Contents
Monsters
Two facts regarding the monsters and templates listed below are worth noting.
First, Taeran dragons are not considered "monsters" in the normal sense, but are instead treated as NPCs (or even PCs) in most ways, and they therefore are not listed in this document. See the Dragons document for more details on dragons, including several new types.
Second, the Level Adjustments given in the statistics below (for monsters which could potentially be played as PCs) are not balanced to the standard d20 rules, but are instead balanced to the standard races of Taera, which (as even a cursory glance at some of the more powerful races proves) are significantly more powerful than standard ones. When using these monsters in other campaign settings, it will be necessary to adjust the given Level Adjustments upward by +2 or more.
Animal, Mutant
Not all of the mutations caused by the Annihilation produced monstrosities or horrors. Many common creatures of the world of the Golden Age developed changes which were relatively innocuous, and others simply adapted to survive harsh new environments. The end results of these thousands of years of change include dozens of new lifeforms with extraordinary, though still natural, traits. Most of these have filled ecological niches similar to their non-mutant relatives, and are thought of in the same unremarkable way as other animals are, strange though they would seem to people from other worlds. Some of these mutant animals are described below.
Arcanine (Wolfmage)
Medium Animal
HD: 2d8+2 (11 hit points)
Init: +0 (Dex)
Speed: 50 feet
AC: 12 (+2 natural), Touch 10, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage, Trip
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Magic Sense, Scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5
Abilities: STR 13, DEX 11, CON 13, INT 2, WIS 16, CHA 8
Skills: Listen +5, Move Silently +1, Spot +5, Survival +3*
Feats: Iron Will, TrackB
Environment: Arite forest, hill, plains, and mountains
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Pack (7-16)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium), 4-5 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Arcanines, sometimes called wolfmagi, are a much-feared breed of wolf that are able to sense magic, and furthermore are driven to frenzied attack by it. They usually run in packs, like other wolves and canines, and areas known to harbor arcanine packs are rarely travelled by spellcasters of any sort as a result. Arcanines can be befriended and trained by non-magic using people; they do not seem to sense psionic energy or be enraged by it as they are by magic, so psionic creatures (or people with particular reason to fear magic) living near arcanine territories sometimes use them as guardians. Being wolves, however, rather than domesticated dogs, arcanines are difficult to breed and train- especially because the trainer must be careful not to allow magic of any sort near them.
Arcanines resemble standard wolves, though their coloring gives them away to knowledgeable observers even without seeing their reaction to magic. Their fur ranges from blue-white to a light mauve, and always includes a stripe of stark white running along their spine from the top of their heads to the tips of their furry tails. Their eyes are usually a deep blue instead of the yellow common to other wolves. Disturbingly, for spellcasters, arcanines can breed with normal dogs and wolves, and pups produced from such unions have around a 75% chance to develop the arcanine magic sense (and extreme aversion along with it).
It is impossible to train or befriend arcanines with magic, even the Animal Friendship spell, due to their extreme hatred of any magical auras in their range. However, people willing to do the work of training them without magic (or able to do it with psionics somehow) find them to be just as trainable, loyal, and dependable as common wolves, though the arcanines are not as agile or healthy as those creatures. Though Druids of Arite have been trying to exterminate arcanines for centuries, their use as guardians for psionic creatures has led both the Mind Flayers and the Darthaala to use them as guardians and sentry creatures within their domains, so the Druids' task seems hopeless at best.
Magic Sense (Ex): Arcanines are named and feared for their ability to sense magical emanations. They are able to sense magic at will, as if constantly under the effect of a Detect Magic effect which cannot be suppressed or dispelled. When an arcanine senses magic, it usually goes into a Rage (as described below), and attacks the source of the strongest magical aura in its area. Anybody who casts an actual spell of any sort immediately attracts the attention of all arcanines in range, and they are canny enough to choose the most vulnerable targets for their attacks (so having somebody else cast spells in an attempt to draw attention away from the first victim usually doesn't work).
Rage (Ex): Arcanines can fly into a berserk rage at will, though they do not normally do so unless they sense magical emanations nearby. An arcanine in a Rage attacks madly until either it or its target (usually the source of the magical aura) is dead or destroyed. It gains +4 STR, +4 CON, and -2 AC. The creature cannot end its Rage voluntarily; it ends only with the death of the arcanine or its target.
Trip (Ex): An arcanine that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the arcanine.
Skills: *Arcanines have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Aurphidian (Flying Cobra)
Small Animal
HD: 1d8+2 (6 hit points)
Init: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 20 feet, Fly 30 feet (poor), Swim 30 feet
AC: 16 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-7
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d2-3 and poison)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d2-3 and poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: STR 4, DEX 19, CON 15, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 2
Skills: Balance +12, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +12
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Tropical land, aquatic, or underground
Organization: Solitary or Flock (2-7)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Aurphidians are mutant snakes which have developed downy wings, enabling them to take to the air. Furthermore, unlike normal snakes (which normally live and hunt alone), aurphidians have learned the value of groups, and sometimes flock together for mutual benefit. This oddly social nature is undoubtedly the trait which makes them so useful to the Ophidians, the snake-people of the jungles, who often domesticate local flocks of aurphidians and use them for guarding and hunting.
Aurphidians are, as the common epithet "flying cobra" suggests, a venomous breed of serpent in addition to being a flying one. Their scale color ranges from green to brown, and is usually striped and spotted for better camoflage; their wings, however, are invariably bright colors when unfurled (yellow, white, light blue, or even pink). Their wings can fold up tightly next to their serpentine bodies, and an aurphidian with folded wings is quite difficult to tell apart from an ordinary ground snake without getting close (which, of course, usually makes the aurphidian open them up anyway for a fight or flight). Though they produce poison like many other breeds of jungle snakes do, aurphidians' mobility advantage has allowed them to be less dependent on their poison than most such snakes are, and it is weaker as a result (though it can still be fatal to people if bitten enough times). Aurphidians are incapable of breeding with normal snakes, but their usefulness to Ophidians and other jungle dwellers has insured their continued survival thanks to captive breeding programs.
Ophidians are the only race which commonly associates with or keeps aurphidians, but Druids and Rangers who live in tropical lands often find the flying snakes to be very valuable animal companions due to their speed, stealth, and mobility. Some people who live near Ophidian lands, such as K'r'r'r and Gren, experiment with keeping and training aurphidians as well, to help them adapt to and defeat the tactics of the dangerous snake-folk; however, the Ophidians are constantly improving their techniques, and are unlikely to be dislodged from their close association with the little flying cobras any day soon.
Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 12), initial and secondary damage 1d4 temporary CON.
Skills: Aurphidians receive a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Swim checks. They can always take 10 on Swim checks, even when rushed or threatened, and can use the Run action while swimming provided they swim in straight lines. They use their DEX modifier for Swim checks rather than STR, because their wings and body shape allow them significantly better maneuverability than most creatures in the water.
Blur Dog
Medium Animal
HD: 2d8 (9 hit points)
Init: +5 (Dex)
Speed: 70 feet
AC: 20 (+5 Dex, +1 Dodge, +4 natural), Touch 16, Flat-Footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 Bites +4 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Haste, Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +1
Abilities: STR 15, DEX 21, CON 11, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Spring AttackB, TrackB
Environment: Temperate and cold forest, plains, and hills, or underground
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or Pack (3-12)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Blur Dogs are a mutant breed of canine that live their brief lives in a constantly sped-up timeframe, as if continually under the effect of a Haste spell. In the wild, they run in packs, just as other canines do; however, Blur Dogs seem to be descendants of a domestic breed of dog, and can be tamed and trained more easily than most wild animals- though their constant hyperactivity makes them difficult for most people (of any race other than, perhaps, the Pykeroi) to tolerate for very long. Whereas normal canines take approximately one year to reach maturity, and can live for a decade or more, Blur Dogs spend a mere two weeks growing inside their mothers, reach maturity within 3 months, and rarely live longer than three years. Despite the name, Blur Dogs cannot actually produce a Blur effect; rather, the name reflects the fact that their extreme speed makes them difficult to see clearly when running at full tilt.
Blur Dogs resemble the long-furred breeds of dogs often used by Frostlings and other dwellers of the frozen north to pull sleds. Their fur ranges from gray to white, and often has patches of darker or lighter shades on or near the eyes, feet, and tail. Their ears are wolflike, being triangular and standing erect off of the skull like normal dogs of that breed, but their eyes are a very strange shade of reddish-purple rather than the brown common to the regular dogs. Though they bark, growl, and make other noises much like other canines, Blur Dogs have higher-pitched voices, and the sounds they make are much shorter in duration. Blur Dogs can breed with normal dogs and wolves, but rarely do so due to the wide difference in life patterns between them; female canines of other species cannot normally support the extremely fast growth of Blur Dog pups during pregnancy, while Blur Dog females usually expel slower-growing pups before they have grown enough to be viable.
People who raise and train Blur Dogs generally use them as hunting animals, since their great speed allows them both to pull down prey fast, and to avoid harm if it counterattacks by jumping in and out of combat quickly. They are rarely used as beasts of burden even by smaller races that use other dogs as such, because of the difficulty of training them; however, the Pykeroi make a notable exception to that trend, since they also tend to act and react much more quickly than other races do (and thus do not find it particularly difficult to deal with the fast pace of the Blur Dogs they keep). Blur Dogs' thick fur, originally adapted to help survival in cold climes, can be a large drawback in the hot volcanic regions Pykeroi prefer to live in, but there is at least one clan of the Fire Gnomes reported to be trying to breed a short-(or non-)furred breed of Blur Dog for better use in their home regions.
Haste (Ex): Blur Dogs have extremely quick reflexes and movement, allowing them to act as if constantly under the effect of a Haste spell. Thus, a Blur Dog gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls, a +1 Dodge bonus on Armor Class and Reflex saves, and an extra attack at its full attack bonus when it uses the Full Attack action. Despite the effect, however, this ability is not supernatural in any way, and a Blur Dog in a Dead Magic or Psionic Static Zone will remain Hasted. It is possible to cast or manifest a normal Haste effect on a Blur Dog, and in such a case the bonuses stack (unlike the normal case with Haste effects)- thus, a truly Hasted Blur Dog gains another +1 bonus on attack rolls, a +2 Dodge bonus on AC and Reflex saves, and two extra attacks when it uses the Full Attack action.
Skills: *Blur Dogs receive a +4 racial bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Cycloon
Medium Animal
HD: 1d8+1 (5 hit points)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 40 feet, Climb 30 feet
AC: 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural), Touch 12, Flat-Footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+2
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Bravado, Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: STR 15, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6
Skills: Climb +10, Listen +7, Spot +3
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate and warm desert and plains
Organization: Solitary or Troop (10-40)
Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
A cycloon is a freakish variety of baboon which has unusually thick fur and only one eye. Their thick fur enables them to live in a wider range of climates and terrain than normal baboons do, and though their singular eye makes their sight considerably less effective (for one thing, it removes their depth perception), their ears have become more keen to compensate for the loss. Their behavior is more or less the same as ordinary baboons, aside from where they live and their unusual resistance to fear (see below); thus, while not normally dangerous to sentients, troops of cycloons can be quite annoying, and even deadly to remote villages and dwellings.
Bravado (Ex): Because their vision is less effective than normal, cycloons have more difficulty telling when a threat is close enough to be truly threatening, and do not scare easily as a result. They receive a +4 racial bonus to Will saves made to resist Fear effects of any sort.
Skills: Cycloons receive a -2 penalty on Spot checks due to having only one eye. They receive a +2 racial bonus on Listen checks due to keen ears. Cycloons have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and can always choose to take 10 on them, even when rushed or threatened.
Doggle
Tiny Animal
HD: ½d8+2 (4 hit points)
Init: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 feet
AC: 17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-9
Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d3-1)
Full Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d3-1)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: STR 9, DEX 17, CON 15, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, TrackB
Environment: Any land
Organization: Domesticated or Pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: ¼
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Doggles are an inoffensive, friendly strain of mutant dogs(?) that are popular pets worldwide because of their happy temperament, cute appearance, and long lifespan. In the wild, they run in packs, just as other canines do; however, doggles are such prized pets that they rarely live in the wild for long. Whereas normal canines take approximately one year to reach maturity, and can live for a decade or more, Doggles take 2 years on average to reach maturity, and rarely live less than twenty years. This long lifespan (ideally matched to the length of human, orcish, and several other races' childhoods) makes them nearly perfect childhood pets, a fact which has not been lost on aristocrats and merchants with children who would benefit from the presence of such an animal.
For all their endearing traits, doggles are very odd little creatures. In basic form, they are similar to long-furred breeds of "toy" dogs such as small terriers. However, Doggles seem to have picked up some insectoid genes somewhere in their history, because they have six legs instead of the four that canines normally have; also, two thick, stubby antennae sprout from their furry heads between their ears. Their skin is surprisingly tough for their small size, and their fur has a wide range of colors due to extensive breeding over the centuries they have been kept as pets. The breeds which are said to be oldest have reddish coats with several large white or black spots, and resemble nothing so much as a cross between a small dog and a large spotted beetle (albeit a very cute beetle). The ears of the oldest breed are stubby, but wolflike, being triangular and standing erect off of the skull, but newer breeds often have rounded and/or floppy ears instead. Their eyes are quite large for an animal their size, and are usually dark colored (the most common being black and brown), though a few rare and highly prized breeds actually have very light blue or even white eyes. Being so different in anatomy, it is not surprising that doggles cannot breed with normal dogs, though their enormous popularity seems to have ensured their survival for many centuries past and to come.
Doggles are largely useless for any purpose except companionship, since their small size and lack of combat ability makes them unthreatening to all but the smallest of creatures. There are occasional rumors of a secret breed of doggle with especially sensitive antennae that grant it the ability to detect nearby motion (in game terms, Blindsense), which if true would make the creatures extremely useful sentries; however, such rumors never seem to come from credible witnesses, nor last very long when they appear.
Skills: Doggles use their DEX modifier for Swim checks instead of STR.
*Doggles receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Elnilath (Green Dolphin)
Medium Plant (Aquatic)
HD: 2d8+2 (11 hit points)
Init: +4 (Dex)
Speed: Swim 80 feet
AC: 16 (+4 Dex, +2 natural), Touch 14, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1
Attack: Slam +5 melee (2d4)
Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (2d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Blindsense 120 feet, Low-Light Vision, Plant
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities: STR 11, DEX 18, CON 13, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 6
Skills: Listen +8*, Spot +7*, Swim +8
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary, Pair, or School (3-20)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium), 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Elnilath (singular and plural) are a species of mobile plants which, through convergent evolution, have gained traits very similar to dolphins or porpoises in most respects. They swim near the surface of tropical and warm seas, basking in the light that gives them nourishment. They are friendly, social creatures, even more so than normal dolphins because they do not need to hunt to eat- and as a result, they have a history of association with several civilized sea races.
An individual elnilath looks much like a normal porpoise when seen from a distance; they are roughly fish-shaped, and range in size from five to nine feet long when fully grown. Upon closer observation, however, one can see that the body of each elnilath seems to be made up of tightly-woven strands and leaves of kelp rather than the slick gray flesh of a dolphin, and their eyes seem to have evolved from oddly crystalline nuts. Finally, elnilath have no mouths, since they do not need to eat; this is perhaps the strangest feature of their anatomy to creatures familiar with animal dolphins. Despite not having an orifice to send sound through, an elnilath does make sounds, through a flexible membrane located in its forehead region. Elnilath reproduce sexually by pollination; however, each individual has both male and female reproductive organs, so any two elnilath can mate and produce seedlings. Seedling elnilath begin as tiny wiggling strands with eye-nuts, and grow to maturity over the course of ten years. Adult elnilath can live for up to 200 years if allowed to live a natural span.
The name "Elnilath" is a Coral Elf word which translates roughly as "legacy" or "remnant." This is because the first race they were associated with were the peaceful Fronds, who were wiped out many centuries ago by the Shakti. The Coral Elves, always great allies of the Fronds, were unable to save the sentient kelp-folk, but they were able to gather elnilath seeds and grow schools of them after the destruction of the Shakti made it safe to do so. The friendly elnilath have proven to be allies and helpers just as capable as normal dolphins are, to them, and as a result the elnilath are most closely associated with the Aquatic Elves today. Other allies of the Coral Elves, such as Merfolk and certain Tako tribes, have been granted the protection of elnilath schools over the centuries, but such associations are still fairly rare.
Blindsense (Ex): Elnilath can "see" by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allow them to locate objects and creatures within 120 feet. A Silence spell negates this and forces the elnilath to rely on its vision, which is approximately as good as a human’s.
Plant (Ex): Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. Not subject to critical hits. Because elnilath have an INT score, they are not immune to mind-influencing effects as most plants are; however, such effects can only work on elnilath if they would normally affect a non-sentient living animal.
Skills: Elnilath have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks, and can always take 10 on Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. They can use the Run action while swimming, provided they swim in straight lines.
*Elnilath gain a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if the Blindsense is negated.
Fire Bat
Diminutive Animal
HD: ¼d8 (1 hit point)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 5 feet, Fly 40 feet (good)
AC: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), Touch 16, Flat-Footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-17
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 feet, Fire Dweller, Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: STR 1, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 4
Skills: Hide +14, Listen +8*, Move Silently +6, Spot +8*
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Volcanic hills, mountains, and underground
Organization: Domesticated, Colony (10-40) or Crowd (10-50)
Challenge Rating: ¼
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Fire bats are a bat species which has adapted to live in volcanic territories. They are highly resistant to heat, and can often survive temperatures which would cook normal creatures in seconds. They look much like normal bats, being gray to black in color, with eyes ranging from deep red to yellow or brown in color. Though they share common ancestry, fire bats cannot crossbreed with normal bats; however, males of one species which scent females of the other in heat sometimes try to mate with them anyway.
Fire bats are occasionally kept as pets, or used as familiars, by Pykeroi and Phoenixes. In Arite, they are more common, even though they did not originally evolve there- this is because the Firewalkers, who have few other small animals which can live in their homelands, are just as hungry for companionship as other humans are. It is thought that the first colony of Aritian fire bats was started by a Firewalker who brought several mated pairs into the Hollow World via magical or psionic travel many centuries ago. Though they have diverged genetically from the Taeran fire bats over time, the Aritian animals have much the same appearance and abilities, though they are considerably more sociable and friendly because they have always (in effect) been domesticated there.
Blindsense (Ex): Fire bats can "see" by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allow them to locate objects and creatures within 20 feet. A Silence spell negates this.
Fire Dweller (Ex): Fire bats have Fire Resistance 5, and receive a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws vs. effects with the Fire descriptor, or those which make or use fire.
Skills: *Fire bats receive a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. If their Blindsense is negated, these bonuses are lost.
Ghost Cat
Tiny Animal
HD: ½d8 (2 hit points)
Init: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 40 feet
AC: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d2-4)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +5 melee (1d2-4) and Bite +0 melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: STR 3, DEX 17, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 5
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +7, Hide +15*, Jump +11, Listen +7@, Move Silently +7, Spot +7@
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any forest
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Ghost Cats are mutant cats with larger (and far more sensitive) ears than normal cats. They are naturally nocturnal, and hunt smaller creatures. Being very shy, they tend to run away and hide from any creatures larger than themselves; their name comes from their tendency to disappear quickly into the underbrush, their nocturnal ways, and (perhaps most importantly) their senses, which according to folklore can literally sense "ghosts" and invisible spirits.
A Ghost Cat looks much like a short-furred housecat, except that its ears are approximately three times the size of normal cats' ears, and have elaborate whorls and ridges of cartilage inside. Their fur patterns are various tones of dark grey or black, with stripes and spots of lighter tones of gray or brown covering them in tigerlike and leopardlike patterns. Their voices are higher-pitched than those of common cats, sometimes even at the edge of inaudibility. Though they share common ancestry, Ghost Cats cannot crossbreed with normal cats; however, males of one species which scent females of the other in heat sometimes try to mate with them anyway.
Ghost Cats are prized animal companions for Druids and Rangers, who use them as sentries and scouts. Communities deep in the forest with sizable groups of Druids or Rangers living nearby sometimes domesticate Ghost Cats and raise their kittens as pets and guardians, but the animals are so skittish that they usually prove to be impossible to tame without magic or psionics. Once their trust is gained, however, they can prove to be just as trainable and loyal as common cats, despite the initial difficulty in gaining that trust.
Blindsense (Ex): Ghost Cats have extremely acute hearing, and can use echolocation to sense things within 30 feet. A Silence spell negates this ability, and forces the animal to rely on normal vision (which is equal to that of a normal cat). Since they rely greatly on their hearing, it also tends to frighten them a great deal, and it is a very rare Ghost Cat that willingly stays in any area of Silence for longer than a few seconds.
Skills: Ghost Cats receive a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Jump checks. They use their DEX modifier for Climb and Jump checks instead of STR.
*In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the racial Hide bonus rises to +8 because of the animal's coloring.
@Ghost Cats receive a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks due to their Blindsense. If their Blindsense is negated, these bonuses are lost.
Glivvith (Crystal Octopus)
Tiny Animal (Aquatic)
HD: 1d8 (4 hit points)
Init: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 10 feet, Swim 30 feet
AC: 18 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural), Touch 16, Flat-Footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-9
Attack: Arms +6 melee (0)
Full Attack: Arms +6 melee (0) and Bite +1 melee (1d2-1)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., Cold Resistance 5, Fire Vulnerability, Ink Cloud, Jet, Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities: STR 8, DEX 19, CON 11, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 3
Skills: Escape Artist +14*, Hide +16, Listen +2, Spot +4, Swim +7
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Cold aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -
Glivviths, also known as Arctic Octopi or Crystal Octopi, are mutant relatives of the normal octopus that dwells in tropical waters. Glivviths live in cold waters, near arctic lands, and have developed several adaptations to help them survive in such a hostile environment. The "Crystal Octopus" name comes from the creatures' coloring, which is largely translucent- making the creature resemble a living sculpture of ice or crystal. Perhaps the best-known ability of Glivviths is their ability to sense everything near them in the water via their incredible sense of taste; Glivviths have been very hard to catch and study, because they usually disappear into cracks in local rocks or jet away into deeper waters when something larger comes near them.
Blindsense (Ex): Glivviths have an extremely sensitive sense of taste, which can actually pinpoint objects emitting particular tastes at some distance from the creature's actual body. This allows the Glivvith to know where all creatures are within 30 feet of itself, so long as those creatures and the Glivvith are submerged in the same body of water.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Glivvith must hit an opponent of any size with its Arms attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and automatically deals Bite damage.
Ink Cloud (Ex): A Glivvith can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 5 feet high by 5 feet long by 5 feet wide once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the Glivvith normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.
Jet (Ex): A Glivvith can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 150 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.
Skills: Glivviths are partly translucent, and can change their coloration like normal octopi, giving them a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks. A Glivvith can squeeze and contort its body, giving it a +10 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks. Finally, Glivviths have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks, and can always take 10 on Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. They can use the Run action while swimming, provided they swim in straight lines.
Ironhawk (Thunderbird)
Small Animal
HD: 1d8 (4 hit points)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 10 feet, Fly 80 feet (Average)
AC: 15 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), Touch 13, Flat-Footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-4
Attack: Talon +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: 2 Talons +3 melee (1d4) and Bite -2 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Electricity Resistance 30
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: STR 10, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 6
Skills: Listen +2, Spot +14
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Arite salt marsh
Organization: Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
Ironhawks are one of the few native avian lifeforms on Arite. They live in the salt marshes of that harsh world, hunting what game they can find (particularly their favorite prey, Thundersnakes) and drinking from the mineral springs that give rise to the marshes in the first place. One of the adaptations they have undergone to allow them to survive in their native terrain is that their feathers carry a much higher mineral content than those of ordinary birds on other worlds, particularly metallic content; this is a result of their bodies eliminating otherwise harmful minerals in a useful way. This high mineral/metal content in their feathers gives them a dull gray-and-rust sheen which lends them the appearance of being made of living iron or metal, hence their given name. They are otherwise fairly similar to eagles in appearance and size, and they live and hunt in much the same way.
As Arite is a world of constant light, Ironhawks have lost the low-light vision that most birds of prey on other worlds are blessed with, though they still retain the acute vision for details that such birds typically have. They have, however, evolved two notable and interesting defenses, both relating to their metallic coat of feathers. The first defense is that, since the feathers are much stronger and harder than those of other birds, Ironhawks have a higher natural armor bonus than most birds their size do. The other defense relates to the fact that the high metal content of their feathers tends to attract lightning when one of Arite's frequent electrical storms blows through their area; since they are frequently struck by lightning, they have evolved a natural resistance to electricity on par with that bestowed by some defensive magic or psionics. This tendency to attract lightning also gives the Ironhawks their most common alternate name, that being "Thunderbirds."
Skills: Ironhawks have a +8 racial bonus to Spot checks.
Ironhide Pony
Kelp Snake
Klktiktee (Wellbird)
Tiny Animal
HD: ¼d8 (1 hit point)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 10 feet, Fly 40 feet (Average)
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), Touch 14, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-13
Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d2-5)
Full Attack: Claws +4 melee (1d2-5)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Dowser, Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: STR 1, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 6
Skills: Listen +3, Spot +5
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate and Warm desert
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Klktiktees, originally named by the desert-dwelling Thri-Kreen (and usually called by the more pronouncable name "Wellbird" by other races that know of them), are a species of dun-colored desert bird that has evolved a remarkable capability to detect hidden sources of water. An individual Klktiktee is a bird roughly 2 feet long, with a 4-foot wingspan, and feathers colored in stripes of various shades of brown and yellow. Their combat ability is no better than other birds of similar size, and they hunt similar prey, but they are a very successful species where they live because of the value desert-dwelling sentients place on their ability to find water. Many Klktiktees live in the wild, but most desert tribes and people keep domesticated flocks, as pets and water-finders.
Dowser (Ex): A Klktiktee has an astounding ability to sense water at a distance; sages have long argued over what senses, or combination of senses, allows it to do this. Regardless of the how, though, the creature can detect sources of fresh water within one mile of itself. Wild Klktiktees typically ride the air currents high above the desert sands, looking for prey and water below. Upon pinpointing a source of water, the bird dives immediately to the ground and starts digging for it with its claws; domesticated Klktiktees are often trained to instead return to their masters and guide them to the water. This trick may be taught to a Klktiktee with a Handle Animal check (DC 20) and two weeks of work. It counts as two tricks towards the limit on number of tricks the bird may be taught.
Lorvithaul (Sentry Owl)
Mud Mule
Nightthief (Skulk Weasel)
Seahawk
Sprog (Hypertoad)
Diminutive Animal
HD: ¼d8+1 (2 hit points)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 30 feet
AC: 20 (+4 size, +2 Dex, +4 Dodge), Touch 16, Flat-Footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-17
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Amphibious, Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: STR 1, DEX 15, CON 12, INT 1, WIS 14, CHA 4
Skills: Jump +32*, Hide +22, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Warm land, aquatic, and underground
Organization: Swarm (10-100)
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Sprogs, sometimes called "hypertoads," are a frog species which has developed extremely fast and powerful leg muscles. As a result, they can jump astounding distances in a single bound, on average more than 50 times their own body length. Furthermore, unlike normal frogs and toads, sprogs can equal the ground speed of a human, and they use this extreme speed to disappear quickly into the underbrush when startled or threatened. This high speed, combined with their own instincts for avoiding predators, gives them a +4 Dodge bonus to AC (noted above).
Though they are very hard to capture due to their speed, sprogs are sometimes used as animal messengers by people using the Animal Messenger spell or one of its variants. The same speed that makes them so hard to catch in the first place makes them ideal candidates to deliver important information across hostile territory.
Skills: Sprogs have a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks due to coloration.
*Sprogs can jump ridiculously far for their size- they receive a +30 racial bonus on Jump checks. They use their DEX modifier for Jump checks instead of STR.
Tauren Horse
Thundersnake
Medium Animal
HD: 2d8 (9 hit points)
Init: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 20 feet, Climb 20 feet, Swim 20 feet
AC: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), Touch 13, Flat-Footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+0
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4-1 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4-1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Electricity Resistance 30
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: STR 8, DEX 17, CON 11, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 2
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +7
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Arite salt marsh
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium), 4-5 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Thundersnakes are vipers that have evolved to live in the harsh salt marshes of Arite. Since most native life of such terrain has heavy mineral content, as do the mineral springs that give rise to the marshes in the first place (which the snakes typically drink from when they need water), their bodies have adapted by putting a much higher mineral content (particularly metals) into their scales than is normal for snakes of other worlds. This extra mineral content directly relates to two notable and interesting defenses that Thundersnakes have evolved. The first defense is that, since the scales are much stronger and harder than those of other snakes, Thundersnakes have a higher natural armor bonus than most snakes their size do. The other defense relates to the fact that the high metal content of their scales tends to attract lightning when one of Arite's frequent electrical storms blows through their area; since they are frequently struck by lightning (leading to their given name), they have evolved a natural resistance to electricity on par with that bestowed by some defensive magic or psionics. The high mineral content of the swamps they live in has, however, caused Thundersnakes a significant loss too- they are not as capable of sniffing out their prey as most snakes of other worlds are, and accordingly Thundersnakes do not have the Scent ability that is common to most such snakes.
Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 11), initial and secondary damage 1d6 temporary CON.
Skills: Thundersnakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. They can always take 10 on Climb or Swim checks, even when rushed or threatened, and can use the Run action while swimming provided they swim in straight lines. They use either their STR modifier or DEX modifier (whichever is higher) for Climb checks..
Vorax (Turf Terror)
Watchrat
Tiny Animal
HD: ¼d8 (1 hit point)
Init: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 15 feet, Climb 15 feet, Swim 15 feet
AC: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), Touch 14, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-13
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: STR 2, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 2
Skills: Balance +6, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +14, Swim +10
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Plague (10-100)
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Watchrats are mutant rats which have only one eye instead of two. The name results from the defenses watchrats have developed to compensate for their vision deficiency; they have a transparent nictitating membrane which allows them to blink without losing vision, and they have an inborn tendency to freeze in place and carefully watch any movement to assess its threat or prey potential (it is necessary to do this because they lose depth perception with the second eye). Watchrats are often found in mixed company with normal rats, and are about as dangerous and annoying as that sort- however, watchrats under controlling spells and effects are often more useful as scouts and sentries than normal rats are, because of their innately better ability to hide and remain motionless for long periods of time.
Skills: *Watchrats receive a +8 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, Move Silently, and Swim checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Balance checks. They can always choose to take 10 on Climb or Swim checks, even when rushed or threatened. They use their DEX modifier for Climb and Swim checks rather than STR. They can use the Run action while swimming, provided they swim in straight lines.
Winkey (Flying Monkey)
Zithtor
Tiny Animal
HD: ½d8 (2 hit points)
Init: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 30 feet, Climb 30 feet
AC: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4-4)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4-4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-Light Vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: STR 3, DEX 17, CON 10, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 2
Skills: Balance +15*, Climb +17*, Hide +11, Listen +3, Spot +3
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any warm forest, jungle, marsh, or swamp
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Zithtors are mutant lizards with six legs instead of the more usual four. Like most reptiles, they are active during the day, and they survive by hunting smaller creatures. Zithtors are, for most purposes, identical to normal lizards, though their extra pair of legs allows them greater agility and speed than their four-legged brethren. They are about the size of an average housecat, and sport hides in several shades of green. Some people living in tropical forests keep them as pets.
Skills: *Zithtors receive a +12 racial bonus on Balance checks and a +12 racial bonus on Climb checks (an extra +4 above the usual bonus for a creature with Climb speed because of their extra pair of legs) and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They use their DEX modifier for Climb checks rather than STR.