Converting Al-Qadim creatures


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Cleon

Legend
Yep, we sure did. I didn't realize you were talking about the segarran.

Creature Catalog - Preview Creature

I'll dig up the stats for the ammut or pahari soon.

Well that was a quick conversion!

I thought these fellows seemed familiar, but I suspected I was getting them mixed up with our Crocodilian lizardfolk conversion, not a completely different evil crocodile-human hybrid with brutish minions and clerical masters.

I'll dig up the stats for the ammut or pahari soon.

Of those two, the ammut seems the more interesting.

If by "interesting" you read "likely to eat the PCs". :devil:
 

Cleon

Legend
I've just noticed another Al-Qadim creature that doesn't appear to be accounted for - the Coelenite from Golden Voyages.

EDIT: Oh, and the Ogrima from Golden Voyages doesn't seem to have official stats either, although it is in Eric Boyd's Bestiary of the Realms pdf.
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
They haven't been officially converted, so they fall under our "fair game" umbrella...

Hama
Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Day
Diet: None
Intelligence: Low to Very (5-12)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Any
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 2 (7)
Movement: 1, Fl 30
Hit Dice: 1
THAC0: 20
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1-3/1-3
Special Attacks: Fear
Special Defenses: Immaterial
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: S
Morale: Average (8-10)
XP Value: 120

Hama are spirit birds formed when the soul rises from the body in bird-form upon a person’s death. This spirit bird normally then leaves the Prime Material Plane and makes its journey to the afterlife. Those who die by violence or with some important duty unfulfilled leave their hama tethered to the Prime Material Plane, seeking to right things before they leave.

Hama are unable to communicate with speech, but their songs and croakings sometimes offer clues to what they are seeking to accomplish before they pass on. A speak with animals spell is not effective in attempting to speak with a hama, though tongues is. A hama can understand all forms of speech.

The two most common forms of the hama are the owl and the eagle, but other bird forms are also possible. Sparrow, nightingale, parrot, falcon, peacock, and even vulture hama have been seen, and the form of a hama invariably reflects the alignment and personality of the soul that formed it. By day, hama appear to be ordinary members of their various species, though they may exhibit behavior unusual for their respective species. By night, hama are almost always semi-transparent, and their faint ghostly glow distinguishes them from other birds. Their eyes are full of bright fire.

Combat: Hama attack in a flurry of wispy claws, beaks, and wings, for a total of two effective attacks per round. The spirit forms of hama are difficult to hurt because they are only partially tethered to the Prime Material Plane, thus giving them AC 2. On the Ethereal plane, however, hama are AC 7.

In some ways, hama are similar to ghosts. Seeing one requires a morale check for henchmen and hirelings, and those who fail flee the area as if affected by a fear spell. By concentrating, a hama may make its form immaterial, allowing it to pass through walls and other obstacles. It may do this three times per day, with each instance lasting as long as the hama can maintain its concentration. It may fly while concentrating, but any successful attack on the spirit bird disrupts its concentration and makes achieving its immaterial form impossible that round.

Hama rarely leave the area in which they are encountered. And, for purposes of turning by clerics, hama are considered lingering spirits rather than undead (they have no connection to the Negative Material Plane). Thus, they cannot be turned.

Habitat/Society: Hama are always solitary and always driven to accomplish some task, usually simple vengeance. There have been cases of hama who await the arrival of a beloved, the return of something that they have lost, or the proper disposal of an estate or inheritance; some simply watch over and protect children they could not bear to leave. The tasks that hold a spirit bird to the world are broad, but in most cases they are centered around a specific person or location.

Helping a good hama accomplish its task may result in the granting of a gift to the helpful party. A hama is always recognized as a spirit by hakima and mystics, and a hama may make it plain to such priests that it owes a debt of gratitude to someone. The help that the priests may render on the hama’s behalf varies from good advice to restorative spells. In some cases, a hama may even delay its departure to the outer planes by several days to repay its obligation. In this case the hama may carry messages, act as a scout or lookout, or perform stunts to impress audiences on its benefactor’s behalf.

Ecology: After their task is accomplished, hama depart for their final reward on the outer planes. Until then they only react to creatures related to their final tasks or creatures able to assist them with their goals.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix (1992).
 

Cleon

Legend
They haven't been officially converted, so they fall under our "fair game" umbrella...

Hama

Good! We might as well convert them before we do the Ammut.

Small Outsider (Native)?

They can't be turned and are considered "spirits" rather than Undead - which suggests the Spirit subtype for Oriental Adventures campaigns.

Powers are:

Fearsome morale-shaking appearance, but not that fearsome since it only affected henchman and hirelings. Maybe causes the Shaken condition? Or a Scare ability like a Krenshar?

"semi-etherealness" (can be attacked from both the material and ethereal plane, worse AC on the Ethereal.)

May become immaterial 3 times per day (to phase through walls and the like).
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Good! We might as well convert them before we do the Ammut.

Small Outsider (Native)?

They can't be turned and are considered "spirits" rather than Undead - which suggests the Spirit subtype for Oriental Adventures campaigns.

Sounds about right.

Powers are:

Fearsome morale-shaking appearance, but not that fearsome since it only affected henchman and hirelings. Maybe causes the Shaken condition? Or a Scare ability like a Krenshar?

That might work. Maybe the unnatural aura of wraiths as well?

"semi-etherealness" (can be attacked from both the material and ethereal plane, worse AC on the Ethereal.)

May become immaterial 3 times per day (to phase through walls and the like).

I'm thinking something like ethereal jaunt. I don't want them overly complex for 1 HD creaturss.
 

Cleon

Legend
That might work. Maybe the unnatural aura of wraiths as well?

Hmm, after reflection the "Seeing one requires a morale check for henchmen and hirelings, and those who fail flee the area as if affected by a fear spell" suggests it's just a limited Frightening Appearance. We could make it an effect that only works against low HD creatures, to match the "only affects hirelings" bit.

I don't mind the unnatural aura bit idea, but I think we'd better make it a single SQ, but we could easily include parts of Unnatural Aura in it.

How about one or other of the following this?

Demoralizing Appearance (Su): Any living creature with 1 Hit Dice or less that sees a hama must succeed at a DC X Will save or be frightened for X rounds, fleeing in the most expeditious manner available. This is a mind-affecting fear effect, the save DC is Charisma-based.

Demoralizing Presence (Su): Any intelligent, living creature with 1 Hit Dice or less that sees a hama must succeed at a DC X Will save or be shaken for X rounds. In addition, animals (regardless of Hit Dice) can sense the unnatural presence of a hama at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and become frightened if forced to do so; they remain frightened as long as they are within that range.

Of the two, I'm leaning towards the first.

I'm thinking something like ethereal jaunt. I don't want them overly complex for 1 HD creaturss.

Yes, that was pretty much what I was thinking of. Like this?

Ethereal Shift (Sp): Three times a day, a hama can shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane as a standard action. It can remain on the Ethereal Plane for as long as it can concentrate, or shift back to the Material Plane as a free action. A hama that is injured or distracted while using Ethereal Shift must succeed at a Concentration check or return to the Material Plane. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 13th).

I made it an SLA since the original creature was unable to become ethereal if it was distracted.

Hmm, I think that's enough to start a Working Draft.
 

Cleon

Legend
Hama Working Draft

Hama
Tiny Outsider (Native)
Hit Dice:
1d10 (5 hp)
Initiative:
+2
Speed:
5 ft. (1 squares), fly 80 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class:
17 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple:
+1/-7
Attack:
Claws +5 melee (1d3) or bite +5 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: Claws +5 melee (1d3) and bite +0 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:
Demoralizing appearance
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., ethereal shift, rejuvenation, semi-ethereal
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities:
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 14
Skills:
Bluff +6, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (local) +3, Listen +4, Perform (song) +6, Sense Motive +4, Spot +4
Feats:
Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment:
Underground
Organization:
Solitary
Challenge Rating:
1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment:
Any
Advancement:
2-3 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment:


A semi-transparent bird the size of an eagle or snowy owl. Its body glows faintly and its eyes are full of bright fire.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world by their desire to fulfill some unfinished task. During the day hama look like ordinary birds, although they might be of unusual size, but at night they take on a glowing ghostly appearance. The bird form of a hama invariably reflects the personality of the soul it formed from. Eagle or owl are the most common forms of hama, followed by sparrow, nightingale, parrot, falcon, peacock, and vulture.

A hama is always driven to accomplish a specific task; in most cases this task centers around a particular person or location. Hamas are solitary creatures who rarely stray far from their territory (or the subject of their obsession). If a hama's task is fulfilled the spirit bird departs for the afterlife, although good-aligned hama may delay their departure to reward creatures who helped release them from their mortal ties.

Hama can not speak but understand all languages. They can sing or squawk like the bird they resemble, which sometimes offer clues to their intentions or desires.

COMBAT

A hama will fight if it would further whatever purpose ties them to the Material Plane. If it wishes to avoid combat, a hama will fly away or try to scare its opponents into leaving. A fighting hama prefers to use its Flyby Attack feat to make hit-and-run attacks, it usually only makes full attacks when attacking a particularly hated opponent or it the hama is unable to maneuver. A cornered hama can use its Ethereal Shift ability as a safe escape route.

Demoralizing Appearance (Su): Any living creature with 1 Hit Dice or less that sees a hama must succeed at a DC 12 Will save or be frightened for 1d3 rounds, fleeing in the most expeditious manner available. This is a mind-affecting fear effect, the save DC is Charisma-based.

Ethereal Shift (Sp): Three times a day, a hama can shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane as a standard action. It can remain on the Ethereal Plane for as long as it can concentrate, or shift back to the Material Plane as a free action. A hama that is injured or distracted while using Ethereal Shift must succeed at a Concentration check or return to the Material Plane. The ability is otherwise identical with the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 13th).

Semi-Ethereal (Ex): A hama exists simultaneously on both the Ethereal and Material planes. Hamas gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to 1-1/2 their Charisma modifier.

A hama's attacks can always affect targets on the Ethereal Plane, and ethereal opponents can always attack a hama. Furthermore, ethereal attackers ignore the hama's deflection bonus (giving the hama AC 14 against ethereal attacks). The hama's attacks affect targets on the Material Plane, and material attacks can affect the hama, unless the hama uses its Ethereal Shift ability (see above) to fully manifest on the ethereal plane.

A hama has two home planes, the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a hama through simple combat: The "destroyed" spirit will often restore itself in 1 year. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A hama that would otherwise be destroyed returns to its old haunts with a successful level check (1d20 + hama’s HD) against DC 16. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a hama for sure is to determine its incomplete task and help it to accomplish its goal. The exact means varies with each spirit and may require a good deal of research. Even when its task is complete, a hama may linger in order to provide a reward for its helpers, although it can no longer rejuvenate if destroyed.
 
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