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Perilous
Gateways
The
Trail of Tears
By Eric L. Boyd

Plague
Carrier (Template)
Diseases
often incubate in a host before the victim manifests outward symptoms
of the disease, if any. Many diseases are contagious during the incubation
period and can be spread by touch, spores in the air, or an open wound.
Other diseases are borne by members of one species without ill effect
but can be quite dangerous to members of other species. Even creatures
immune to the effects of disease, such as undead, might be contagious
to other types of creatures. Likewise, even diseases supernatural in origin
can sometimes be spread by other species.
Plague
carriers appear similar to how they did before they took on the template,
although many appear fatigued, irritable, or listless. Most do not even
realize that they are infected or that they are endangering those persons
that they come into contact with.
Creating
a Plague Carrier
Plague
Carrier is a template that can be added temporarily to any creature except
constructs and incorporeal undead (referred to hereafter as the "base
creature"). Note that corporeal undead can acquire this template
only if they were infected in life, whether or not they died of the disease
in question. The creature's type remains unchanged. It uses all of the
base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Hit
Dice: As the base creature.
Speed:
As the base creature.
AC:
Same as the base creature.
Special
Attacks: A plague carrier retains all of the special attacks of the
base creature and also gains one or more of the following three attacks
or the special quality listed below (DM's choice):
Fetid
Breath (Ex): Inhaled diseases can be passed on simply by occupying
a 5 ft. by 5 ft. square adjacent to the plague carrier. The creature is
infected with a contagious disease spread in this manner, requiring a
Fortitude saving throw (DC varies based on disease, see the Dungeon
Master's Guide, page 74) to avoid infection. This is an extraordinary
ability.
Scabrous
Touch (Ex): All manner of touch attacks can pass on infections conveyed
through contact. The creature is infected with a contagious disease spread
in this manner, requiring a Fortitude saving throw (DC varies based on
disease, see the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 74) to avoid
infection. This is normally an extraordinary ability, although it can
be a supernatural ability in the case of diseases such as mummy rot.
Septic
Claw (Ex): Claw and bite attacks can pass on infections conveyed through
injury. The creature is infected with a contagious disease spread in this
manner, requiring a Fortitude saving throw (DC varies based on disease,
see the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 74) to avoid infection.
This is normally an extraordinary ability, although it can be a supernatural
ability in the case of diseases such as such as demon fever and
devil chills.
Special
Qualities: A plague carrier retains all of the special qualities of
the base creature and also gains the following special quality and/or
one or more of the special attacks listed above:
Rotten
Corpse (Ex): Consuming part or all of the corpse of a creature can
pass on a disease conveyed through ingestion, injury, or contact. The
creature is infected with a contagious disease spread in this manner,
requiring a Fortitude saving throw (DC varies based on disease, see the
Dungeon Master's Guide, page 74) to avoid infection. This
is normally an extraordinary ability, although it can be a supernatural
ability.
Saves:
Same as the base creature.
Abilities:
Same as the base creature.
Skills:
Same as the base creature.
Feats:
Same as the base creature.
Climate/Terrain:
Any except cold.
Challenge
Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Treasure:
Same as the base creature.
Alignment:
Same as the base creature.
Advancement:
Same as the base creature.
In
the Realms
Great
plagues, whether of arcane, divine, or natural origin, have periodically
ravaged the Realms, although they are far more common in times of war,
famine, or deprivation. Disease is particularly feared in areas of concentrated
population, such as overburdened cities, and in close proximity to breeding
grounds such as marshes, swamps, and portals to the nether planes.
Plague carriers can be found in most such conditions, as well as in areas
targeted by the church of Talona for the wrath of the Mistress of Disease.
Perhaps the greatest concentration of plague bearers is in areas where
powerful necromantic magic was used to spread plagues, such as the Fields
of Nun in eastern Chondath.
Plague
Carrier Ghoul: CR 2; Medium-size undead; HD 2d12; hp 13; Init +2;
Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (touch 12, flat-footed 12); Atk +3 melee (1d6+1 plus
fetid breath plus septic claw, bite) and +0 melee (1d4 plus septic claw,
2 claws); SA Create spawn, fetid breath (cackle fever), paralysis, septic
claw (red ache); SQ Turn resistance +2, undead traits; AL CE; SV Fort
+0, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 13, Dex 15, Con -, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
Skills
and Feats: Climb +6, Escape Artist +7, Hide +7, Intuit Direction +3,
Jump +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Search +6, Spot +7; Multiattack,
Weapon Finesse (bite).
Create
Spawn: If a ghoul does not devour its victim, the body rises as a
ghoul in 1d4 days. Casting protection from evil on a body before the end
of that time averts the transformation.
Fetid
Breath (Ex): Inhaled diseases can be passed on simply by occupying
a 5 ft. by 5 ft. square adjacent to the plague carrier ghoul. The creature
is infected with cackle fever, which is spread in this manner, requiring
a Fortitude saving throw (DC 16) to avoid infection.
Paralysis
(Ex): Those hit by a ghoul's bite or claw attack must succeed at a
Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for 1d6+2 minutes. Elves are immune
to this paralysis.
Septic
Claw (Ex): Claw and bite attacks from the plague carrier ghoul can
pass on red ache through injury. The target must make a successful a Fortitude
saving throw (DC 15) to avoid infection.
Turn
Resistance (Ex): The ghoul is less easily affected by clerics or paladins.
When resolving a turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempt, the creature
receives a bonus of +4.
Undead
Traits: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death,
effects, necromantic effects, mind-influencing effects, and any effect
requiring a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects; not subject
to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy
drain; cannot heal damage if there is no Intelligence score, (though fast
healing and regeneration work normally); negative energy heals; not at
risk of death from massive damage, but destroyed at 0 hit points or less;
darkvision 60 ft.; cannot be raised; resurrection works only if creature
is willing.

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