Climatog
This humanoid, looking like an odd breeding of a goblin and a frog, has skin that mirrors the colors of the sky and clouds above almost perfectly.Climatog CR 3
XP 800
CE Small monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
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DEFENSE
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AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 25 (3d10+3)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
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OFFENSE
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Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (average)
Melee bite +5 (d6+1)
Special Attacks entropic weather, growing storm,
over-sized mouth
Spell-like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
3/day - obscuring mist
1/day - gust of wind (DC 14)
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STATISTICS
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Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Fly +4, Perception +4, Survival +4 (+12 weather related)
Racial Modifiers Survival +8
Languages Atog
SQ weather attunement, wind riding
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ECOLOGY
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Environment any outdoors
Organization solitary, pair, gust (3-5), storm (5-20)
Treasure standard (items only)
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Entropic Weather (Su) The presence of a (or many) climatog
causes the weather to worsen gradually over time until acid rain,
dangerous lightning storms, or whatever other weather condition
might be appropriate to the area occurs.
Growing Storm (Su) As the number of climatogs grows in any
given area, their synchronicity with weather also grows, allowing
them the ability to cast more weather-based magic. At the GM's
discretion, they may add an additional 1/day casting of a weather-
themed spell for every three climatogs in the area. The spell can be
an additional level above 1st for every three climatogs in the area.
The climatogs can be no further than 30' apart for this ability to
function.
Some recommended spells include Frostbite or Fog Cloud.
Over-sized Mouth (Ex) A climatog makes bite attacks as if it
were one size category larger.
Weather Attunement (Ex) A climatog gets a +4 on saves against
any ability or natural hazard that could be considered a weather-
related effect, such as extreme heat or the effects of a gust of wind
spell. This includes spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.
Wind Riding (Ex) Climatogs may, if able to catch a draft, launch them-
selves into the air and ride the wind currents. This ability is not flight, and
the climatog must have some form of current or updraft to ride to remain
aloft. If no such currents exist, the climatog cannot use this ability and
remains grounded or, if in the air when the wind ceases, will descend for
one round under its own movement, then will begin to fall.
The climatog can use its own gust of wind spell-like ability to rocket
itself or others of its kind into the air.
Mean spirited and manic, climatogs live their lives in the toil of generating as much entropy in the local climatology and biosphere as possible. Resembling nothing more than the horrible union of a giant, warty toad and a goblin, which then caught the mange (looks shared by all atogs), these creature's skin takes on a chameleon mein, mirroring exactly the color of the sky and passage of clouds, snow, or ash overhead.
Legends on Khardtha relate tales of the atogs, in the guise of a halfling-like race from far distant lands, as the once-great masters and innovators of crafts both magic and mundane, and that those of their ilk who were first wronged by or had become jealous of these gifts twisted into the abominations now known as atogs, each only able to focus on the downfall and/or destruction of the thing they once held dear.
After reading the myths and legends surrounding the race, climatogs, it is reasoned, were once associated with powerful machines or magics that dealt with the weather in some capacity. One atog of any type in an area is enough of a problem for anyone nearby, but the particular sympathetic relationship that climatogs have with the weather can be disastrous for local farmers, as the longer climatogs are in a region, the worse the weather gradually gets, until you have once-fertile valleys wracked with drought or flooding, or continuously damaging acid rain storms.
Though often associated with gremlins due to their destructive natures, even one of those fey will take time out of their depredations to correct anyone on the matter.
Climatogs typically stand at a hunched 1-1/2 feet tall, but can rise up to 3 feet tall and usually weigh in at around 35 pounds.
Climatogs in Eberron
Climatogs can be found, perhaps not so strangely, dwelling in areas close to House Lyrandar conclaves, perhaps drawn by the House's own sympathy with the weather. Some have even said that powerful Lyrandar mages and druids keep company with climatogs, using them as familiars and companions, though this is unconfirmed.
Further, rumor has it that the choppy seas and horrible storms in and around Xen'drik are caused by mass populations of climatogs. Again, this is unconfirmed.
Climatogs in GolarionClimatogs were once a productive race, in fact they were the First Ones, who settled the planet Aballon and made use of its energies from the proximity of the sun and the vast mineral wealth to form a wondrous society and forge great discoveries from this bounty. Then, something changed. What it was is unknown. A breakdown of cooperation and progress fueled by rivalries and petty jealousy? A failure of some of their great technologies? A discovery the likes that should not be known?
Now, all that remains of their once-great civilization is the ruins of their cities. The droves of robots turned loose to do their last operative over and over. Some of the atogs escaped, scattering throughout the solar system, but there are still others left on Aballon. Perhaps some even remember their former glory.
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When I first created Khardtha back when I was in high school, quite a lot of the setting was informed by Magic: The Gathering, since it was actually the fantasy game (as well as novel line) I was most familiar with before I got into tabletop rpgs. This monster is an offshoot of the atog race featured in M:tG, and holds the basic premise of those kinds of creatures in that they exist simply to destroy something, be that the timestream (Chronatog), the mind (Psychatog), or even other atogs (Atogatog).
This is something new. I'd not created it back then, I created it yesterday, and I think it can definitely find a place in my campaign, should I ever revisit my homebrew.
Now that I've completed the monster, I'm not so certain I got it right. It has a lot of abilities, some of which are ill-defined and hard to do at the table, and having more of them create the power scale increase instead of having to destroy or sacrifice something isn't truly keeping with the spirit of what a Climatog card (which their isn't one) would do, but I feel like their abilities give a GM a chance to build a story around the creature, and sometimes that can be hard to do with only a one page writeup.
If anyone spots a mistake in my math, or otherwise has questions or comments, please share. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself here.
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