time since the Goddess came into my dreams, and I achieved knowledge of Her glory. And I learned about other beings in distant lands, not so different from us, who worship Her, whom She created and protects and loves.

Why couldn’t She have created us, too? Maybe She did, and we simply forgot. But even if it was not so, why couldn’t She love us as Her daughters, and why shouldn’t we embrace what She can give us? We could break free from the old, near–sighted ones who want us to be tied forever to this lowly way of life. Instead of merely dominating the humans, we could wipe them away, and become independent from them. Maybe we could have our own males to lovingly bear our dear children. And maybe, one day– we could welcome more power in our bodies, and become more similar to the Goddess herself. We could achieve a greatness we never dreamt before, and leave this meager world to lay our eggs in the wombs of planets and suns, and transform into wonderful new shapes.

To do all this, my sisters, we need to learn. We need to force ourselves to live in new ways. And sacrifices will be needed, of course– but great is the reward who waits the daring…

–From Lady Yao’s preachings

The jorogumo cult to the Demon Lord of Vermin is maybe the only form of worship she has in the Eastern Land, and could be the most organized one in the known world, though it’s still a clandestine movement. Apparently the founder, the high priestess Lady Yao, came to know about the demoness through tales told by underground travelers, or from some “mates” coming from another continent whom she pleased to question before cocooning. However, she pledged obedience to her, and the Spider Queen seemed to hear her prayers.

Among jorogumos, who mostly despise the demoness, Yao’s religious fanaticism is a rarity. Unusually kempt and beautiful for a follower of that religion, she quickly attracted many converts among the youngest and most fervent of her race. The Queen apparently doesn’t know about the cult yet, or if she knows she didn’t make any open move to crush it.

The cult is based in some smaller settlements on the outskirts of the jorogumo capital. Besides Lady Yao herself, it’s formed by a few low–level clerics, warpriests and inquisitors, and a number of fanatically devoted slayers. Yao takes great care not to leave anyone come near to her power level, to maintain unquestioned leadership and authority.

The High Priestess’ teachings revolve mostly around the need to find a new way to produce offspring, leading to “freedom” from humanoid mates, whom she despises, and a new power for the jorogumo race. Cultists these days increasingly demand to have spider–like monsters to mate with, rather than humans and humanoids, and this makes them more acceptable for the enslaved denizens, together with their words of overthrowing the Queen. Little do the poor peasants know about Lady Yao’s plan of killing all humans in the land when they need them no more.

Until now all attempts to reproduce using animal and monstrous partners achieved no success. Yao seems obsessed in particular with the fabled “sons of  the Spider Mother” known as driders, and it’s said that she would offer great rewards to whomever brings her a drider to mate with, even if she never saw one.

Lady Yao (CR 18)

XP 153,600

Female jorogumoB3 druid (Blight DruidAPG) 12

NE Medium monstrous humanoid (shapechanger)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +30

Defense

AC 30, touch 15, flat-footed 25 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural)

hp 324 (14d10 + 12d8 + 182 +12)

Fort +19, Ref +17, Will +26

DR 10/cold iron and magic; Immune poison, diseases (including supernatural diseases), sickening or nauseating effects

Offense

Speed 30 ft., climb 50 ft., swim 40 ft.

Melee +1 dancing ominousUE scimitar +29/+24/+19/+14 (1d6 +5/18–20 plus target is shaken for 1 minute, DC 13 Will save to negate), bite +28 (1d6+5/19–20 plus poison: save Fort DC 30; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Wisdom damage; cure 3 saves), 2 claws +28 (1d6+6)

Special Attacks arachnidal rebirth 1/day (DC 32), miasma (DC 23), sneak attack +3d6, web (+18 ranged, DC 30, 26 hp), wild shape 5/day (Huge/Diminutive animal, Medium/Huge elemental, or Small/Huge plant: beast shape III, elemental body IV, or plant shape III).

Spell–Like Abilities (CL 24th; concentration +33)

At will– charm person (DC 20), detect thoughts (DC 21)

3/day–animate rope, bestow curse (DC 23), suggestion (DC 22)

2/day– web (DC 19)

1/day– hold monster (DC 24), poison (DC 23) snare, summon nature’s ally V (1 ogre spider or 1d3 giant black widow spiders or 1d4+1 giant spiders), vermin shape II

Druid Spells Prepared (CL 12th; concentration +19)

6th Level– antilife shell*, dispel magic, greater, plague stormUM (DC 23), swarm skin

5th Level– contagion, greaterUM (DC 22), hungry earthMC, raise animal companionUM, stoneskin (DC 22), vermin shape II*UM

4th Level–bloody clawsAPG (DC 21), caustic bloodISG (DC 21), earth glideARG (DC 21), giant vermin*, strong jawAPG (DC 21)

3rd Level– aggravate afflictionAP82, companion mind linkUC, contagion (DC 20), dominate animal* (DC 20), magic fang, greater (DC 20), poison (DC 20), protection from energy (DC 20)

2nd Level– accelerate poisonAPG (DC 19), control verminMC (DC 19), euphoric cloudACG (DC 19), feast of ashes (DC 19), hold animal*, summon swarm, whip of spidersACG

1st Level– blendARG, calm animals*, detect snares and pits, jump (DC 18), keen senses (DC 18), magic fang (DC 18), nauseating dartACG (DC 18)

0–Level– detect magic, detect poison, read magic, resistance (DC 17)

* Domain spell; Domain Animal (InsectDA)

Statistics

Str 20, Dex 19, Con 24, Int 17, Wis 24, Cha 28

Base Atk +23; CMB +28; CMD 44

Feats Boon CompanionAA, Combat Expertise, Damned DiscipleBotD, Dodge, Fiendish ObedienceBotD (Mazmezz), Improved Critical (bite), Improved Iron Will, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack

Skills Acrobatics +15, Bluff +23, Climb +29 (+37 with spider legs), Diplomacy +22, Intimidate +27, Knowledge (nature) +20, Knowledge (planes) +15, Knowledge (religion) +17, Perception +30, Perform (oratory) +27, Perform (string) +13, Sense Motive +27, Stealth +29, Swim +14; Racial Modifiers +8 Climb with spider legs

Languages Aklo, Common, Druidic, Sylvan

SQ animal companion (giant spider), change shape (giant spider; vermin shape IUM), demonic boons (Mazmezz’s Embrace, Spider’s Blessing, Arachnidal Rebirth), exoskeleton 10/day (+3 AC, 1d4+6 hp), miasma, nature sense, spider empathy (+35), swift shapechanger, vermin empathy +21, woodland stride

Gear +3 creepingUE glameredUE hide armor (made of a flexible chitinous substance)

Sweetest, Female Giant Spider Animal Companion (Druid Level 13)

N Medium vermin

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +7

Defense

AC 24, touch 15, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +9 natural)

hp 84 (13d8+13+13)

Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +3; +4 vs. enchantment spells and effects (devotion), +4 vs. hot, cold and suffocation (Endurance)

Offense

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee bite +10/+5 (1d6+2 plus poison)

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 2

Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 25 (37 vs. trip)

Feats Improved Initiative, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Stealthy, Toughness

Skills Climb +19, Perception +7 (+11 in webs), Stealth +11 (+15 in webs)

SQ link, share spells, evasion, tricks (aid, attack, defend, detect, flank, guard, maneuver [pin], menace, seek, sneak, watch)

Special Abilities

Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1 Strength damage; cure 1 save, Con-based DC.