Become Your Fursona

This is a very rare relic, one which grants the blessing of incredible luck to its bearer. Its shape is variable, as it must be something of emotional significance to the user– something related to a symbol of luck or luck-based games are preferred (dice, cards, et cetera.)

The ceremony to bless the item is unusually intricate for a Yarasa-Ke ritual. The members should consist of the person wishing to use it, a Cleric, and optionally a character witness. The ritual begins in a consecrated area (lest any evil spirits overhear the soul’s name of anyone present), with the Cleric inviting Yara to watch over the ceremony, and to listen to the words of xir children. The hopeful bearer then speaks, telling both his/her name and soul’s name, indicating what cause s/he will use the Boon for, and giving testimonies of his previous deeds. The character witness may also intercede at any time during the testimony to give his own (this acts as Aid Another.) It is expected for this to last at least an hour, though stretching things out won’t help– it’s the substance of what’s going on that matters. If Yara is sufficiently impressed by the ceremony, xe will bless the item. Those in attendance will simply know– there is no way to describe the mystical connection involved in words.

Creating a Fortune’s Boon is a DC 35 check, using either the Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma modifier based on what sort of appeals the hopeful bearer uses. An Intelligence-based check would focus on logical appeals, a Wisdom-based check on philosophical appeals, and a Charisma-based check for simply being as bombastic as possible. A character witness may Aid Another for a +2 modifier, up to +5 for an especially appropriate item, and a particularly impressive speech or holding particular favor with Yara grants up to +10 on the check. Hopeless situations grant up to +20; Yara is the patron of lost causes.

A successfully created Fortune’s Boon allows the user to re-roll once per day, as the Luck Domain’s extraordinary ability. The Fortune’s Boon will cease to work after the Yarasa-Ke has completed the cause s/he swore to do.

This incense has the handy ability to act as the Calm Emotions spell, all in a travel-sized thurible! (That’s an incense container, for the uninitiated.) It is activated by burning the incense inside. Once activated, it for all intents and purposes acts identically to Calm Emotions, and can be dispelled in the same ways.

Calming Incense must be created from a special mix of plants and herbs grown on hallowed ground– usually a Church of the Goddess. Virtually all churches have gardens and keep a stockpile of dried herbs in order to make incense with, and the larger ones may even have greenhouses in order to keep growing year-round. After mixed, the incense is blessed by a Cleric, and is ready to be used.

A single block of incense set inside a thurible will last for ten minutes. However, blocks can be quickly replaced and lit as a full-round action.

The Eyes of Death is a common and frequently seen relic among Carrion Birds, consisting of a small animal skull worn as a pendant or bracelet. It mimics the ability useable by Alchiban Clerics of Repose, allowing them to see the last living moments of a person after eating the flesh of their corpse.

Upon eating the carrion, the user goes into a trance and experiences exactly what the deceased person did in their last minute of life, through said person’s eyes. The events in their trance pass in real-time, and the effects of the visions often have a somatic effect outside of it. For example, if the deceased was strangled to death, the user will act as if he or she is asphyxiating despite being able to breathe normally, while if experiencing a vision of someone being stabbed to death he or she will clutch at the stab wounds and scream in pain, etc. Needless to say, the trances are often gruesome and traumatic, and Carrion Birds are encouraged to be stoic in order to not be as affected by them.

A person in a trance cannot be broken out of it by conventional means, though Dispel Magic and Break Enchantment will stop the vision. Furthermore, while in a trance, the user cannot take any actions, and must take a round to recover from the horror of the vision.

The creation of The Eyes of Death is simple enough, the maker simply takes a skull from an animal — one which he or she did not kill — and has a Cleric bless the object in a simple ritual ceremony done during at the night, with only the Cleric and the person wishing to use the relic present.

The Veil of Thanos is a strip of dusty-grey cloth made of a sheer fabric, usually appearing to be very aged, threadbare, and tattered. For it to have any effect, it must be worn as a blindfold. Upon doing so, the bearer is able to see those who have been touched by death– the exact thematics vary from user to user, but most often those stricken with disease appear as skeletons, necromancers have a certain distinctive pallor about them, and murderers appear monstrous– the more kills, the worse they seem.

Mechanics-wise, it requires a Knowledge (religion) check to work. DC 5 reveals undead and spirits, and beings who are in the advanced stages of an undeath-related infection such as ghoul fever. DC 10 shows beings in the earlier stages of an infection. DC 15 reveals necromancers (here interpreted as “those who can control undead,” this includes Clerics who use Rebuke Undead.) DC 25 reveals even the slightest taints of death, usually those who have engaged in willful murder.

The creation of a Veil is a lengthy process, as the strip of cloth must first be buried in the earth of a gravesite for a month, then dug up and consecrated by a Cleric on the spot. These Veils are highly important to traveling Carrion Birds in their battles against the forces of Evil death cults, and thus are considered sacred items to be treated with great care.

A crazy Vulture anarchist who likes throwing bombs, sticking it to The Man, and randomly saving Weasels from crowds of angry humans! She follows a creepy god of death, Alchiba, who approves of her dietary choices.

Fursona Stats

SpeciesCarrion Bird
ClassLorekeeper

Physical 1
Social 3
Mental 3

SkillsInstinct 2, Insight 2, Knowledge 3, Lore 3, Observe 1, Persuade 2, Ranged Combat 3, Security 2, Stealth 3

Unique SkillMinkar’s Lore skill covers arcane and esoteric knowledge, including secret names and words of power.

GearMinkar has assorted epics (transcribed onto scrolls) that she studies or uses as a meditative focus, throwing knives, lockpicks, some jewelry made from carved bones that serves both for decoration and religious purposes, and some human money.

Magic itemsThe Eyes of Death and the Veil of Thanos.

Pride 5Minkar regains a token whenever something happens that reaffirms her belief she’s the most awesome thing ever.

Backstories and Powers

Chill of the Grave 2Her training as a priestess of Alchiba has brought Minkar close to death itself, something most normal people can sense– which makes them easier to intimidate.

Corpse-Eater -3Stigma against Carrion Birds is commonplace among the people of the world, not that the Carrion Birds do much to combat it. Nobody is particularly likely to trust her.

Expert Marksbird 3Minkar’s training with throwing knives focused on precisely hitting key points on her opponents to hamper their ability to move, disarm them, or other convenient things.

Hollow Bones -2Due to being a Carrion Bird, Minkar’s bones are hollow and lightweight. While they do allow her to fly, they break very easily.

I Am Very Important -2Minkar has a major ego, and is easily swayed by flattery, or easily brought to anger by someone she sees as disparaging her talents.

Inspirational Lore 3Thanks to an encyclopedic knowledge of epic poems and sheer charisma, Minkar can find just the right poem for a tight situation, and inspire her allies to awesome heroics. By spending a token, she can roll Social+Lore+Inspirational Lore and add her number of successes to their stress tracks.

Scavenger’s Immunity 2After years of hanging around and/or eating dead things, she’s developed a powerful immune system. Poisons and diseases are less likely to have an effect on her, if they even manage to take hold.

Things Beastkind Was Not Meant to Know 2As a Lorekeeper, Minkar was taught the dark secrets of the world around her. She specializes in death cults and groups committed to destructive or (by Carrion Bird standards) evil goals.

d20 Stats

Level 3 Carrion Bird Lorekeeper

Combat Stats
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 10
Initiative +2
Melee +2 (1d4 piercing, 19-20 crit)
Ranged +4 (1d4 piercing, 19-20 crit)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.

Ability Scores
STR 10
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 8 (-1)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 13 (+1)

Fortitude +0, Reflex +3, Will +5

Feats Called Shot, Combat Expertise, Ranged Disarm.

Flaws Noncombatant.

Gear Alchemical gear, masterwork throwing knives, mithral chain shirt, several explosives.

Languages Carrion Bird, Common, Rousette, 3 others.

Magic Items Eyes of Death, Veil of Thanos.

Skills Concentration +5, Craft (alchemy) +10, Hide +8, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (religion) +12, Move Silently +8, Perform +7, Spellcraft +10, Tumble +8.

Spells known (0-Level) Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Expeditious Retreat, Ghost Sound, Lullaby, Message, Resistance; (1st-Level) Protection from Law, Remove Fear.

Spells per day 3 / 2 / – / – / – / – / -

Special Qualities Bardic Knowledge +9, Bardic Music (Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Competence, Inspire Courage +1), Carrion Bird traits, Low-Light Vision (Ex).

Carrion Birds have no lands of their own, but flock in disused and run-down parts of cities. They can often be found at scenes of death and destruction, and may have to be shooed away to keep them from eating the corpses.

This stat block encompasses Vultures, Magpies and Ravens, as well as similar carrion-eating avians.

Carrion Bird Stats

• -2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence. Carrion birds have sharp intellects, but their appearance and mannerisms are unsettling.
• Medium-size humanoid; base speed 30 ft.; fly speed 40 ft. (poor maneuverability).
• Low-Light Vision (Ex). Carrion Birds can see twice as far as humans in conditions of poor illumination.
• +2 on Intimidate and Knowledge (religion) checks.
• +4 on saving throws against poison and disease.
• Hollow Bones: Carrion Birds must save versus massive damage if they take 40 points of damage in a single attack, instead of 50. They take 1d6 extra points of falling damage.
• Winged: Carrion Birds’ hands are on the ends of their wings, limiting their manual dexterity. They take a -2 penalty on Disable Device, Open Lock and Sleight of Hand checks, as well as Concentration checks to keep their spellcasting from being interrupted (for spells with somatic components). They must pay twice the cost of a normal set of armor to have armor fitted to them; if they do not, the armor provides -2 protection (minimum bonus of 1).
• Automatic languages: Carrion Bird, Rousette.
• Favored Class: Cleric.

Meerkats live in burrows near the humans’ cities. Long ago they were seen as angelic protectors, sent by the god of the sun, to save humans from the moon’s children. Today they continue to watch over humans, under the aegis of their most revered institution: The Inquisition.

Meerkat Stats

• -2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom. Meerkats are quick-witted, but lightweight.
• Medium-size humanoid; base speed 30 ft.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): Meerkats can see twice as far as humans can in low lighting conditions.
• Bonus Feat: Alertness.
• +2 on Sense Motive checks. Sense Motive is always a class skill for Meerkats.
• Social: Meerkats with no allies within 10 feet of them are treated as Shaken during combat, as soon as the surprise round ends.
• Tunneler’s Instinct: Meerkats gain +2 on Search checks to notice traps, secret doors, and unstable construction underground. They are entitled to a free Search check when they come within 10 feet of such things. They can also naturally intuit their depth and the direction to the surface.
• +1 on attack rolls against Lycanthropes.
• Automatic languages: Common and Meerkat.
• Favored Class: Cleric.

The Lions’ historical foes, the Rousettes live on the mainland a long way away from the human lands. Their society has nearly fallen to the Lions several times in the past, but the Goddess Jehan chose one of them to free all the other Rousettes. Since then they have worshipped this goddess of renewal and insanity, finding clarity in her madness.

Physically, Rousettes are short, winged mammals, with foxlike snouts and large, pointed ears. They’re usually most active at night, and a flock of Rousettes can be very unsettling to members of landborne species.

Rousette Stats

• -2 Strength. Rousettes are small and weak.
• Small humanoid; base land speed 20 ft.; fly speed 40 ft. (poor maneuverability).
• Blindsense 20 ft. (Ex). Rousettes do not need to make Spot or Listen checks to pinpoint the location of creatures within 20 feet of them. Such creatures still have total concealment (50% miss chance) against them, however. (Unlike other creatures with Blindsense, Rousettes’ movement speed is not affected by being blinded.)
• Low-Light Vision (Ex). Rousettes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of poor illumination.
• +2 bonus on Listen and Perform checks.
• Hollow Bones: Rousettes must save versus massive damage if they take 40 points of damage in a single attack, instead of 50. They take 1d6 extra points of falling damage.
• Winged: Rousettes’ hands are on the ends of their wings, limiting their manual dexterity. They take a -2 penalty on Disable Device, Open Lock and Sleight of Hand checks, as well as Concentration checks to keep their spellcasting from being interrupted (for spells with somatic components). They must pay twice the cost of a normal set of armor to have armor fitted to them; if they do not, the armor provides -2 protection (minimum bonus of 1).
• Automatic language: Rousette.
• Favored Class: Bard.

The Lions’ Empire is so widespread, it is said that the sun never sets on it. Yet for all of their advances in clockwork and machinery, it’s still made up mostly of dirt-poor factory workers and laborers, even on their home island. Will the humans be the next to fall to their mighty armies and navies?

Species Stats

• +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity; Lions are physically powerful, but ungainly.
• Medium-size humanoid; base speed 30 ft.
• +2 on Listen and Move Silently checks.
• +2 on Will saves against fear effects.
• Natural Weapon: A Lion can make a single claw attack, which does 1d4 damage. Against foes it is grappling, it may instead bite for 1d6 damage.
• Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a lion must hit with its claw 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 can make a free bite attack.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): Lions can see twice as far as humans can in conditions of poor illumination.
• Provincial: Lion characters start out knowing only their language, no matter how high their starting Intelligence score is. They must spend skill points to learn any others.
• Automatic languages: Lion.
• Favored Class: Fighter.

The Horses in the RPG are widespread and populous, introduced to multiple continents by the Lions’ colonization efforts. Many of them live under Lion rule, while others form their own communities. And most are areligious or participate in the Lions’ church, but some keep their old traditions alive … the most notable perhaps being the cult of Necrous, the Death Horse.

Horse Stats

• +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma; Horses are strong, but flighty.
• Medium-size humanoid; base speed 30 ft.
• +2 on Listen and Swim checks.
• Bonus feats: Endurance and Run.
• Low-Light Vision (Ex): Horses can see twice as far as humans can in conditions of poor illumination.
• Skittish: A Horse that would normally become Shaken due to a fear effect becomes Frightened instead.
• Automatic Languages: Common or Lion, Horse.
• Favored Class: Barbarian