Elemental Scion Template

The strength ofearth,the ferocity offire,the speed ofwind, and the tenacity ofwave—these factors come together to create an elemental scion,a creature ofboth mortal flesh and otherworldly might.When the force ofthe elemental spirits manifests itselfin the normal world,a creature can use this power to become an elemental scion.This never happens by accident, always by choice.Elemental scions are always intelligent enough to make the choice for themselves,and it changes one forever.The elemental power seething within these scions manifests itselfwith varied effects.The physical changes to the transformed creature are generally minor.In appearance,the scion looks about the same.Yet the power ofthe earth bolsters him,fire makes him agile and quick,air allows him to float above the ground,and he can breathe water.

All four elements work together within the creature:not in opposition,but in synthesis.It is only the union within a living, mortal creature that allows this convergence to occur.That spirit—perhaps the fifth element—unites the other four in a way not otherwise possible.In any event,elemental scions are rarer than even runechildren,and most people remain unaware ofthem.The transformation into an elemental scion does not change one’s outlook.Those with a dark heart are still cruel and selfish.More giving creatures retain their benevolent nature.

Sample Elemental Scion: Orichol

(4th-level mojh mage blade)

Medium Humanoid

Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (26 hp),dying/dead –2/–10 Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 feet,fly 30 feet (average) AC: 18 (+2 Dexterity,+3 natural,+3 armor),touch 12, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6 Attack: Longsword (athame) +10 melee (1d8+5) Full Attack: Longsword (athame) +10 melee (1d8+5) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Attacks: Fireburst,earth blast,athame,spells Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet,water breathing, shimmering shield Saves: Fort +3,Ref+4,Will +1 Abilities: Str 16,Dex 15,Con 12,Int 12,Wis 8,Cha 17 Skills: Balance +2,Forgery +2,Knowledge (runes) +2 Feats: Bonded Item (longsword),Elemental Mage (fire),

Weapon Focus (longsword)

Environment: Any Organization: Unique Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: Standard Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +2

Even after Orichol transformed into a mojh,he—it—was not content.It still craved more power.Specifically,the power Orichol craved was that which would unite it with mystical energies.It wanted to feel them course through its veins.So the mojh sought far and wide,reading wellresearched texts and consulting with learned sages. Eventually,it learned ofthe Temple ofthe Four Pillars,located in the strange land ofKish.No one knows who built the temple,with its 444 steps leading up to its four grand doors. One thing was sure,though:Just as the texts had said, whosoever shall drink from the four pools surrounding the four pillars in the temple for 444 days straight shall come to liken themselves closer to the fundamental nature ofthe world and the four key elements that comprise it.Orichol discovered the truth ofthat personally.

The mojh returned to the Lands ofthe Diamond Throne with newfound powers—an entirely new nature.Mentally,however, Orichol was still the power-craving mojh it had always been.

Orichol wears a +1 studded leather jack and wields a longsword as an athame.It is tall for a mojh,and its elemental nature gives its flesh a rough texture and dark color.

Combat

Orichol favors its elemental scion abilities over all else.It enjoys floating over foes and spraying its fire burst down upon them.It is overconfident and prone to foolhardiness, but it isn’t stupid.Orichol will run from a fight it cannot win.

Fireburst (Sp): See ability description on next page.

Earth Blast (Sp): See ability description on next page.

Athame (Su): In Orichol’s hands,its longsword becomes a +2 weapon.It shares an empathic link with the weapon and knows where it is at all times.

Water Breathing (Su): See ability description on next page.

Shimmering Shield (Sp): Once per day,Orichol can create a shimmering aura around itselfthat grants the mojh a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class for 4 rounds.

Spell Slots: 4/3/1

Spells Readied: 0—bash, detect magic, lesser repair, minor illusion; 1st—acrobatics, fireburst, mudball, obscuring mist; 2nd—boil

Creating an Elemental Scion

“Elemental scion” is a template that one can add to any living,corporeal creature with an Intelligence score ofat least 3. An elemental scion uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities,except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature’s type does not change.

Speed: Elemental scions can fly at halftheir normal speed,carried aloft by the wind.

AC: Increase the creature’s natural armor bonus by +2 due to a stony substance that infuses the flesh.

Special Attacks: An elemental scion retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains the following special abilities (cumulative):

HD Ability

1–2 Fireburst,water breathing 3–4 Earth blast,improved flight 5–8 Greater elemental resistance 9–10 Fireball,water walking 11–12 Stony skin,wall ofwind 13–15 Summon elemental 16+ Elemental type

Earth Blast (Sp): The elemental scion can,three times per day, cause the ground at one creature’s feet to explode,inflicting 5d6 points ofearth damage and knocking the creature prone if it is size Large or smaller.A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half the elemental scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma bonus) halves the damage and negates the knockdown effect.

Greater Elemental Resistance (Su): The elemental scion enjoys air,earth,fire,and water resistance 20.

Elemental Type (Su): The elemental scion’s type can be considered elemental when it is desirable (but not elemental when it is not).For example,ifsomeone casts a spell on a humanoid scion that normally would affect only humanoids,the spell does not affect him.Ifanother mage cast a spell on the same scion that affected elementals,it would not affect him,either.

Fireball (Sp): The elemental scion can,once per day,throw a ball offire up to 200 feet that explodes in a 20-foot spread,inflicting 10d6 points ofdamage.

Fireburst (Sp): The elemental scion can,three times per day,spray a 30-foot cone offire that inflicts 3d6 points of damage.A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + halfthe elemental scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma bonus) halves the damage.

Improved Flight (Su): The elemental scion can fly at his normal ground speed,with average maneuverability.

Stony Skin (Su): The elemental scion’s natural armor bonus increases by another +2 bonus.

Summon Elemental (Sp): The elemental scion can summon a Huge elemental ofany type once per day,as described in the spell lesser summon major elemental.

Wall ofWind (Sp): The elemental scion can,three times per day,create an invisible vertical curtain ofwind 2 feet thick and up to 80 feet long and 100 feet high.Tiny and Small flying creatures cannot pass through the barrier.Ranged projectiles smaller than a catapult-hurled boulder are deflected upward and miss.Gases cannot pass through the wall.Other creatures,flying or not,attempting to pass through the wall must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + halfthe elemental scion’s Hit Dice + elemental scion’s Charisma bonus),or they are repelled and knocked down.The immobile wall lasts for 10 minutes per elemental scion Hit Die.The scion can shape the wall so that it curves horizontally,even to form a cylinder (but not a sphere).

Water Breathing (Su): The elemental scion can breathe water as well as air.

Water Walking (Su): The elemental scion can walk (or even run) on water as ifit were solid ground.

Special Qualities: An elemental scion has all the base creature’s special qualities and gains the following:

Elemental Resistance (Su): The elemental scion has air, earth,fire,and water resistance 5.

Abilities: Alter from the base creature’s as follows:Str +2, Dex +2,Con +2,Int +0,Wis +0,Cha +2.

Challenge Rating: As base creature’s +2.

Level Adjustment: As base creature’s +2.

Elemental Scion Encounter (EL 6)

Orichol arrives in the community where the PCs currently reside.It is looking for one ofthe sages that helped it find the Temple ofthe Four Pillars,to demand still more information about the temple’s origins.The sage,however,is afraid ofthe mojh now,with its newfound power,and comes to the characters for help.Orichol was none too gentle in its inquiries before,and now the sage wants none ofit.The PCs need to protect the sage and perhaps confront the mojh, learning in the process what an elemental scion is—and about the mysterious Temple ofFour Pillars.