From an Idea To An Ecology: Dislimned for Shadowfinder/Starfinder (Patreon)

I talked yesterday about taking an idea and running with it. That gave us cargoyles, which are great. But I also mentioned the Holowgate Wars, which requires more factions than just cargoyles to be waging a war of mimicry and concealment. So, to expand from one creature to a whole hidden ecology, I borrowed from some creepypasta, and spun out the whole concept of the dislimned. Not only does this give a GM more toys to play with, it helps weave disparate elements from different sources into a single urban fantasy world, which helps avoid everything beeing disconnected and random. I have the general entry below, and will expand it with more forms of dislimned soon.

Dislimned

The dislimned are a subtype of fey unique to worlds with a mix of having once had old, undisturbed places (whether any still exist or not) and sprawling modern-era neighborhoods in urban decay that are crowded with telephone poles, power lines, cell phone towers, traffic lights, utility poles, streetlights, emergency sirens, smokestacks, and similar tall, thin pieces of ugly infrastructure that are so ubiquitous that residents largely stop noticing them.

On such worlds (including the Earth of Shadowfinder), some few find themselves with no pristine natural habitat left. Forced to choose between adapting to live in decaying urban and industrial greyfields or dying in poisoned lakes and trash-riddled woods, some fey simple go made. The dislimned take on twisted, angry forms drawn from (but certainly not identical to) a combination of urban legends and skyward-pointing infrastructure. They subconsciously know they do not belong where they are, and have in inherent hatred of being recognized. Their minds can no longer communicate with others, and they generally have no plans other than to stand miserably in some bit of blighted city where there is enough clutter around them they can feel hidden, and angrily attack anything that seems to notice them.

The dislimned retain some of the fey magic that once allowed them to hide in forests and mountains. Each dislimned has a bit of urban infrastructure for a head, and as long as it stands still in a place where an actual example of that infrastructure is not out-of-place, people tend to ignore it. Its image cannot be captured on media of any kind other than as a blur. As long as it’s left alone, the dislimned generally just stands around, lurking. But if it comes to realize anyone is searching for the unusual, or if someone manages to spot it despite its magic camouflage, it attacks. Even when it reveals itself, most creatures cannot remember what happened to create the devastation it left in its wake.

All dislimned have the dislimning ability, with the DC listed in individual entries.

Dislimning (Su): When a dislimned fey stands still and takes no action, and is in a location matching its technological elements, people tend not to notice it. To notice a dislimned fey under these circumstances, a creature must both succeed at a Will save (DC listed with each dislimned fey) and a Perception check (DC = dislimned’s Disguise bonus +15). A dislimned cannot be recorded on any media, such as cameras or audio recorders, leaving only a blur and static where its image and sound should be. When an encounter with a dislimned ends, characters must succeed at a Will save (same DC as the Will save to notice one), or they cannot recall what creature they faced, though they remember all other details of the encounter. A dead dislimned turns into a pile of rusting poles and cables and strips of rotting meat.

One of the most common, and least powerful of dislimned is the signal head. Signal heads can be found lurking near highway exits to distressed towns and partially-abandoned sections of cities, but sometimes small groups of them also gather in old warehouses or in junkyards, where a pile of old signal lights doesn’t seem out of place.

(Art by Jacob Blackmon)

Signal Head (Combatant)

CR 5

XP 1,600

CE Large fey (chaotic)

Init +2; Senses low-light vision., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

Aura dislimning (DC 13), lights of confusion (DC 13)

DEFENSE

HP 70

EAC 17; KAC 19

Fort +9; Ref +9; Will +4

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee claws +13 (1d6+10 S; critical bleed 1d6)

Ranged signal (60 ft. cone) +10 (1d6+5 F; critical +1d4 duration)

SA Attach (+13, DC 18)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

STATISTICS

Str +5; Dex +2; Con +3; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +0

Skills Athletics +11, Disguise +11, Intimidate +16

Languages Aklo (cannot speak)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Attach (Ex) The creature can attempt a special attack against KAC as a standard action. If it succeeds, it deals no damage, but it adheres to its target. Once attached, the creature gains a +4 bonus to its AC (from cover) and a +2 circumstance bonus to melee attacks, but it can attack only the creature to which it is attached. An attached creature can't move (though it moves with its target), take actions that require two hands, or make attacks of opportunity. An attached creature can be removed with a successful Strength check (DC 17; 10 + 1-1/2 the creature's CR) made as a move action, or it can remove itself from its target as a move action.

Lights of Confusion (Su) When not using its dislimning ability, a signal head flashes chromatic cones of light in all directions from its head. A creature that enters this aura or begins its round in one must succeed at a DC 13 Will save or be confused for 1d4 rounds. A creature that fails a save against light of confusion is immune to the effect (from any signal head) for 24 hours. This is an emotion, fear, mind-affecting, and sense-dependent effect.

Description

Signal heads seek out more powerful dislimned, and attempt to lurk within sight of them. They are particularly paranoid about other creatures with abilities to hide or disguise themselves, and often come into conflict with cargoyles and shapeshifters.

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