Uses and Costumes of Fantastic Lands: Part 1

 Uses and Costumes of Fantastic Lands

From Sarnakand The Magnificent’s Travel Book

In the realm of Vex, the dead have no right upon their corpses. Well, this should be obvious -you can no more use your body after death, after all- but what I mean is that you don’t get to decide what will become of your mortal shell when you die. Neither get your relatives. This is because Vexan priests and governors believe that you are not your body’s owner. You didn’t choose it or make it for yourself, did you? The gods gave you that body, or better they lent it to you. When you die, it returns to the real owners.

So members of the clergy enter the house merely hours after the event, without even giving spouses and children the time to finish mourning. The body is confiscated and animated as a servant to help constructing pyramids for the Ever Benevolent Consuls, or reduced to ash in order to fertilize a public park, or thrown to animals in the zoo- scavengers need eating too, and would you rather give them poor helpless rabbits instead? Haven’t you got a heart?

Nobody can refuse to lend this service to their country. It would be an act of egotism. Worse, it would be immoral. The gods loved you so much as to give you a place in their beautiful world, how can you not return at least part of this immense favor? Why wouldn’t you be of help to your living fellows? A buried body isn’t useful to anyone, while a zombie body can lift the burden off a living worker. And why a splendid creation of the gods should be sacrilegiously left to worms and flies to eat?

Of course, someone protests every now and then. They are caught while trying to perform funerals, or escape out of the country with their beloved extincts in lands with different beliefs. They are judged leniently. After all, this is a civilized kingdom and they acted out of misplaced love. They’re just put to service, as corpses, next to the corpse they tried to steal. Law is law. And what’s right is right. In effect, many useless vagrants are thoughtfully transformed into useful workers by officers of the law on occasion- after all, a living creature is just a dead creature in potentia, isn’t it? So what does it matter if they decide to unlock its potential in advance?

I was just a little time in Vex- too little to fructfully exchange my religious views with its ruling class. I am planning to return there soon with a party of friends, though. We will bring good examples of swords, clubs and holy water bottles with us to trade- in great numbers, since there are many poor people who need charity there. I am sure that their priests will find our arguments of faith very convincing.

Tzivad The Catrider (Bard/Ranger), Level 16

 And so ve go mythic this time too…

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Tzivad the Catrider CR 16 MR 1

Piper bard (Animal Speaker, Negotiator) 12/ranger (Beast Master, Wild Hunter) 4/trickster 1

CG Medium humanoid (elf, feyblood)

Init +6; Senses low-light vision, Perception +2

Defense

AC 30, touch 21, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +5 deflection, +6 Dex)

hp 115 (12d8+4d10+32+4)

Fort +12, Ref +19, Will +13; +4 Fort vs. nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments or to resist damage from suffocation (Endurance)

Defensive Abilities dodging panache +6, hard to kill

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee +5 carouser’s retort +25/+20/+15 (1d6+6, 18-20), fighting tankard +20/+15/+10 (1d4+2), or +5 carouser’s retort/fighting tankard +23/+18/+18/+13

Ranged +3 composite shortbow +22/+17/+12 (1d6+4, x3), fighting tankard +20 (1d4+2)

Special Attacks bardic performance 38 rounds/day (attract rats [2d3 advanced swarms], binding contract [lesser geas], counterargument, dirge of doom, distraction, fast talk -3, soothing performance, soothing performance [animals] +25; DC 23), mythic power 5/day, panache (6), surge +1d6, surprise strike

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th, concentration +22)

At will- speak with animals (birds, canines, cats) CL 15th)

1/day- cause fear (DC 17), charm person (DC 17), sleep (DC 17)

Bard Spells Known (CL 12th, concentration +18)

4th Level (4/day)- bountiful banquet, lesser entice fey, summon nature’s ally IV, untold wonder, wall of sound

3rd Level (5/day)- confusion (DC 20), cure serious wounds, deep slumber (DC 20), free spirit, summon nature’s ally III

2nd Level (7/day)- absurdity (DC 19), allegro, animal trance (DC 19), cure moderate wounds, drunkard’s breath (DC 19), summon nature’s ally II

1st Level (7/day)- cure light wounds, enhance water,  feather fall, hideous laughter, (DC 18), pick your poison, sleep (DC 18), summon nature’s ally I

0-Level (at will)- daze (DC 17), ghost sound (DC 17), haunted fey aspect, lullaby (DC 17), summon instrument, unwitting ally (DC 17)

Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 1st, concentration +3)

1st Level- wartrain mount

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 22, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 22

Base Atk +13; CMB +19; CMD 30

Traits Accelerated Drinker, Fortified Drinker

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Amateur Swashbuckler, Boon CompanionM, Brew Potion, Catch Off-Guard*, Endurance*, Throw Anything, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)

Skills Bluff +31, Craft (alchemy) +27, Diplomacy +31, Handle Animal +25/+29, Knowledge (nature) +23, Perform (comedy) +25, Perform (string) +25, Profession (herbalist) +21, Ride +30, Stealth +25/+27

Languages Common, Celestial, Dwarven, Elven, Sylvan, Treant

SQ animal focus (4 min/day), animal friend (birds, canines, cats), assured drinker, favored terrain (forest, +2), forest slip, hard bargainer +6, hunter’s bond (giant cat called Ferencfurter), jack-of-all-trades, master of rhetoric 2/day, musical composition, rogue talents (ki pool [2], poison bomb, smoke bomb), track +2, wild empathy +10

Gear alchemist’s lab (200 gp), alluring philter (150 gp), apron of the careful chemist (5,200 gp), artistic ale (300 gp), bard’s kit (41 gp), belt of physical perfection +2 (16,000 gp), brastlewark brew (150 gp), brawler’s brew (150 gp), +5 carouser’s retort (51,060 gp), dung grenade (100 gp), elven still (7,500 gp), fighting tankard (10,301 gp), headband of mental superiority +4 (64,000 gp), healer’s kit (50 gp), jousting celestial lucky drunk’s armor (29,540 gp), laughing gas (500 gp), nimble nectar (200 gp), poet’s cloak (good for what ails you), (9,750 gp), potion of cure serious wounds (750 gp), ring of protection +5 (50,000 gp), +3 composite shortbow (+1) (18,450 gp) with 20 arrows (1 gp), 1 slow burn arrow (100 gp), 2 tangleshot arrows (40 gp), 2 trip arrows (50 gp) and 2 pheromone arrows (30 gp), sleep arrow (132 gp), soothing lyre (45,000 gp), spirit of wine (5 sp), tankard of the drunken hero (5,300 gp), 4 gp, 5 sp

Ferencfurter, Giant Cat Companion (Daredevil), Equivalent Druid Level 16th

N Large animal

Init +9; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +7

Defense

AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+5 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)

hp 110 (13d8+52)

Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +6

Defensive Abilities devil may care, improved evasion, evasion

Offense

Speed 40 ft.

Melee bite +16 (1d8+8 plus grab), 2 claws +16 (1d6+8 plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +16, 1d6+8)

Statistics

Str 26, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 10

Base Atk +9; CMB +18; CMD 33 (37 vs. trip)

Feats Endurance*, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Jumper, Mobility*, Narrow Frame, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claw), Toughness

Skills Acrobatics +17, Escape Artist +11, Intimidate +14, Perception +7, Survival +7

SQ artful acrobat +6, link, tricks (break out, combat trained, fetch, flee, get help, entertain, menace, perform, stay, subdue)

Tzivad the Catrider (Bard/Ranger), Level 12

 Now our merry bard earns his name. The giant cat  is an overdimensioned house pet, but uses the stats of a great cat companion. I would have liked to add to this build the Skirmisher archetype too, but since I didn't plan to bring him over the 4th ranger level, I had to give up on this.
This post already appeared for patrons only on my Patreon page. If you wish to see stuff in advance and have access to other rewards, please consider donating!

Tzivad the Catrider CR 12

Piper bard (Animal Speaker, Negotiator) 8/ranger (Beast Master, Wild Hunter) 4

CG Medium humanoid (elf, feyblood)

Init +4; Senses low-light vision, Perception +1

Defense

AC 24, touch 15, flat-footed 19 (+9 armor, +5 Dex)

hp 85 (8d8+4d10+24)

Fort +10, Ref +15, Will +10; +4 Fort vs. nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments or to resist damage from suffocation (Endurance)

Defensive Abilities dodging panache +4

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee +3 carouser’s retort +19/+14 (1d6+6, 18-20), fighting tankard +16/+11 (1d4+2), or +3 carouser’s retort/fighting tankard +17/+14/+12

Ranged +1 composite shortbow +16/+11 (1d6+2, x3), fighting tankard +16 (1d4+2)

Special Attacks bardic performance 26 rounds/day (attract rats [1d3 swarms], counterargument, dirge of doom, distraction, fast talk -2, soothing performance [animals] +18), panache (4)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +16)

At will- speak with animals (canines, cats) (CL 10th)

1/day- cause fear (DC 15), charm person (DC 15), sleep (DC 15)

Bard Spells Known (CL 8th, concentration +12)

3rd Level (3/day)- confusion (DC 18), deep slumber (DC 18), free spirit, summon nature’s ally III

2nd Level (5/day)- absurdity (DC 17), allegro, animal trance (DC 17), cure moderate wounds, summon nature’s ally II

1st Level (5/day)- cure light wounds, enhance water, feather fall, hideous laughter (DC 16), sleep (DC 16), summon nature’s ally I

0-Level (at will)- daze (DC 15), ghost sound (DC 15), haunted fey aspect, lullaby (DC 15), summon instrument, unwitting ally (DC 15)

Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 1st, concentration +2)

1st Level- wartrain mount

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 20, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 19

Base Atk +10; CMB +15; CMD 26

Traits Accelerated Drinker, Fortified Drinker

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Amateur Swashbuckler, Boon Companion, Catch Off-Guard*, Endurance*, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)

Skills Bluff +23, Craft (alchemy) +22, Diplomacy +23, Handle Animal +19/+23, Knowledge (nature) +18, Perform (string) +19, Profession (herbalist) +16, Ride +25, Stealth +20/+22

Languages Common, Celestial, Dwarven, Elven, Sylvan

SQ animal focus (4 min/day), animal friend (canines, cats), favored terrain (forest, +2), forest slip, hard bargainer +4, hunter’s bond (giant cat called Ferencfurter), master of rhetoric 1/day, musical composition, rogue talents (ki pool [1], smoke bomb), track +2, wild empathy +8

Gear alchemist’s lab (200 gp), alluring philter (150 gp), apron of the careful chemist (5,200 gp), artistic ale (300 gp), bard’s kit (41 gp), belt of physical might +2 (Str, Con) (10,000 gp), brastlewark brew (150 gp), brawler’s brew (150 gp), +3 carouser’s retort (19,060 gp), dung grenade (100 gp), elven still (7,500 gp), fighting tankard (10,301 gp), headband of mental superiority +2 (16,000 gp), jousting celestial lucky drunk’s armor (29,540 gp), potion of cure moderate wounds (300 gp), +1 composite shortbow (+1) (2,450 gp) with 20 arrows (1 gp), 1 trip arrow (25 gp) and 2 pheromone arrows (30 gp), sleep arrow (132 gp), spirit of wine (5 sp), tankard of the drunken hero (5,300 gp), 17 gp, 5 sp

Ferencfurter, Giant Cat Companion (Daredevil), Equivalent Druid Level 8th

N Large animal

Init +7; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +7

Defense

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, –1 size)

hp 52 (7d8+21)

Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +4

Defensive Abilities evasion

Offense

Speed 40 ft.

Melee bite +11 (1d8+6 plus grab), 2 claws +11 (1d6+6 plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +11, 1d6+6)

Statistics

Str 23, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 15, Cha 10

Base Atk +5; CMB +12; CMD 25 (29 vs. trip)

Feats Endurance*, Improved Initiative, Jumper, Mobility*, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills Acrobatics +12, Perception +7, Survival +7

SQ artful acrobat +3, link, tricks (break out, combat trained, entertain, fetch, flee, get help, perform, stay)