The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

turn within ten feet of a lodestone golem, as if by the
spell cast by a 16 th level wizard. Creatures wearing
medium ferrous metal armour are slowed when they
start their turn adjacent to a lodestone golem. Free
action cancels this slow effect.
Skitterjinx
Medium Outsider (Chaos, Cold)
Hit Dice: 14d8+14 (77 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armour Class: 22 (+6 Dex, +6 natural), touch 16, flatfooted
16
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+15
Attack: Claw +20 melee (1d4+1 plus entropy)
Full Attack: 2 claws +20 melee (1d4+1 plus entropy)
and bite +15 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Damage reduction 10/lawful, dying
curse, entropy, misdirection, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Discern voice, expert mimic,
immunity to cold, spell resistance 23, vulnerability to
fire
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +15, Will +12
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 22, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha
16
Skills: Balance +16, Bluff +20, Climb +11, Diplomacy
+13, Hide +23, Move Silently +23, Sleight of Hand
+23, Survival +10, Swim +8, Tumble +23, Use Rope
+13
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative,
Mobility, Weapon Finesse
Environment: A cold chaotic-aligned plane
Organisation: Solitary, pack (3-6) or den (10–20 plus
one sorcerer alpha male plus 50% non-combatants)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: No coins, double goods
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 15–28 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —
These denizens of wild and icy planes resemble
werewolves in their hybrid form: bipedal canine
creatures lean as greyhounds, with lashing tails and
short silvery-grey fur. They have small pearl-coloured
horns and large ears. They speak in whining, breathy
voices unless they are mimicking another creature.
Skitterjinxes are minor nuisances on trips through cold
countries, as they are sneaky and curious and often steal
foods and goods. This is done out of inquisitiveness
and boredom rather than malice. It is not uncommon
for travellers to wake up and discover their equipment
strewn all over their campsites, where curious
skitterjinxes have left it. Catching a skitterjinx in the
act is difficult as they are masters of stealth.
The skitterjinx has a skeleton made from a substance
identical to pearl, so those who do not know any better
often hunt the unfortunate creature for its bones as well
as its seal-like pelt. A full skitterjinx skeleton is worth
between 1,000 and 3,500 gold pieces, depending on
its condition and age. Skitterjinx hunting, however, is
almost unknown in arctic communities, for one good
reason. The skitterjinx’s name comes from folktales
which hold that it is dreadfully bad luck to kill one.
These tales are founded in fact. With one of the
strangest defence mechanisms known to zoology, a
dying skitterjinx is able to bestow a potent curse on its
killer.
Skitterjinxes excel at mimicry. They survive by learning
the calls of large predators and imitating them, to scare
off smaller creatures. Their agility and long legs help
them to flee if they are in serious danger.
A skitterjinx’s natural weapons count as chaotic-aligned
for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Discern Voice (Su): The skitterjinx can imitate the voice
of any creature it has studied for three rounds, whether
it has heard it speak or not.
Dying Curse (Su): The killer of a skitterjinx immediately
suffers a curse of exceptional power (effective caster
level 20 th ). A Charisma-based Will saving throw (DC
20) is allowed to avoid this. The curse bestows a –4
luck penalty on saving throws, ability score checks and
skill checks. This curse is permanent until dispelled
with a remove curse spell or something similar. Direct
blood relatives of the dead skitterjinx (parents, children
or siblings) may also remove the curse at will as a
standard action, though they very rarely do so. Unless
they are convinced that the death was an accident, they
demand hefty compensation and/or acts of penitence
before they will consider removing a skitterjinx death
curse.
Entropy (Su): The skitterjinx’s natural attacks have an
entropic effect on the target, making his behaviour less
and less co-ordinated. This is where the ‘skitter’ part
of the creature’s name comes from. A creature hit in
melee for damage by a skitterjinx’s claw attack must
make a Charisma-based Fortitude saving throw (DC
20) or suffer a –1 luck penalty to Armour Class. These
penalties stack, with a maximum penalty of –5. When
a pack of skitterjinxes attacks a target, they can bring
it down rapidly by removing its protection with this
ability.
Expert Mimic (Ex): A skitterjinx has a +10 racial bonus
to any Bluff check made to imitate another creature’s
voice.
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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