Siabrae (CR +2)

When the demon infestation started, the druids fought longer and harder than any other citizen against the rising demon tide. Those druids who stubbornly (or faithfully) refused to flee their sacred lands managed something that few others did—they prevented the wholesale invasion and corruption of their land from demonic influence, but only at a terrible cost. They took the corruption into themselves, and today, these druids exist as blighted, undead parodies of their former selves. Known as siabraes, these powerful druids have embraced undeath, bolstered with the strength of the wounded-but-still-living world beneath their feet, and fight not only against demonic trespass into their realm, but against all living creatures, for they are filled with bitterness and hatred for their brethren, whom they regard as cowards. The druidic faith was meant to die, the siabraes believe, for the truth and glory to emerge.

Siabraes do not form spontaneously; they arise only when a druid of sufficient power (at least 11th level) willingly gives her spirit over to undeath in a horrific ritual that must occur at the heart of necromantically empowered standing stones. Some druids are initially unwilling participants in these rituals—captives brought to the stones by elder siabraes to increase their numbers. To date, no druid has ultimately been able to resist this eldritch transformation with any other recourse than pure death. Siabraes may exist elsewhere, but only in the northern demon infested land are they encountered in significant number.

Creating a Siabrae

Siabrae” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with at least 11 levels of druid (hereafter referred to as the base creature). A siabrae never has the blight druid archetype; its transition from a druid takes it into this dismal new unlife via a different path. A siabrae retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: Same as the base creature +2.

Alignment: Neutral evil.

Type: The creature’s type changes to undead with the earth subtype. Do not recalculate HD, BAB, or saves.

Armor Class: A siabrae has a +10 natural armor bonus or the creature’s normal bonus, whichever is better.

Hit Dice: Change the creature’s racial Hit Dice to d8s. All Hit Dice derived from class levels are unchanged. As undead, siabraes use their Charisma modifier to determine bonus hit points (instead of Constitution).

Defensive Abilities: A siabrae gains darkvision 60 feet, tremorsense 60 feet, channel resistance +4, DR 10/ adamantine and bludgeoning, and immunity to fire (in addition to all those granted by its undead traits). The siabrae also gains the following defensive ability.

Blighted Rebirth (Su)

When a siabrae is destroyed, it may attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to avoid destruction. The siabrae automatically makes this saving throw if it is in contact with blighted or diseased terrain. A successful save causes the siabrae’s body to crumble to dust, as the blighted earth absorbs its essence. Its enduring essence begins forming a new body in a random location within 1d10 miles (this new location must contain a mass of unworked stone large enough for the siabrae’s body to form within). This process takes 1d10 days, after which the siabrae emerges from the stone with a peal of thunder, though without its gear.

Speed: A siabrae gains a burrow speed equal to its land speed, and the earth glide universal monster ability.

Melee: A siabrae grows a pair of stony antlers from its skull that grant it a gore attack that deals damage based on the siabrae’s size, but as if it were one size category larger than its actual size. This gore attack is always a primary attack, even when the siabrae also uses weapons. If the siabrae wishes, it can retain these antlers in any form it assumes via wild shape. Shards of the stony antlers break off in wounds—a siabrae’s antlers constantly replenish themselves as these shards break off. A creature damaged by a siabrae’s gore attack must make a successful Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the siabrae’s HD + the siabrae’s Charisma modifier) or turn to stone permanently.

Special Attacks: A siabrae retains all the special attacks of the base creature. If it had the ability to use wild shape, it retains this ability, but it can assume only the form of creatures that cannot fly. Any form it assumes (via wild shape or polymorph effects) or any creature it summons appears malnourished, diseased, or even in an advanced state of decay, although these are cosmetic effects; they do not impact actual game statistics. In addition, a siabrae gains the following special attacks. The save DC for any of these attacks is equal to 10 + 1/2 the siabrae’s HD + the siabrae’s Charisma modifier.

Blight Mastery (Su)

Any of a siabrae’s spell or effects that would normally be restricted to affecting animals can also affect undead animals.

Blightbond (Ex)

A siabrae has an unholy bond with the blighted earth. It loses any animal companion or access to domains it had from its druidic nature bond ability. In place of nature bond, the siabrae’s close ties to the blighted landscape grant it one of the following cleric domains: Animal, Death, Destruction, Earth, Madness, or Repose. This ability otherwise functions the same as nature bond.

Abilities: Str +2, Wis +2, Cha +2. Being undead, a siabrae has no Constitution score.

Feats: A siabrae gains Toughness as a bonus feat.

Skills: A siabrae gains a +8 racial bonus on Perception, Sense Motive, and Stealth checks. A siabrae always treats Intimidate, Knowledge (planes), Knowledge (religion), Sense Motive, and Stealth as class skills. Otherwise, a siabrae’s skills are the same as the base creature.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Worldwound © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: James Jacobs, Jonathan Keith, Jason Nelson, Todd Stewart, and Tanith Tyrr.

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