My sweety Sumiko Saulson, award-winning horror and Afrosurrealist author, is a huge Hello Kitty fan. This D&D interpretation of the Japanese icon is dedicated to hir and hir friend Hobbit :-D It will serve as the initial seed of a new campaign setting for me ~ well, two new campaign settings, actually. The world of Sanri Pyefwan, which this post is about, will be a Pathfinder 1st edition setting, while Sanri Phaivii will translate these characters and other things into a D&D 5th edition setting. This will let me explore the different genre assumptions and inspirations for each of these wonderful games.
As always, thank you to my patrons Jaina Bee, Ferny, Casey, Dave, and Darius. They and my other patrons saw this post a week early ~ if you would like to support my writing and my streaming (and join them in seeing all of my blog posts before anyone else), you can do so on my Patreon ~ even $1/month helps a tremendous amount!
Haroktii Howait zep Djodj tep Mari zep Anshni tep Magret
Birthday: The First Day of the First Decan of the Third Month of Low Water
Place of Birth: The capitol Chowa Ta ("Harmonious City")
Gender: Female
Race: Gijinkh catfolk (stats below)
Residence: Sanri Puro Ta ("World Palace City")
Height: Five apples
Weight: Three apples
Age: 46 years old
Quote: "Mishru can never have too many friends!"
Siblings: Mimyi Howait (twin sister; ancestors witch (tatterdemalion) 12/Charm (Love) and Community (Family) cleric 8)
Spouses: Diadani Sutaa (gijinkh catfolk bard 6/investigator 3/expert jeweler 2) and Mai Merod (quwi kitsune woodlands witch (gingerbread witch) 16/bard 4)
Companions: Kath (quwi kitsune), Djib (deep one hybrid), Fif (oicentaur), Djodi (rougarou), Djowi (penu ratfolk), Djud (penu ratfolk), Mori (mole goblin), Rori (akher ratfolk), Tamas (coldborn werekin), Tim and Tami (vanaras), Tipi (coldborn werekin), Takhshii Djamu (batrikh tengu), Zesi (raikhma kitsune)
Pets: Djamii Khit (raiju), Shugaa (hamster), Taini Djam (embalming bear)
Enemies: Queen Inuhakh of Shyama Ta (shyama catfolk), Hiku (witchwolf werekin), Fankhur (shyama catfolk)
Appearance (as always, I lack any sort of visual arts skill, so I put forth two pictures to blend together to envision Haroktii)
Harokti Howait, a female gijinkh catfolk, wears the ancestral red bow known as Beru shen Hap-Ered ("Hair-Bow of the River-Child") on her left ear as the Koushye ("The Great House") who rules the land of Mishru. Cute, bright, sweet, kind-hearted, tomboyishly beautiful girl and very close to her twin sister Mimyi, Harokti's rulership has spread the influence of Mishru throughout all the world, affecting the art, writing, cuisine, theatre, clothing, bodywork, and technology of many realms. A small but widespread cult has even sprung up scattered amongst many countries, hailing her as a new goddess, the prophesied Ras Tefer. Stylized versions of her likeness adorn the vehicles, purses, plumbing, ovens, hearths, pottery, and jewelry of these worshipers, and several plays about her are performed on stages frequented by them. Dolls, icons, tableware, and furniture are common gifts even in far-foreign lands.
A practiced baker herself and an avid collector of treasures of all kinds, Koushye Haroktii's love for her mother Magret's dhourra (a kind of rye galette stuffed with honey and apples) is well-known and a source of national pride. When she is not governing ~ or even sometimes when she is! ~ she practices music and paints beautifully. The library at Sanri Puro Ta has grown to wondrous levels during her reign, as she loves to read the fiction and poetry of all the world; Mishru's other scattered libraries have enjoyed this patronage as well. Haroktii is a devoted worshiper of Manekh Nekhor, a nonbinary goddix represented with the antennae and shell of a snail and butterfly wings behind.
Twelve years before Haroktii's birth, her father Djodj wore the Beru shen Hap-Ered and busied himself with a traditional Mishrun practice of weaving sandals from flowers and strips of bark. Haroktii and her twin sister were two of several children he sired with Magret. She was born with a rare congenital defect which makes her mouth remarkably small, with thin lips that cause it to almost disappear when her mouth is shut. Many have said that those in her presence find this unusual trait comforting, as they can be happy or sad together with the Koushye and always find their emotion reflected on her face.
Koushye Djodj negotiated a political marriage between Haroktii and the Abyayalan princess Mai Merod while visiting that distant land during her second year. The rituals of their respective cultures were performed the next year, although any marriage between two three-year-olds is by need more ceremonial than anything. They do remain happily married 43 years later, however. The marriage brought attention to the toddler Haroktii, though her first international fame faded within a couple of years and international gossip turned to her elder siblings and their new families. Haroktii entered her first musical competition in the middle of this period of celebrity, at the age of four. Despite her young age, she quickly mastered the clavichord and performed admirably. By the time she was 32, she'd expanded her musical talents to include the guitar as well as the clavichord and her voice.
When Haroktii was a small child, Koushye Djodj didn't have strong opinions about her among his throng of heirs, but he warmed up to her as a youth when she became involved in the mercantile side of palace business. A human emigré to the Land of Faërie by the name of Adalheidis became her partner in business and closest friend until their respective lands required duties of them that pulled them apart. Her success at trade came as a surprise to everyone, but cemented her status as Djodj's chosen heir. By the time she was 28, Haroktii's fame had been eclipsed by that of the adventurer An Pamman, even despite the fame of her pet raiju Djamii Khit. It wouldn't be regained until she took the Beru shen Hap-Ered six years later. However, as the chosen heir of the Koushye was fading into the background of her people's imaginations, famous heroes of foreign countries such as the goblin whimsy oracle Lady Agag and the elfin Charm/Travel cleric hai-Ramyerac began to champion her as an ideal of power and beauty.
Hai-Ramyerac had an airship built for Haroktii's 31st birthday in her favorite colors (there are lots of pink) with her image painted on its sails and a carving of her on its prow. Lady Agag, on the other hand, hired the famous gnome jeweler Kimorali Snommis to produce an entire collection of unique jewelry for the Mishrun princess that she still wears to this day. Horaktii liked this gift so much that three years later, she hired Kimorali herself to add to it!
At 33 years of age, Haroktii's archrival since the age of 13, Queen Inuhakh of Shyama Ta, began forcing members of her army that committed a variety of transgressions to wear pink badges with her face on them in order to embarrass and shame them. The next year, shortly before accepting the Beru shen Hap-Ered from her father, Haroktii spent half the year in Tabgach Washya and half in he-Ong Keang establishing Mishrun embassies in each country. However, her first major act as Koushye was in response to a financial crisis that struck the country during this period as the Hap Kau, the main river whose silty banks fed the nation, refused its yearly flood. In the midst of famine, Haroktii built on and expanded the functioning of the Mishrun granary system to create a complex, massive system of banks, storing deposits of wealth and making loans to citizens both domestic and foreign. These banks operated in two forms of pseudo-currency ~ grain-money and cattle-money ~ and helped revitalize Mishru's marketplaces, leaving them bustling and crowded even in the midst of austerity. In the process, the foreign practice of coinage made greater inroads into Mishrun culture, with pieces of ceramic, copper, steel, silver, and gold from all the world over making their way through the populace.
This influx of foreign money and foreign culture brought the idea of skating to Mishru. Lacking any ice, Haroktii's inventive subjects simply replaced the blades of foreign ice-skates with wheels, and then the island peoples of Mishru had the brilliant idea of using this as a way to bring their tradition of surfing to the land, attaching similar lines of wheels to small boards and using those to get around. This fad was especially popular among Mishrun women, who enjoyed the speed with which they could complete chores by land-surfing.
Two years after taking on the Beru shen Hap-Ered, Haroktii brought prosperity back to the farmers of Mishru by subsidizing the wine industry and merchants who sold the wine in foreign countries. In the the 5th year of Haroktii's reign, having pulled her realm from starvation by building even more foreign connections, the Koushye ordered the opening of an embassy and marketplace in the southern country of Kiima Krengaa, the third such foreign embassy she had personally ordered and overseen. To celebrate, she went on a traditional adventure with the Kiima Krengaan lungyeye ratfolk hero Sonikku za Hejjiyeye, an incredibly fast monk, in which they recovered the magical urn that had been used by the pirate known as the Quedagh Kid to contain the Phantasmal Fog. This monstrous mist made evil doubles of those creatures who walked through it. As is the usual practice in that country, the story was memorialized through the creation of a special costume called an amyibo. Because of the rank and fame of the two heroes involved, this specific amyibo was enchanted, and two years later it was ritually gifted to the halfling fighter Maryush Maryush to use in his own adventures with his myceloid and grippli companions against his rival Waryush Blutosh (who had stolen the Phantasmal Fog).
One vicious rumor often told about Koushye Haroktii claims that the Vlaaraltfloumi princess Mivvi used magic to crate a mystical copy of herself and installed said copy on the throne of Mishru.
Haroktii Howait; CR 20
Middle-aged female gijinkh* catfolk bard (geisha) 12/occultist (naturalist) 5/expert baker 3
XP 204,800
NG Tiny humanoid (catfolk)
Initiative +4 (+4 Dex); Senses aura sight, low-light vision, object reading, scent; Perception +7, Sense Motive +38/+42 (empath feat, prognostication unlock, read aura unlock)
AC 29/33; touch 23/27; flat-footed 26/30; flat-footed touch 20/30 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +6 armor, +2 deflection, +5 insight; +4 cover in Yoru Shuyokh)
hp 100 (2d10+20d8+22)
Fortitude +16 (+9 class, +1 Con, +1 competence inspire greatness, +3 morale heroism, +2 sacred beacon of luck); Reflex +19 with advantage 1/day (+10 class, +4 Dex, +2 sacred beacon of luck, +3 morale heroism, cat's luck); Will +24 (+15 class, +4 Wis, +3 morale heroism, +2 sacred beacon of luck); situational +4 bonus against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects (well-versed), +4 to resist illusion effects and –2 against sleep effects (Nidjinut), +2 bonus on saving throws to resist spells of the pattern subschool (untold wonder)
Defensive Abilities Can exist comfortably in all high altitudes (Refukhu shen Afit-Affi), nimble faller, penalties from emotion effects are instead treated as morale bonuses equal to half the penalty’s value (untold wonder); Resist Fire 10 (Beru shen Hap-Ered); SR 24 (Refukhu shen Afit-Affi)
Weaknesses –2 HD for the purpose of determining the number of HD used in sleep effects and the number of creatures affected and always counted first when determining which creatures are affected (Nidjinut)
Speed 20 feet
Melee Tiny nunchaku +18/+13/+8 melee (1d6+1d3-3 bludgeoning nonlethal plus shaken 1 round after dealing lethal damage plus possible spell siphon OR 1d3-3 bludgeoning plus possible spell siphon) (+14/+9/+4 BAB, +2 size, –4 Strength, +1 enchantment, +2 competence inspire greatness, +3 morale heroism; –4 Strength, +1 enchantment, merciful peaceful spell siphon)
Ranged Tiny sling +26 ranged (1d6+1d2-3 bludgeoning nonlethal plus -20 Stealth plus anti-invisibility plus DC 13 Will save to avoid being dazzled plus CL 10th searing light 1/day OR 1d2-3 bludgeoning plus -20 Stealth plus anti-invisibility plus DC 13 Will save to avoid being dazzled plus CL 10th searing light 1/day) (+14 BAB, +2 size, +4 Dex, +1 enchantment, +2 competence inspire greatness, +3 morale heroism; –4 Strength, +1 enchantment, beaming glitterwake merciful peaceful)
Space/Reach 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks Bardic performance (dirge of doom), focus power (cloud mind (Will DC 19), mental discord (Will DC 19), mind slumber (Will DC 19))
Bardic Spells Known CL 13th, 15th to penetrate SR; concentration +20
- Cantrips: (∞/day) detect magic, lullaby (Will save DC 18), message, prestidigitation, read magic, resistance
- 1st: (7/day) abstemiousness (Fortitude save DC 19 (harmless)), cultural adaptation, identify, remove fear (Will save DC 19 (harmless)), restful sleep (Fortitude save DC 19 (harmless)), unbreakable heart (Will save DC 19 (harmless))
- 2nd: (7/day) build trust (Will DC 20), calm emotions (Will DC 20), create treasure map, dream shield (Will DC 20 (harmless)), honeyed tongue
- 3rd: (6/day) beacon of luck, bit of luck, charm monster (Will DC 21), deep slumber (Will DC 21)
- 4th: (5/day) bountiful banquet, treasure stitching (Fortitude DC 22 (object)), untold wonder (Will DC 22 (harmless))
Occultist Spells Known CL 6th, 8th to penetrate SR; concentration +12- 0: (∞/day) daze (Will DC 17), mending (Will DC 17 (harmless, object)), purify food and drink (Will DC 17 (object))
- 1st: (6/day) charm person (Will DC 18), expeditious retreat, tears to wine (Will DC 18 (object))
- 2nd: (4/day) billowing skirt, daze monster (Will DC 18), feast of ashes (Fortitude DC 18)
Tactics
Before Combat Haroktii generally stores 4 points of mental focus in her coin purse, 3 in her guitar, 3 in her ointment jar, and 2 as generic focus. She regularly casts untold wonder, bit of luck (6 points; can spend 4 for +2d8), and honeyed tongue on herself while holding court or on other Mishrun business, as well as activating Shu Unkh to cast heroism on everyone nearby. Before any situation she expects to have a significant chance for combat, she will add a beacon of luck and conduct a tea ceremony with herself, her two spouses (Diadani and Mai), and her twin Mimyi to inspire greatness. If the encounter happens in her throne room, she will have a continue heroism effect as she sits on her throne, and everyone around her will have knelt before it. Haroktii believes strongly in the power of diplomacy and so always uses Diplomacy in an attempt to forestall any combat, no matter how seemingly inevitable. Considering that she can roll 80 on a Diplomacy check relatively easily if she is benefiting from every possible bonus (which is always her goal), which is enough to convince a creature with a Charisma of 90 to provide aid that would result in punishment, it usually works.
During Combat Haroktii will start any combat by inspiring greatness while channeling a point of mental focus through her coin purse to activate mental discord, targeting a spellcaster if one has made their presence known. After that, she will cast blissful encouraging unbreakable heart spells on one of her allies. The next two rounds will see her activating mental slumber, starting with the one she affected with mental discord. From the fifth round of combat on, she will use deep slumber to continue neutralizing targets, mixing in the occasional charm person or charm monster. If the combat is still raging after 10 rounds, she will change her bardic performance to a soothing performance. Should combat end without a complete neutralization of the threat by Diplomacy or violence, Haroktii will usually expend her last round of bardic performance doing the Relentless Reprise.Base Statistics Initiative +3; AC 28/32; touch 22/26; flat-footed 25/29; flat-footed touch 19/29; hp 73 (20d8); Fortitude +9, Reflex +13 with advantage 1/day, Will +19; Melee Tiny nunchaku +13/+8/+3 melee (1d6+1d3-3 bludgeoning nonlethal plus shaken 1 round after dealing lethal damage plus possible spell siphon OR 1d3-3 bludgeoning plus possible spell siphon); Ranged Tiny sling +20 ranged (1d6+1d2-3 bludgeoning nonlethal plus -20 Stealth plus anti-invisibility plus DC 13 Will save to avoid being dazzled plus CL 10th searing light 1/day OR 1d2-3 bludgeoning plus -20 Stealth plus anti-invisibility plus DC 13 Will save to avoid being dazzled plus CL 10th searing light 1/day); Dexterity 17 (+3), Constitution 10 (0); CMD 21 (+14 BAB, –4 Str, +3 Dex, –2 size); Appraise +28/+32, Bluff +36, Craft (baking) +30, Craft (calligraphy) +19, Craft (painting) +17, Diplomacy +47/+51, Disable Device +11, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +15/+17, Knowledge (history) +20, Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge (nobility) +39, Knowledge (planes) +30, Knowledge (nature) +30, Linguistics +16/+18, Perception +4/+6, Perform (keyboard) +15, Perform (sing) +34, Perform (string) +15, Profession (merchant) +11, Spellcraft +27, Sense Motive +36/+40, Stealth +11, Use Magic Device +30
Morale When two or more of her allies ~ or herself ~ are down to 25% hit points, Haroktii casts calm emotions in an attempt to shut the combat down. If that doesn't work, she begins making use of the Beru shen Hap-Ered's and Kenkh Onen's offensive abilities while finally using her weapons against her opponents.
Ability Scores Strength 3 (–4), Dexterity 19 (+4), Constitution 12 (+1), Intelligence 19⇒25 (+4⇒+7), Wisdom 13⇒19 (+1⇒+4), Charisma 20⇒26 (+5⇒+8)
Base Attack +14/+9/+4; Combat Maneuver Bonus +8 (+14 BAB, –4 Str, –2 size), situational +2 to disarm (nunchaku); Combat Maneuver Defense 22 (+14 BAB, –4 Str, +4 Dex, –2 size), situational +3 versus trip (nimble faller and Feline Grace), +2 versus bull rush, grapple, repositioning, and overrun (Feline Grace)
Feats Brew Potion, Blissful Spell, Catfolk Exemplar (enhanced senses), Craft Wondrous Item, Empath, Encouraging Spell, Exotic Martial Weapon Proficiency (nunchaku)⁺, Feline Grace, Light Armor Proficiency⁺, Martial Weapon Proficiency⁺, Medium Armor Proficiency⁺, Psychic Maestro (psychometry, read aura), Psychic Virtuoso, Scribe Scroll⁺, Shield Proficiency⁺, Simple Weapon Proficiency⁺, Spell Penetration
Masterpieces Relentless Reprise (Will DC 24)
Skills Appraise +31/+35 (18 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism; +2 for psychometry from Psychic Virtuoso), Bluff +41 (versatile performance: sing, +2 racial), Craft (baking) +33 (20 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism), Craft (calligraphy) +22 (0 ranks, +7 Int, +3 morale heroism, +12 and usable untrained geisha knowledge), Craft (painting) +20 (7 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism), Diplomacy +52/+56/+57 (18 ranks, +8 Cha, +2 racial, +3 class, +12 geisha knowledge, +4 Shu Unkh, +2 glorious presence, +3 morale heroism; +4 for hypnotism from Psychic Virtuoso; +5 competence to gather information; advantage to change attitude), Disable Device +15 (5 ranks, +4 Dex, +3 class, +3 morale heroism), Intimidate +24 (versatile performance: keyboard, +4 Shu Unkh), Knowledge (arcana) +18/+20 (5 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master; +2 for phrenology from Psychic Virtuoso), Knowledge (history) +23 (10 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master), Knowledge (local) +23 (10 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master), Knowledge (nature) +16 (3 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master), Knowledge (nobility) +42 (20 ranks, +7 Int, +12 geisha knowledge, +3 morale heroism), Knowledge (planes) +33 (20 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master), Knowledge (nature) +33 (20 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism, always take 10 lore master), Linguistics +19/+21 (6 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism; +2 for automatic writing from Psychic Virtuoso), Perception +7/+9 (0 ranks, +4 Wis, +3 morale heroism; +2 for read aura from Psychic Virtuoso), Perform (keyboard) +20 (4 ranks, +8 Cha, +3 class, +2 glorious presence, +3 morale heroism), Perform (sing) +39 (11 ranks, +8 Cha, +3 class, +12 geisha knowledge, +2 glorious presence, +3 morale heroism), Perform (string) +20 (4 ranks, +8 Cha, +3 class, +2 glorious presence, +3 morale heroism), Profession (merchant) +14 (4 ranks, +4 Wis, +3 class, +3 morale heroism), Sense Motive +38/+42 (versatile performance: sing, +2 racial; +4 for prognostication/read aura from Psychic Virtuoso), Spellcraft +30 (17 ranks, +7 Int, +3 class, +3 morale heroism), Stealth +15 (0 ranks, +4 Dex, +8 size, +3 morale heroism), Use Magic Device +35 (17 ranks, +8 Cha, +3 class, +2 magic item skill, +2 glorious presence, +3 morale heroism); can use any skill untrained (jack-of-all-trades)
Languages Antique Catfolk, Gnollish, Gnomic, Yukor
Special Qualities Bardic performance (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, soothing performance, suggestion), focus powers (legacy weapon, quickness), geisha knowledge, jack of all trades, lore master, magic item skill, mental focus 12 points, morale bonuses other than converted emotion penalties are increased by 1
(untold wonder), natural focus, resonant powers (glorious presence, physical enhancement), shift focus, tea ceremony, versatile performance (keyboard (Diplomacy, Intimidate), sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), masterpiece), well-versed
Combat Gear Shimzu ("Power; Dominion";
+1 merciful peaceful spell siphon Tiny nunchaku), Kenkh Onken (
+1 beaming glitterwake merciful peaceful Tiny sling) with 20 stones
Other Gear Beru shen Hap-Ered ("Hair-Bow of the River-Child")** , Refukhu shen Afit-Affi ("Robe of the Sun-Rat," a blue and white coverall-style garment; treat as Tiny
robes of Xin-Shalast), Shu Unkh ("Feather Shirt," a yellow shirt worn beneath the Refukhu shen Afit-Affi; treat as Tiny
Praenomen without the master/servant dynamic), Rokur ("Potter's Wheel"; treat as
throne of pleasing mien), Yoru Shuyokh ("Growing Stronger"; treat as Tiny
chariot of the conqueror), Nidjinut ("Rainbowroot"; treat as
Clavis Somnus), coin purse (enchantment implement), guitar (transmutation implement), ointment jar (transmutation implement)
Aura Sight (Su): Haroktii can read the auras of creatures around him as a standard action. This functions as the aura sight spell with a duration of 1 round.
Bardic Performance: Haroktii can use this ability for 31 rounds per day. Each round, she can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that she has mastered. Starting a bardic performance is a move action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires Haroktii to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if Haroktii is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time. Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both. If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear Haroktii for the performance to have any effect, and such performances are language dependent. If Haroktii becmes deaf, she has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If she fails this check, the attempt still counts against her daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components. If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to Haroktii for the performance to have any effect. If Haroktii becomes blind, she has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If she fails this check, the attempt still counts against her daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
- Countersong (Su): Haroktii can counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components). Each round of the countersong she makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of Haroktii (including her herself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use Haroktii's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use Haroktii's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.
- Dirge of Doom (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to foster a sense of growing dread in her enemies, causing them to become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear Haroktii's performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and Haroktii continues her performance. This performance cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Dirge of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect, and it relies on audible and visual components.
- Fascinate (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to cause up to four creatures to become fascinated with her. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear Haroktii, and capable of paying attention to her. Haroktii must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 24) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, Haroktii cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as Haroktii continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
- Inspire Competence (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to help an ally succeed at a task. That ally must be within 30 feet and be able to hear Haroktii. The ally gets a +4 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as she continues to hear the bard's performance. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, such as Stealth, and may be disallowed at the GM's discretion. A bard can't inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence relies on audible components.
- Inspire Courage (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to inspire courage in her allies (including herself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive Haroktii's performance. An affected ally receives a +3 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +3 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
- Inspire Greatness (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to inspire greatness in up to two people (herself or willing allies within 30 feet), granting extra fighting capability. To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear Haroktii. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components.
- Soothing Performance (Su): Haroktii can use her performance to create an effect equivalent to a mass cure serious wounds cast at 12th level. In addition, this performance removes the fatigued, sickened, and shaken conditions from all those affected. Using this ability requires 4 rounds of continuous performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear Haroktii throughout the performance. Soothing performance affects all targets that remain within 30 feet throughout the performance. Soothing performance relies on audible and visual components.
- Suggestion (Sp): Haroktii can use her performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature she has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, but it does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the free action to continue the fascinate effect). Haroktii can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance. Making a suggestion does not count against Haroktii's daily use of bardic performance. A Will saving throw (DC 24) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature. Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, language-dependent ability and relies on audible components.
Implements: Whenever Haroktii casts a spell, she must have the corresponding implement in her possession and present the implement to the target or toward the area of effect. This act is part of casting the spell and doesn’t require any additional action. If Haroktii lacks the corresponding implement, she can attempt to cast the spell, but must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 20 + the spell’s level) to do so. Spells cast by Haroktii without the appropriate implement are always treated as if they were cast at the minimum caster level for the spell in question (caster level 1st for a 1st-level spell, caster level 4th for a 2nd-level spell, and so on).
Lore Master (Ex): Haroktii is a master of lore and can take 10 on any Knowledge skill check that he has ranks in even when threatened or distracted. She can choose not to take 10 and can instead roll normally. In addition, twice per day, Haroktii can take 20 on any Knowledge skill check as a standard action.
Mental Focus (Su): Haroktii can invest a portion of her mental focus into her chosen implements for the day, allowing her to utilize a variety of abilities depending on the implements and the amount of mental focus invested in them. Haroktii has 12 points of mental focus; these points refresh each day. She can divide this mental focus between her implements in any way she desires. If an implement is lost or destroyed, the focus invested in it is lost as well, though Haroktii still refreshes those points of focus normally. Once mental focus is invested inside an implement, the implement gains the resonant power of its implement school, and Haroktii can expend the mental focus stored in the implement to activate the associated focus powers she knows. If a resonant power grants a bonus that varies based on the amount of mental focus invested in the implement, the bonus is determined when the focus is invested, and is not reduced or altered by expending the mental focus invested in the item. Once all of the mental focus in an implement has been expended, it loses its resonant power until mental focus is once again invested in the implement. The implement grants its resonant power to whoever possesses it; Haroktii can lend the implement to an ally to assist that ally, but if she does so, he has difficulty casting that implement’s spells and can’t expend that implement’s focus on focus powers until she retrieves the implement or refreshes her focus. Haroktii refreshes her mental focus once each day after receiving at least 8 hours of sleep. After refreshing her mental focus, Haroktii must spend 1 hour preparing her implements and investing them with this power. Mental focus that is not used before the next time Haroktii refreshes her focus is lost. Haroktii can choose to save generic mental focus inside her own body instead of investing all of it, but expending this focus comes at a higher cost. Any focus power Haroktii activates with generic focus costs twice as much mental focus to use (and to maintain, if applicable). Haroktii can expend her generic focus through an appropriate implement on any focus power he knows, but an implement she didn’t invest any focus in at the start of the day grants no resonant power.
Cloud Mind (Su): As a standard action, Haroktii can expend 1 point of mental focus through her coin purse to cloud the mind of one foe within 30 feet. That foe is dazed for 1 round if it has 5 Hit Dice or less. If it has more than 5 Hit Dice, it is staggered for 1 round instead. The foe can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect. Whether or not it succeeds at the save, the target is then immune to this effect for 1 day. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Legacy Weapon (Su): As a standard action, Haroktii can expend 1 point of mental focus through her guitar or ointment jar and touch a weapon to grant it a +1 enhancement bonus. Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5. She can instead imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.
Mental Discord (Sp): As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus through her coin purse to disrupt the mind of one living creature within 30 feet. The creature can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect. If it fails the save, the creature can’t concentrate on any spell effects and must succeed at a concentration check to cast any spell (DC = 15 + double the spell level). The affected creature takes a –4 penalty on this check if the spell includes a thought component. The creature takes a –2 penalty on all Will saving throws while under this effect. This effect lasts for 5 rounds.
Mind Slumber (Sp): By expending 1 point of mental focus through her coin purse as a standard action, Haroktii can lull a living creature into a deep mental slumber, forcing it to view the world as a dream. The target must be within 30 feet of her, and it can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect. If it fails the save, the creature falls asleep, although it still perceives the world around it as a dream. This doesn’t cause the creature to fall prone, but it does drop whatever it is holding. The creature can’t take any actions while in this state, but it isn’t helpless — it perceives danger as part of its dream. The creature remains asleep for 5 rounds or until it takes any amount of damage, which immediately wakes it. At the end of each of its turns, it receives another Will saving throw to end the effect. The creature can be manipulated or examined without waking it, but it can’t be moved from its square without waking it. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Regardless of whether it succeeds at the save, the target is then immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Quickness (Sp): As a standard action, Haroktii can expend 1 point of mental focus through her guitar or ointment jar to grant supernatural quickness and reflexes to herself or a willing living creature you touch. This functions as haste, but the bonus to AC and on Reflex saving throws increases to +2. This effect lasts for 5 rounds.
Resonant Power: Glorious Presence (Su): Haroktii's coin purse invokes the presence of all those who have relied upon charm to make their way through the world. Haroktii gains a +1 competence bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks and ability checks for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement, to a maximum bonus of +2.
Resonant Power: Physical Enhancement (Su): Haroktii's guitar and ointment jar enhance her body. When Haroktii invests mental focus in each implement, she selects a physical ability score. The implement grants a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to that physical ability score for every 3 points of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of +2).
Natural Focus (Su): Haroktii can always hear the spirits of nature whispering in his ears, and sometimes those whispers contain helpful advice. As a free action, she can expend 1 point of generic mental focus before rolling an ability check, saving throw, or skill check to add 1d6 to the result. Haroktii must be conscious and aware to use this ability, and she can use this ability at most once per round. This ability doesn’t function while Haroktii is wearing metal armor or using a metal shield (although she can wear a suit of armor or use a shield altered by the ironwood spell). This restriction is similar to the druid’s armor restriction.
Object Reading (Su): Haroktii knows how to read information from items she examines. Examining an item in this way requires her to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, Haroktii learns its properties and command word as if she had successfully examined the item using detect magic and succeeded at a Spellcraft check. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless the caster level of the item is 5th or less. If the item has any historical significance, Haroktii learns one piece of information about its past (as determined by the GM). Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 5 days ago, Haroktii learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item. This information might be a glimpse of the creature’s appearance, a brief vision of what it saw while using the item, or perhaps its emotional state when it last used the item. The GM determines what information is gained in this way. This functions like the psychometry occult skill unlock (see page 196), but doesn’t require a skill check and can be used at will.
Relentless Reprise (Sing, Wind): Haroktii's songs replay endlessly in her target’s minds, sapping resolve and sanity. Whenever she ends a bardic performance, she can add a quick reprise that makes it unnaturally catchy. Any creature within 30 feet of her when she finishes her performance will run the risk of having her tune replaying endlessly in its mind. Unless the creature succeeds on a Will saving throw (DC 24), the tune distracts it for 12 days. The creature takes a –4 penalty on concentration checks, initiative checks, and Perception checks as long as it remains distracted. The creature’s sleep also becomes fitful, requiring half again as long for the usual benefit and entirely negating the benefits of full bed rest beyond a normal rest. Once per day upon waking after rest, the creature can attempt a new Will saving throw to shake off the relentless reprise. If it fails, the creature takes 1d2 points of Wisdom damage (or 1d4 points of sanity damage if using the sanity rules from Horror Adventures). This is a curse effect with audible components. Use: 1 round of bardic performance. Action: 1 immediate action.
Shift Focus (Su): Haroktii the ability to shift her mental focus from one implement to another, though some of the focus is lost along the way. Shifting mental focus removes a number of points of mental focus from one implement and adds the same number – 1 to another implement; this takes 1 minute of quiet contemplation while touching both implements. Haroktii can shift her mental focus only from one implement to another implement; she can’t shift generic focus into an implement. Unlike expending focus normally, this shift can reduce the effect of a resonant power in the implement from which the mental focus was taken. It does not, however, add to the resonant power of the implement to which the focus is added.
Tea Ceremony (Su): By spending 10 minutes preparing an elaborate tea ceremony, Haroktii may affect her allies with inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics. The ceremony’s effects last 10 minutes. Haroktii must spend 4 rounds of bardic performance for each creature to be affected.
* Gijinkh Catfolk (three alternate racial traits; 12 RP instead of catfolk's usual 9)
+4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength, –2 Wisdom: All catfolk are sociable and agile, but often lack common sense. Because gijnkh are much smaller than other breeds of catfolk, they are even more agile, but weaker.
Catfolk: All catfolk are humanoids with the catfolk subtype.
Tiny: Gijinkh catfolk are Tiny creatures, so they gain a +2 size bonus to their AC, a +2 size bonus on attack rolls, a –2 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a +8 size bonus on Stealth checks. Tiny characters take up a space of 2-1/2 feet by 2-1/2 feet, so up to four of these characters can fit into a single square. Tiny races typically have a natural reach of 0 feet, meaning they can’t reach into adjacent squares. They must enter an opponent’s square to attack it in melee. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the opponent. Since they have no natural reach, they do not threaten the squares around them. Other creatures can move through those squares without provoking attacks of opportunity. Tiny creatures typically cannot flank an enemy.
Slow Speed: Because of their size, gijinkh catfolk have a base speed of 20 feet.
Low-Light Vision: In dim light, most catfolk can see twice as far as humans.
Cat’s Luck: Once per day when most catfolk attempt a Reflex saving throw, they can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. They must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.
Clever Cat: Gijinkh catfolk are possessed of a naturally friendly disposition. They see social obstacles as games to be played and enjoyed. Gijinkh catfolk receive a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks.
Nimble Faller: Gijinkh catfolk have an amazing sense of balance and keen knowledge of their own center of gravity. Catfolk with this trait land on their feet even when they take lethal damage from a fall. Furthermore, catfolk with this trait gain a +1 bonus to their CMD against trip maneuvers.
Languages: Catfolk begin play speaking the language of their homeland and Antique Catfolk. Catfolk with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Elfin, Gnollish, Gnomic, Goblin-rhyme, the Small Speech of the halflings, Orcish, and Fairysong.
Favored Class (Bard): Add +1/2 to the bard’s bardic knowledge bonus (or, in this case, geisha knowledge).
** Beru shen Hap-Ered ("Veil of the River-Child")
Aura strong abjuration and transmutation; CL 16th
Slot headband; Price 250,000 gp (equivalent to $50,000,000-$125,000,000); Weight 1 lb.
Description
This seemingly simple red leather hairbow worn over the left ear is set in the center with a cluster of small gemstones surrounding a small gold statuette of a falcon's head with the hood of a cobra. Originally gifted to a wizard-Koushye by the god Shelyeru as a reward for his prowess on the battlefield, Beru shen Hap-Ered was believed lost when the Koushye was struck down by an ancient blue dragon. Centuries later, however, adventurers discovered Beru shen Hap-Ered among the ruins of Hakotumep. Researcher-priests acquired the hairbow shortly after, and when the priestess Tethres founded the current ruling dynasty, she claimed the Beru shen Hap-Ered for herself, making it into an inherited symbol of the Koushye.
The hairbow grants the wearer a +6 enhancement bonus to all mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma). Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours the headband is worn. It also grants skill ranks in Knowledge (nobility, planes, and religion) as a headband of vast intelligence. The wearer of the hairbow also gains a +5 insight bonus to her Armor Class and fire resistance 10. Up to three times per day as an immediate action, the wearer of the Beru shen Hap-Ered can sacrifice a prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher and transform it into a damaging ray, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d4 points of damage for every level of the spell or spell slot sacrificed.
In addition, the hairbow has 3 charges per day. When struck by a critical hit or sneak attack, the wearer can spend 1 charge as an immediate action to negate the critical hit or sneak attack (as the fortification armor special ability, but without requiring a roll). The damage is instead rolled normally. Alternatively, the wearer can spend 1 charge as an immediate action to reroll a failed saving throw. He must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse.
A non-spellcaster cannot create rays with the Beru shen Hap-Ered, but still gains all the other bonuses and can use every other anility.
Construction Requirements Arcane Blast, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, eagle's splendor, foresight, fox's cunning, haste, moment of prescience, owl's wisdom, resist energy, shield of faith; Cost 125,000 gp
