Campaign Design - Base Classes: Chameleon

Chameleon
(adapted from Path of Shadow)

The chameleon is a master of disguise and subterfuge, and ideal spy and infiltrator. She can change from one disguise to another with remarkable speed and skill. Her mind also becomes camouflaged, masked behind a protective screen of thoughts just as her true appearance is masked by her costume. She is a master of languages and persuasion. The chameleon's training also includes matters arcane, and she is able to cast spells to assist her deceptions.

Abilities: Dexterity and Charisma affect many chameleon skills. Intelligence is of prime importance for spells as well as learning as many skills as possible.
Race: Changeling.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Luck Die: d6.

Class Skills

• Skill List: The chameleon's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (all skills taken individually)(Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), perform (Cha), Profession (all skills taken individually)(Wis), Read Lips (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str).
• Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
• Skill Points at 1^st Level: (8 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.
• Skill Points at Each Additional Class Level: 8 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the chameleon:

• Base Attack Bonus: Medium. A chameleon gains +¾ base attack bonus per class level.


• Fortitude Base Save Bonus: Poor. A chameleon gains +¹⁄₃ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.


• Reflex Base Save Bonus: Good. A chameleon gains a +2½ base Will save bonus at first level, and an additional +½ base Reflex save bonus per class level.


• Will Base Save Bonus: Good. A chameleon gains a +2½ base Will save bonus at first level, and an additional +½ base Will save bonus per class level.


• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Chameleons are proficient with the hand crossbow, light crossbow, dagger (all types), dart, kukri, light mace, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. Chameleons are proficient with light armor but not with shields. A chameleon suffers arcane spell failure when wearing armor as normal.


• Spells: A chameleon casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to sorcerers and wizards), which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, but are limited to spells from the schools of Abjuration, Divination, Enchantment, and Illusion. A chameleon must choose and prepare spells ahead of time. To cast a spell, a chameleon must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell's level (Intelligence 10 for 0^th-level spells; Intelligence 11 for 1^st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a chameleon's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the chameleon's Intelligence modifier. Like other spell casters, a chameleon can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells for a high Intelligence. Unlike a sorcerer, a chameleon may know any number of spells (see Arcane Magical Writings). She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night's sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the chameleon decides which spells to prepare (see Preparing Wizard Spells).


• Spellbooks: A chameleon must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. (see Preparing Wizard Spells). She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook except read magic, which all chameleons can prepare from memory. A chameleon begins play with a spellbook containing five 0^th-level spells, plus three 1^st-level spells of the chameleon's choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the chameleon has, the spellbook holds one additional 0^th-level spell and one additional 1^st-level spell of the chameleon's choice. At each new chameleon level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based upon her new chameleon level) for her spellbook. At any time, a chameleon can also add spells found on scrolls or in other chameleon's or wizard's spellbooks to her own (see Arcane Magical Writings).
  
  
  
• Bonus Languages: A chameleon may learn any language, even secret or obscure languages.




• Disguise Bonus (Ex): As a chameleon increases in level, her mastery of disguise increases as well. The chameleon adds the amount listed on this chart as a competence bonus to all Disguise checks.


• Speedy Change (Su): A chameleon is a master of rapidly changing their disguise. At 1^st-level, the chameleon gains the ability to use the changeling minor shape change ability as a standard action.


• Evasion: At 2^nd-level, a chameleon can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the chameleon is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless chameleon does not gain the benefit of evasion.


• Sneak Attack: At 3^rd-level, a chameleon gains the ability to sneak attack as a rogue. If a chameleon can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
  
  
  
  The chameleon’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the chameleon flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 3rd level, and it increases by 1d6 every four chameleon levels thereafter. Should the chameleon score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
  
  
  
  Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
  
  
  
  With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a chameleon can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.
  
  
  
  A chameleon can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies - undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The chameleon must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A chameleon cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.


• Quick Change (Su): A chameleon becomes even more skilled at rapidly changing their disguise. At 5^th-level, the chameleon gains the ability to use the changeling minor shape change ability as a swift action.


• Masked Aura (Su): At 6^th-level, a chameleon is continually immune to attempts to magically discern her alignment.


• Full Change (Su): At 10^th-level, a chameleon becomes a master of using their shape-shifting abilities to disguise their appearance. The chameleon may alter the appearance of their clothing and equipment with their minor shape change ability, as described in the disguise self spell.


• Special Ability: At 10^th-level, 14^th-level, and 18^th-level, a chameleon can choose a special ability from the following list:


• Defensive Roll (Ex): The chameleon can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the chameleon can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the chameleon must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the chameleon’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
• Skill Mastery: The chameleon becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A chameleon may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
• Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the chameleon’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a chameleon with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
• Trapfinding: The chameleon can learn to detect and disarm complex traps. The chameleon can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20. Furthermore, she can find magic traps. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Chameleons can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A chameleon who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.
• Feat: A chameleon may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.


• Hidden Thoughts (Su): At 13^th-level, a chameleon is continually immune to the spells detect thoughts and discern lies.


• Greater Change (Su): At 15^th-level, a chameleon is able to alter their own size with their minor shape change ability. A chameleon with this ability may use their minor shape change ability to take the form of Small or Large creature, gaining all of the benefits and drawbacks of their new size.


• True Change (Su): At 20^th-level, a chameleon becomes a master of disguises. No magic can penetrate a chameleon's disguises when she use her racial abilities to disguise herself. Not even a true seeing spell will reveal a chameleon's true form when they use their minor shape change ability.

Chameleon

Level	Special	Disguise Bonus	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	Speedy Change	+1	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	Evasion	+1	3	0	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	Sneak Attack +1d6	+2	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
4th	-	+2	3	2	0	-	-	-	-
5th	Quick Change	+3	3	3	1	-	-	-	-
6th	Masked Aura	+3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-
7th	Sneak Attack +2d6	+4	3	3	2	0	-	-	-
8th	-	+4	3	3	3	1	-	-	-
9th	-	+5	3	3	3	2	-	-	-
10th	Full Change, Special Ability	+5	3	3	3	2	0	-	-
11th	Sneak Attack +3d6	+6	3	3	3	3	1	-	-
12th	-	+6	3	3	3	3	2	-	-
13th	Hidden Thoughts	+7	3	3	3	3	2	0	-
14th	Special Ability	+7	4	3	3	3	3	1	-
15th	Greater Change, Sneak Attack +4d6	+8	4	4	3	3	3	2	-
16th	-	+8	4	4	4	3	3	2	0
17th	-	+9	4	4	4	4	3	3	1
18th	Special Ability	+9	4	4	4	4	4	3	2
19th	Sneak Attack +5d6	+10	4	4	4	4	4	4	3
20th	True Change	+10	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Home     Base Classes

Campaign Design - Base Classes: Arcane Engineer

Arcane Engineer
(adapted from Path of Magic)

Bards, sorcerers, and wizards manipulate magical energies to create breathtaking and devastating effects. Through song, skill, or blood, these spellcasters use magic to temporarily imbue themselves with fantastic abilities and in many cases blend seamlessly with the peoples of the world around them. beneath the surface of casual observation exists another form of arcane spellcaster - one who chooses to manipulate himself as well as she manipulates the magical energies that she uses. She is a wizard, a sage, and a scientist; she is the arcane engineer. Through the use of magitech (a combination of science and magic), the arcane engineer slowly transforms herself into a hybrid of living creature and magical machine - a hybrid who wields immense magical power.

Abilities: For the arcane engineer, two abilities are equally important: Intelligence and Constitution. A high Intelligence modifier increases the effectiveness and number of spells that an arcane engineer may cast each day, as well as aiding her Knowledge and Craft-based skills. The trials her body will be subjected to during the course of her career require the arcane engineer to have a high Constitution modifier. A high modifier will aid her in the necessary Fortitude saving throws with each new magitech modification she attempts to add to herself and increases her maximum number of hits points as well.
Race: Gnome.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Luck Die: d2.

Class Skills

• Skill List: The arcane engineer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (all skills, taken individually)(Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually)(Int), Profession (all skills, taken individually)(Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
• Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
• Skill Points at 1^st Level: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.
• Skill Points at Each Additional Class Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the arcane engineer:

• Base Attack Bonus: Poor. An arcane engineer gains +½ base attack bonus per class level.


• Fortitude Base Save Bonus: Poor. An arcane engineer gains +¹⁄₃ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.


• Reflex Base Save Bonus: Poor. An arcane engineer gains +¹⁄₃ base Reflex save bonus per class level.


• Will Base Save Bonus: Good. An arcane engineer gains a +2½ base Will save bonus at first level, and an additional +½ base Will save bonus per class level.


• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcane engineers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields. Any armor check penalties or spell failure chances suffered for wearing light armor apply to arcane engineers who wear armor.


• Spells: An arcane engineer casts arcane spells (the same type of spells available to sorcerers and wizards), which are drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. An arcane engineer must choose and prepare spells ahead of time. To cast a spell, an arcane engineer must have an Intelligence score of 10 + the spell's level (Intelligence 10 for 0^th-level spells; Intelligence 11 for 1^st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an arcane engineer's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the arcane engineer's Intelligence modifier. Like other spell casters, an arcane engineer can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells for a high Intelligence. Like a wizard, an arcane engineer may know any number of spells (see Arcane Magical Writings). She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night's sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the arcane engineer decides which spells to prepare (see Preparing Wizard Spells).




• Spellbooks: An arcane engineer must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. (see Preparing Wizard Spells). She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook except read magic, which all arcane engineers can prepare from memory. An arcane engineer begins play with a spellbook containing twenty 0^th-level spells, plus three 1^st-level spells of the arcane engineer's choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the arcane engineer has, the spellbook holds one additional 1^st-level spell of the arcane engineer's choice. At each new arcane engineer level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based upon her new arcane engineer level) for her spellbook. At any time, an arcane engineer can also add spells found on scrolls or in other arcane engineer's or wizard's spellbooks to her own (see Arcane Magical Writings).


• Summon Familiar: An arcane engineer gains the ability to obtain a familiar. An arcane engineer gains the Construct Familiar feat for free, and their familiar is a clockwork creature (see the Advanced Bestiary, pages 42-44 for details concerning the clockwork creature template).


• Construct Spells: An arcane engineer may add any spells required to create any kind of construct to their class spell list.


• Magitech Modification: To create a magitech modification, the arcane engineer must possess the Craft Wondrous Item feat. By creating a housing item that is implanted into the subject, she is imbued with magic power that functions as a spell-like or supernatural ability. To create a magitech modification, the arcane engineer follows the guidelines for creating a wondrous magic item (see the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 288). Magitech modifications function as magic items that may be activated with a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A magitech modification may function as any existing, non-artifact magic item with the following restrictions:.
  
  
  
  • The modification may not have a limited number of charges (such as wands), but items with a number of charges per day (such as a helm of teleportation) are allowed.
  • Modifications may not be single use items (such as scrolls
  • An additional 100 shillings must be added for each caster level of the item effect duplicated, to compensate for the additional materials and tools required to implant the magitech modification.
  
  
  The process of implanting a magitech modification takes one hour for each 1,000 shillings in the final price of the modification to be installed. There are two things that must be taken into account once the process begins. First, the arcane engineer must make a Heal check (DC 20) for every hour that the procedure lasts to ensure proper grafting and bonding is taking place. If the character fails this check, no progress is made that hour. If he fails the check by more than five, he makes a fatal mistake and drops the subject's hit points to -1, at which point the subject begins to die. Also, during the process, the subject suffers damage equal to the item's caster level each hour. This damage can be halved with a successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + the modification's caster level). On a roll of a natural one, the subject has suffered an unforeseen reaction to the process, drops to -1 hit points, and begins to die.
  
  
  
  A character can have a number of magitech modifications in caster levels equal to the subject's Constitution score.
  
  
  
  Once the magitech modification is successfully installed, the subject must regain full hit points before she can use the implanted item. Once installed, the modification functions as the magic item it duplicates and may be dispelled as such an items as well. Areas where magic is heightened, lowered, or negated affect the magitech modifications normally. If the magitech modification is destroyed through the use of spells, damage, and so on, it ceases to function until repaired, which is identical to the procedure used to install it in the first place. To do so, the arcane engineer must pay half the modification's cost and half of any necessary experience point costs as well.
  
  
  
  An arcane engineer may install a magitech modification on a construct (including a living construct). When a magitech modification is installed in a construct or living construct, there is no additional cost per caster level of the item, and no Heal checks or Fortitude saves are required, nor is any damage inflicted upon the subject by the process.


• Craft Clockworks: At 5^th level, the arcane engineer gains the Craft Clockworks feat as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.


• Craft Steamworks: At 10^th level, the arcane engineer gains the Craft Steamworks feat as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.
  
  
• Bonus Feat: With a stronger grasp of magic and the mechanics of magitech, the arcane engineer is more adept at manipulating magic. At 15^th level, the arcane engineer gains a bonus feat. This feat must be a metamagic feat or an item creation feat. At 20^th level she gains another bonus feat. These feats are in addition to feats granted by the character's level or other sources.


• Golem Study: By studying the intricate details of magic and magical technology, the arcane engineer becomes more adept at golem and construct construction. At 14^th level, the arcane engineer must pay only 75% of the listed shilling and experience point cost to create a golem (see the Monster Manual, page 134). These cost reductions also apply to any magitech modifications made to a construct or a living construct or any Ironborn components the arcane engineer crafts.


• Magitech Body: Through a long career of study and experimentation, the arcane engineer learns the secrets to duplicating the physical qualities of the golems he creates. At 19^th level, the arcane engineer who has more than half of her allowable magitech modifications implanted gains immunity to mind-affected magic, natural poisons, and disease.

Arcane Engineer                              Spells per Day

Level	Special	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	Summon Familiar, Construct Familiar	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	Construct Spells	4	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	Magitech Modification	4	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	-	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	Craft Clockworks	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	-	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	-	4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
8th	-	4	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
9th	-	4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-
10th	Craft Steamworks	4	4	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-
11th	-	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-
12th	-	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	-	-	-
13th	-	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-
14th	Golem Study	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	-	-
15th	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-
16th	-	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2	-
17th	-	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
18th	-	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
19th	Magitech Body	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
20th	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

Home     Base Classes

Campaign Design - Race: Käälapsi

Käälapsi

(adapted from Champions of Ruin)

The käälapsi are the snake-blooded favored servants of the yuan-ti nobility of the Polthian Swamp. Over the centuries since they first appeared, the käälapsi have gone beyond the great swamp to set up operations all across the Three Worlds. They operate from the sewers and the shadows, hatching schemes to increase the power of serpent-kind and finding victims on which to perform vile grafting and breeding experiments.

Käälapsi make excellent rogues, because they are known for their guile and wicked ability to strike from the shadows. Others sometimes try to enlist käälapsi into their organizations because of their skills as crime bosses, interrogators, and information brokers. Still, most käälapsi have proven exceedingly loyal to the serpent-nations of Polthia.

Personality: Käälapsi are scheming, cruel beings who will stop at nothing to further the goals of their yuan-ti masters. They enjoy experiments on "lesser beings" in their quest to find new and better creatures. They value flesh above all other forms of currency, leading them to often deal in slaves. Käälapsi who take root outside of the Polthian Swamp are famously patient, sometimes lying low for months if their lair or plans are in danger of being discovered. One of these snake-blooded villains would rather talk his way out of a situation than fight, especially if doing so gives his companions time to flank his enemies.

Physical Description: Käälapsi typically stand between 5 feet and 6½ feet tall, but because they are extremely skinny, they often appear taller than they actually are. Those who possess the very long serpent-arm graft so commonly found among the scaled-kind of the Polthian Swamp appear to have more girth than normal, because they keep their arms wound around their torsos and their necks hidden undreneath expansive robes. Käälapsi weigh less than humans of equal size - usually between 100 and 180 pounds - because their bones are less dense then that of a human. A käälapsi has pale skin with either a yellow or green tinge, and often has brown spots in clusters near their neck and lower back. They usually wear light clothing unless they are concealing long serpent-arms or other grafts that would give away their true nature. Käälapsi usually live to between 60 and 80 years of age.

Relations: Despite their strange appearance, hidden lairs, and evil goals, käälapsi are social creatures. They prefer to work with small, reptilian beings such as kobolds when they need minions, and nagas or young dragons when they are looking for a more serious partner. The käälapsi have many of the same prejudices as their yuan-ti masters towards these creatures, considering themselves above all other creatures. The yuan-ti, for their part, regard käälapsi as inferior beings, suitable only as servants, and would never work for one or treat one as an equal.

Käälapsi rarely associate with the people of the community they are in, as they see them as either food or living subjects for experiments. They have no favored targets - they see all other beings as fit subjects for their grafting and breeding programs. A käälapsi needing an outside contact might deign to work with a member of a lesser race, but will rarely reveal his true nature to his contact, and such arrangements are often short-lived thanks to kaalapsian paranoia and desire to work in privacy.

Alignment: Käälapsi are evil to the core, although some among them favor a more balance and neutral approach to their experiments. The need for living test subjects and the incredible pain their captives suffer through makes avoiding the call of evil very difficult for all käälapsi save for the most strong-willed.

Käälapsi Lands: The käälapsi are the result of either interbreeding between Polthian yuan-ti and humans, or possibly created by experiments conducted by those serpent people upon humans. To this day, they are mostly concentrated in that region. Other käälapsi have moved to cities across the Three Worlds in order to experiment and spy, awaiting the day when the yuan-ti empire will stretch across the Three Worlds.

Religion: Virtually all käälapsi worship Belial as the father of the scaled host or Seþra as the mother of serpents. A much smaller number pledge themselves to the service of Ishii and they are found even more rarely with Vaßatar or Gangyn as their patron.

Language: Almost all käälapsi speak Kansattish and many have at least a working knowledge of Jeblic, Karstish, or Sûlic to aid in dealing with local humanoids and operatives they have taken on as servants. Those who travel often learn Sorglish, Enslaic, Gorovlic, or Rhadynnic as well to help maintain any cover identity they have adopted.

Names: Käälapsi usually have typical Polthian names such as Anneli, Sanna, Kauko, Aatami, Eevi, or Kaapo.

• Type: Humanoid.


• Ability Scores: -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity. Käälapsi are agile, but not as strong as other humanoids their size.


• Size: Medium size.


• Speed: Käälapsi base speed is 30 feet.


• Low-light Vision: Käälapsi can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.


• Snake-Blooded: For all effects related to race, a Käälapsi is considered a yuan-ti. Käälapsi, for example, are just as vulnerable to special effects that affect only yuan-ti as their yuan-ti masters are, and they can use magic items that are only usable by yuan-ti.


• +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against poison. Käälapsi do not easily succumb to venom of any kind.


• +4 racial bonus on Swim checks. Käälapsi are comfortable in the water and their light frames makes it easier for them to stay afloat.


• +2 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. Käälapsi can wriggle their way out of sticky situations.


• Spell-Like Abilities: At will - speak with animals (snakes only); Three times per day - charm animal (snakes only). Käälapsi often fill their lairs with poisonous snakes to discourage interlopers.


• Automatic Languages: Kansattish or Sûlic.


• Favored Class: Rogue.


• Favored Class: Expert.


• Exclusive Class: Beguiler (from the Player's Handbook II).

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Campaign Design - Race: Cien-Kranula

Cien-Kranula

(adapted from Champions of Ruin)

The cien-kranula are humans whose have become infused with the very essence of shadow. Some are the result of their ancestors interbreeding with shadow demons and other creatures of shadow, while others had forebears who were affected by powerful shadow magic. They are a rare and secretive people, and little is known about them. Some try to blend in with civilization, learning the skills needed to disguise their origin, while others live on the outskirts of society, taking up lives on the fringes, while still others form tight-knit hidden communities of their fellows.

Personality: Cien-kranula are hard-working and purpose driven, seemingly almost always working towards some goal unknown to outsiders. They are often seen as dour and humorless by members of other races, almost always seeming to be engaged in rigorous activity, even if that activity is merely training themselves to be better prepared for more fruitful tasks. When they do set aside their work, the cien-kranula attack their leisure activities with the same dedication and single-mindedness.

Physical Description: Cien-kranula look like ordinary, somewhat slender humans with very pale, almost white skin that has ever shifting shades of grey shadows running on its surface. They all have black or dark grey hair, and their eyes are entirely black, with no whites at all.

Relations: The cien-kranula view other races with suspicion, and most other races return the favor. If they overcome this mutual animosity, the cien-kranula have been known to work with other races in pursuit of their goals, most commonly chitine, kell, and euroz.

Alignment: The cien-kranula show a marked tendency towards chaos despite their single-minded nature. They also tend to favor evil, although some have shown the capacity to break out of this mold, and once in a great while one can be found with a bent towards goodness.

Cien-Kranular Lands: There are no cien-kranular lands. The cien-kranular are few in numbers to have a land of their own and instead live in and around the nations dominated by other races.

Religion: The cien-kranula have no common racial deity, although for obvious reasons they tend to gravitate towards honoring Gangyn. Though rarer, cien-kranula devoted to Halpas, Kivutar, Sirchade, and Vaßatar have also been known to exist. The member of this race who eschew the racial tendency towards evil most often devote themselves to Vali and more rarely Þunor.

Language: Cien-kranula all speak Umbran, no matter where they were born. They also speak whatever language is commonly spoken in their native region.

Names: Cien-kranula have two names. One is their Umbran name, which they do not use with outsiders, and the other is their use-name, usually a common name from the region the cien-kranula is from. Because their use-name is of little importance to them, many cien-kranula change their use-name if they relocate to another region so their use-name matches the local naming conventions.

• Type: Humanoid.


• Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.


• Size: Medium size.


• Speed: Cien-kranular base speed is 30 feet.


• Shadow's Sight: Cien-kranula have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.


• Shadow Mind: +1 racial bonus on all Will saves. Cien-kranula have alien minds touched by shadowstuff that make them resistant to mind-altering effects


• Shadow Resistance: +1 bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like effects that have the shadow descriptor. This stacks with their racial bonuses on Will saves and their racial bonus on saves against fear.


• Shadow Blend: +2 racial bonus on Hide checks in shadowy environments.


• Fearless: +4 racial bonus on all saves against fear. As beings infused with shadowstuff, cien-kranula are born out of fear and malice.


• Unshakeable: Cien-kranula cannot become shaken and they ignore the effects of the shaken condition. They can still become frightened or panicked, though in most cases their innate resistance to fear keeps them from it.


• Automatic Languages: Umbran plus one other language.


• Favored Class: Fighter.


• Favored Class: Adept.


• Exclusive Class: Shadowsworn (adapted from The Book of Roguish Luck).

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Miniatures - Miniature Storage

When I first started seriously collecting miniatures, I was, like most people, confronted with the problem of trying to store them. I started putting magnetic bases on all of my miniatures with the idea of using a metal toolbox with drawers to store them, but most 25mm and 28mm miniatures are just slightly too tall to fit standing up in the drawers of a typical toolbox, especially once you make them slightly taller by putting a metal base and magnetic backing on their bottom. Metal toolboxes are also pretty heavy, and are made even more so when one loads them up with a bunch of pewter miniatures. Finally, unless one has the foresight to buy one of those stacking sets of toolboxes, they don't really stack very well, and as a result, still take up a lot of space.

Despite all of these issues, I was resigned to storing my miniatures this way until I found a collection of supplies that provided an alternative solution. Like most solutions for gamers, this one was made by combining things that were never really meant for the purpose they are going to be used for. In this case, I started with a craft box like the one at the left. You can get these at hobby stores like Michaels - I found the ones I used at Costco where they were being sold in sets of five for something like $19.99. These ones are fourteen inches by fourteen inches and about two and three-quarters inches tall. They also have a flip top with latches and, most importantly, are stackable.

These craft boxes are the right size, but they don't have anything that a magnet will stick to. I went to Home Depot and found some twelve inch by twelve inch sheets of galvanized steel that cost about five bucks each. I have pretty much no real idea what they are actually used for (I think they might be used to protect siding when a fireplace is installed, or something similar, but that's just a guess), but as you can see in the picture to the right, they fit inside the craft boxes almost perfectly - the "fourteen inch by fourteen inch" measurement the craft boxes are advertised as having is the measurement of the top of the box and not how big they are on the inside. I used a generous application of white Gorilla Glue to stick the metal sheets to the inside of the craft box, and weighed the sheet down with some heavy books, so it would stick evenly. After letting the glue dry overnight, I had a stackable box that magnetic-based miniatures would stick to.

I ended up making seven of these boxes, which is enough to hold pretty much all of the "normal" miniatures I currently own. Since the boxes are stackable, I can just put them on top of one another to store the bulk of my miniatures in a relatively modest amount of space. Since the miniatures are on magnetic bases, they can also be transported in these boxes without the risk of damaging them. The picture to the left shows a completed box filled with some of my miniatures - the box is full of miniatures of animals, mythic animals, and elementals. Since each box only costs roughly nine dollars to make, I can just make more if my collection expands enough that I outgrow this set of boxes. The only minor drawback of this storage system is that any miniature that is taller than about two and half inches, which essentially includes any 25mm or 25mm mounted figure, won't fit comfortably in these boxes.

To store my "tall" miniatures, I had to come up with another solution. I tried to find a fourteen inch by fourteen inch container that was six or seven inches tall, but I couldn't locate one. Instead, I found a larger container that was sixteen inches by twenty-four inches and seven and a half inches deep at Target that cost about $7. Because these containers are measured from the top and not the bottom, a twelve inch by twenty-four inch sheet of galvanized steel wouldn't fit into the box. Instead, I took two twelve inch by twelve inch sheets and overlapped them in the container, gluing them down with white Gorilla Glue just like I did with the smaller containers. This was more expensive than the smaller miniature containers, partially because the box itself cost slightly more, and partially because I needed to use two sheets of galvanized steel instead of one, but the total expense to make it is still quite reasonable. This container won't stack with the smaller containers, but it is stackable with other containers of its own kind, so if I ever have enough "tall" miniatures that I need another container like this, I will be able to stack them for storage. Right now, I am able to fit all of my "tall" miniatures into the one box, so I'm good for now.

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Miniatures - Shadows Over Camelot

These are miniatures from the game Shadows Over Camelot, a cooperative board game based upon Arthurian legend. In the game, players take on the role of Knights of the Round Table and try to accomplish quests before the world turns too dark to save. The miniatures are decent, although the detail on the faces leaves a little to be desired. I had some trouble with them, as they had a kind of tacky finish after I painted them. This was my fault though, as I had used a different kind of clear finish than I normally use, and it left them slightly sticky. I refinished them with my usual clear matte finish and they seem to be fine now.

Arthur, Gawain, Galahad, and Kay

Palamedes, Tristan, and Percival

Excalibur, the Holy Grail, and Lancelot's Armor

Threatening Picts from the North

Invading Saxons on the Beaches

Hostile Catapults Ready to Attack Camelot

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