Swanmay
| Swanmay
| Bird Maidens
|
Climate/Terrain:
| Temperate wetlands
| Tropical mountains
|
Frequency:
| Very rare
| Very rare
|
Organization:
| Flock
| Solitary
|
Activity Cycle:
| Any
| Day
|
Diet:
| Omnivore
| Omnivore
|
Intelligence:
| Highly to Genius (13-18)
| Average to Genius (8-18)
|
Treasure:
| See below
|
|
Alignment:
| As ranger
| Any
|
No. Appearing:
| 1 or 2-5
| 1
|
Armor Class:
| 7
| 7
|
Movement:
| 3 or 15, Fl 19 (D)
| 12, or 3, Fl 36 (C)
|
Hit Dice:
| 2 to 12
| 2 to 8
|
THAC0:
| As ranger
| As kahina
|
No. of Attacks:
| 3 or as ranger
| 2 or as kahina
|
Damage/Attack:
| 1/1/1-2 or by weapon
| 1/1-3 or by weapon
|
Special Attacks:
| See below
| Spells
|
Special Defenses:
| +1 or better weapon to hit
| +2 or better weapon to hit
|
Magic Resistance:
| 2% per HD
| 5% per HD
|
Size:
| M
| M
|
Morale:
| Champion (15)
| Elite (13)
|
XP Value:
| 120 to 3,000
| 420 to 3,000
|
Swanmays are human females who can assume swan form. In human form, swanmays
are indistinguishable from other people. They normally wear light armor and
carry rangers' gear, as well as a sword, dagger, bow, and arrows. These items are
unaffected by a swanmay's shapeshifting, so they must be hidden. Swanmays may be
recognized by a feather token, feathered garment, or signet ring. Such items
are transformed into part of the swans' plumage or worn on a leg.
Combat: In human form, the swanmay functions as a ranger. To determine the level and
Hit Dice of a swanmay, 2d6 are rolled. She attacks with whatever weapons she
possesses.
In swan form, a swanmay is harmed only by +1 or better weapons. She attacks
with buffeting wings, a flying leap, and a bite.
Habitat/Society: Swanmays are members of a special sorority of lycanthrope rangers. Unlike
other lycanthropes, their shapeshifting ability is gained voluntarily from a
special token: a feather token, a feather garment, or a signet ring. Such items
reveal their magical auras when exposed to a
detect magic spell. Without the item, she is forced to remain in her current form. Tokens
only function for swanmays.
Swanmays are extremely secretive about their sorority. Only human women are
admitted; the other requirements are unknown. It is suspected that women are
invited to join when they unknowingly perform a great service for another swanmay.
If a PC is invited to join, it is 50% likely that she will retire from casual
adventuring to devote herself full time to her new responsibilities.
Swanmays are guided by their swan personalities. They dislike noisy, brash
creatures, ferocious beasts, and anything of an evil alignment. They are friendly
with forest folk, such as sylvan elves and dryads. They tend to avoid normal
humanoids. Only nature priests are known to regularly associate with swanmays;
such alliances are generally initiated by swanmays when they need help against a
common evil.
Swanmays build communal lodgings near bodies of water, deep in the forest.
Such lodgings are lightly fortified against land attack. They usually contain two
means of escape -- a secret tunnel to the lake and a ceiling hatch. Swanmays in
swan form can use either route. Swanmay lodgings may be recognized by the
number of waterfowl living nearby. The remains of poachers may also be left here as
a warning to others.
Ecology: Swanmays are independent protectors of the forests and wildlife. They actively
oppose evil races or monsters that might otherwise decimate wildlife and the
countryside. They protect swans more out of sympathy for their similarity than
out of any kinship.
Bird Maidens
In the mountains and cool valleys of the lands of Zakhara lives a race of bird
maidens, related to the swanmays. Just like their sisters, they depend on a
token to change forms: a colorful shawl or veil of feathers. They can assume many
bird shapes, including falcons, swallows, parrots, and even (at 8th level)
giant eagles.
Though they have no sorority, bird maidens are loosely united by their faith.
All bird maidens are kahina, idol priestesses who believe in the divinity of
all things. They live as wandering teachers, protecting the land from those who
despoil it. They get along best with those who respect the land: desert riders,
mystics, and fisherfolk. In the fertile river valleys, they preach the faith
and maintain the fertility of the land and livestock. Some tribesmen believe bird
maidens are
hama, spirits of the departed, who return to help the living. Bird maidens deny
this and may cut themselves to prove that they are flesh and blood.
Bird maidens' Hit Dice are equal to their priestly level, from 2-8. They have
major access to the All, Animal, Divination, Elemental, Healing, Plant and
Weather spheres and minor access to the Creation, Protection, and Sun spheres. They
carry spears, darts, and slings, but may not wear armor or shields (even
magical) heavier than hide. If they do, they cannot use spells. Bird maidens cannot
turn undead.
In bird form, bird maidens can peck and claw, but most don't fight as birds.
Only a bird maiden's shawl or veil changes with her when she shifts form. All
other equipment is unchanged and must be hidden or cared for by others until the
bird maiden again changes her form.
Bird maidens are sometimes forced to marry men who steal their shawls; if they
ever recover them, they leave their husbands, killing their sons and taking
the daughters with them to become bird maidens. If the feathered garment is
destroyed, the bird maiden dies as well.
Rumors tell of a great wooden fortress among the clouds of the high hills,
called the Crown of All Feathers, where young bird maidens are taught the rituals
and duties of kahinas by the Aarakocra.