Witchraven

Small Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 3d10 (16 hp),dying/dead –1/–11 Initiative: +2 Speed: 10 feet,fly 50 feet (average) AC: 14 (+1 size,+2 Dexterity,+1 natural),touch 13, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/–2 Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3–1) Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3–1) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach:5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Attacks: Paralysis,curse Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet,SR 11,aid witchery Saves: Fort +3,Ref+5,Will +3 Abilities: Str 8,Dex 15,Con 11,Int 11,Wis 14,Cha 15 Skills: Move Silently +5,Sneak +6,Spot +5 Feats: Defensive Move,Focused Healing,Weapon Finesse

Environment: Any Organization: Solitary or murder (6–13) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: Standard Advancement: 4 HD (Small);5–9 HD (Medium) Level Adjustment: —

In a ritual handed down through familial ties,some witches can call upon the services ofa witchraven,a creature that is a boon to the witch and a bane to virtually anyone else.The witchraven serves a witch for a year and a day as a companion,assistant,and—ifneed be—defender.In exchange,the witch provides the witchraven with food,shelter,and safety for the same period.

Most people consider witchravens a bad omen when sighted.They have a sinister reputation,perhaps unfairly so. In the wild,they keep to themselves and feed on rodents and small animals.Witchravens are found mainly in magical areas:around witchery sites,akashic nodes,power cysts, ancient tombs,and so forth.

Aeons ago,witchravens were a powerful and intelligent race ofavian creature that dwelled in the Lands ofthe Diamond Throne.They committed a heinous crime in those long-lost days,however,offending the gods ofthe Denotholan (see “The Gods and Religions” section in Chapter One of The Diamond Throne).Their subsequent curse relegated them to the position ofservants to the races that would follow,but only those who could understand them.The verrik’s discovery ofwitchcraft finally allowed people to communicate with the creatures and work with them.Before that time,they were a menace and a nuisance,but one rarely encountered.Despite the fact that their destiny revolves around an ancient curse, witchravens do not seem to object to their role.They form sincere bonds with the witches who call them.

Witchravens are indistinguishable from other ravens except for their size—they stand 3 feet tall—and an unnerving aura. Witches can use the Sight to tell a witchraven from a normal but prodigious raven.Some people compare witchravens to the verrik,saying that witchravens are to other birds what verrik are to other humanoid races.Most verrik take that as a compliment.It’s unknown what witchravens think ofsuch a statement.

Witchravens speak Common,although they usually talk only to each other and to witches.

Combat

Witchravens tend to fight defensively.They use their paralysis ability against the first foe that meets their gaze,then attempt to fly away.A witchraven only uses its curse ability against a creature that has wronged it.

Paralysis (Su): Once per day,the witchraven can paralyze one foe it can see within 60 feet,unless the creature makes a Will saving throw (DC 13).The paralysis lasts for 1d6+4 rounds.The saving throw DC is Charisma based.

Curse (Su): Once per day,the witchraven can curse one foe it can see within 60 feet,unless the creature makes a Will saving throw (DC 13).The affected creature suffers a –2 penalty on attacks,saves,and checks until the curse is removed.The saving throw DC is Charisma based.

Aid Witchery (Su): Witches within 30 feet ofa witchraven can use all witchery powers as ifthey were two levels higher than their actual level.Further,three times per day, the witchraven can concentrate (requiring a standard action) during the same round as a witch within 30 feet uses a witchery power to grant the power’s saving throw DC (if any) a +2 bonus and double its range and duration (ifany).

Master Witchravens

Instead ofserving witches,sometimes a witchraven can be a witch itself.These masters often have some distinguishing physical characteristic,such as a red tuft offeathers around their eyes,yellow tips to their wings,and so on. Such witchravens always have at least one level ofwitch (often wind or ice witch) and an additional racial bonus of +2 to Intelligence,Wisdom,and Charisma.They have maximum hit points on their witchraven Hit Dice,but not on their witch class Hit Dice.Their witchery powers are aided by their own presence,and they gain a further +1 bonus to their witchery powers’ saving throw DCs (ifany).In addition,the powers’ range and duration (ifany) double for every three normal witchravens within 30 feet.(Normal

witches do not gain these cumulative effects.)

A witchraven always obeys the commands of a master,unless bound to a witch.These rare individuals almost always lead a murder ofthe birds,operating with their own agendas.They resent witches that call their fellows offto service,so witches in general fear master witchravens greatly.Legends and rumors of master witchravens plucking out the eyes of sleeping witches circulate among witch communities,and some witches know special wards to guard them from master witchravens while they sleep.

Master witchravens cannot be called.

New Feat

Call Witchraven (Ceremonial)

You and another witch,related to you by blood,perform a ritual that requires one hour to complete.

Prerequisite: Witchery ability,caster level 5th, Charisma 15

Benefit: A witchraven appears and serves you for one year and one day.During that time,it accompanies you wherever you go (unless you tell it otherwise),obeys your commands, aids your witchery powers,and even defends you with its life.It does not act stupidly or give its life wantonly.One year later,you can call upon another witchraven by performing the ritual again (but you need take the feat only once). The second time,the witchraven remains with you forever.

You cannot have more than one witchraven companion at a time.

Witchraven Encounter (EL 7)

When clearing a new area ofthe forest to cultivate,some farmers become plagued by witchravens.They summon the player characters for help in discovering who has sent this blight upon them.(Many ofthe farmers are already cursed,as well as wounded,from encounters with the creatures.) Upon investigation,the PCs must deal with six ofthe creatures.

Soon they realize that—unbeknownst to anyone but the witchravens—the area the farmers are attempting to clear is in fact a power cyst.At the center ofthis magical area lies the tomb ofa powerful ancient witch.The characters must decide whether to drive offthe witchravens (and explore the tomb),or convince the farmers to go elsewhere.