CATUSAUM "..." The origin of the name Catusaum has been forgotten, but it's apparent meaning is "murderer". All Needlefolk are driven to rage by the presence of elves, but most can control it to some extent. They aren't suicidally insane, and will back off from larger groups of Elves. They also won't usually pursue them great distances. The Catusaum are different. If the Needlefolk had a term for serial killers, it would be applied to the Catusaum. They stalk and kill Elves on a regular basis, along with whatever else takes their fancy. Unlike most Needlefolk they have some emotions, and a curious nature. Many an adventuring party open minded enough to take on a Needlefolk member has regretfully learned that they have a monster in their midst. Because some Catusaum eventually decide to pursue prey other than Elves...
BECOMING A CATUSAUM You're kind of born a monster, you rarely become one. Most Catusuam become Rangers because it allows them to pursue their goals.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Race: Needlefolk
Class Abilities: Favored Enemy (Elves)
Skills: Hide 4 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Move Silently 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Survival 4 ranks
Feats: Stealthy
Alignment: Must be Evil, cannot be Lawful
Class Skills The Catusaum's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography, Nature (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Hit Dice: d8
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1. +1 +2 +0 +2 Improved Favored Enemy
2. +2 +3 +0 +3 Quiet Rage
3. +3 +3 +1 +3 Stalker
4. +4 +4 +1 +4 Improved Favored Enemy
5. +5 +4 +1 +4 Quiet Rage
6. +6 +5 +2 +5 Stalker
7. +7 +5 +2 +5 Improved Favored Enemy
8. +8 +6 +2 +6 Quiet Rage
9. +9 +6 +3 +6 Stalker
10.+10 +7 +3 +7 Man Killer
Weapon Proficiencies: The Catasaum gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Improved Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level you gain a Dodge Bonus to Armor Class against your Favored enemies. For example if your Favored Enemy Bonus against Elves is +4, you get a +4 Dodge Bonus to AC against them.
At 4th level you gain an additional Favored Enemy, and he gains his Favored Enemy Bonus on Intimidate Checks when applicable.
At 7th level you gain an additional Favored Enemy, and you gain your Favored Enemy Bonus on Critical Confirmation Rolls when applicable.
Quiet Rage (Ex): Whenever the Catusuam is frustrated it goes into a rage. It's called the Quiet Rage, because to all intents and purposes it's effects aren't immediately apparent.
Should the Catusuam be accused of a crime (especially one it's committed), refuse something, insulted (perceived or otherwise), or somehow interfered with it must make a DC 20 Willpower Save. If it succeeds it may go on as normal, but the next time it must roll the Save DC is +1 (this is cumulative until it fails). Once it fails it enters a state known as Quiet Rage. This has all the disadvantages of the Barbarian Rage Ability, including the AC penalty, and it lasts until the Catusuam has murdered or destroyed the object of his frustration. While in the Quiet Rage the Catusuam has a +2 Bonus on all Saving Throws against whichever opponent or thing caused him to become enraged, and he temporarily gains DR 2/-.
At 5th level the Save Bonus increases to +4, and the DR becomes 4/-.
At 8th level the Save Bonus increases to +6, and the DR becomes 6/-.
Stalker (Ex): At levels 3, 6 and 9 you may choose a skill from the following list: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival. From now on you may always Take 10 with this skill.
Man Killer (Ex): At 10th level the Catasuam's Favored Enemy Bonus against Elves applies to all Humanoids.
PLAYING A CATUSAUM You are curious about the Others. How they taste. How they bleed. How they die. How they scream when you've split open their bodies after breaking their limbs so they can't move. You can't tell them this of course. They'd hunt you down and burn you. Like they did your family. So you smile and play along. After all the Others you have chosen travel a lot, which gives you reason to move about a lot, and gets you out of tight situations, as you'll be leaving town before your deeds are discovered. they're also killers themselves, so they're willing to allow you some fun if you only kill "evil" opponents, and do it by their rules. Their ever-chafing rules.
You'll make the rules...
Someday...
Combat: Catusuam prefer the traditional Needlefolk combat methods of stealth and range. At least when they're pretending to be typical adventurers. Otherwise they like to be up close and personal, and they like to make the deaths last. Many seem hypnotized by the sight of humanoids in absolute agony.
Advancement: Catusuam follow pretty similar paths, ever perfecting their skills of stealth and deception.
Resources: Like many Needlefolk a Catusuam has whatever resources it can carry with it, which is to say not much unless it has some magical items. Catusuam can recognize one another (even though regular Needlefolk cannot recognize a Catusuam immediately), and they do aid one another. Although given their insanity, aid is a shaky prospect at best.
CATUSAUM IN THE WORLD "He just sits in the fields all day when we don't have an assignment. Just staring at the children. I think maybe he's sad because he misses his own kind." Catusuam present themselves as outcasts of their own kind because they've left behind their hidebound nature for a life of seeking. They leave out the bit about what they're seeking for. Regular Needlefolk who recognize one of these creatures for what it is will inform others, and they will pursue it to the ends of the earth if need be. It usually ends in tragedy one way or the other.
Daily Life: Much of your day is spent learning new things (of which you are genuinely curious), and soaking up as much information as you can. You need good information if you plan to murder any prospective targets. You also try to reinforce your lies and make believe life story as much as possible. You'll need that to deflect attention.
Notables: Thrush (CE Male Needlefolk Ranger 6/Catasuam 1) is a local figure in his town. What nobody knows is that whenever strangers leave town they don't make it to their destination. And since the nearby forests do have a decent amount of monsters, no one really goes looking for them.
Organizations: Catusuam are loners by nature. Even when they travel with others, it's as part of a charade. the traveling companions aren't companions, they're a visual aid (and a primary defense if they meet up with other Needlefolk who may recognize the Catusuam).
NPC Reaction NPC's consider you exotic and mysterious, and they flock to you. It makes convincing them to go along with you into the woods easier. So much easier.
CATUSAUM IN THE GAME This PrC is pretty damn creepy, and lends itself to trouble. PC's taking this are rabid serial killers with no redeeming values. It can only end bad if they play it to cause trouble.
Adaptation: This is definitely for really dark campaigns. And preferably ones in which your friends are really understanding...
Encounters: PC's can encounter you just about anywhere due to your wandering, but it will almost always be in rural areas, preferably forests where your skills are at their best.
Sample Encounter EL 12: The PC's notice a strange plant man upon coming to town. he always seems to be in the distance staring at them. The locals assure them he does that a lot needing to soak up the sun. he doesn't mean anything.
So why do they keep seeing him once they've left town?
ThrushCE Male Needlefolk Ranger 6/Catasuam 1
Init +3,
Senses: Listen +7, Spot +7, Low Light Vision
Languages Sylvan
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AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +4 Natural, +6 Armor, )
hp 75 (10 HD)
Fort +13,
Ref +9,
Will +11
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Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee 2 Claws +12 melee (1d4+3)
Ranged Needles +12 Ranged (1d12+3)
Base Atk +9,
Grp +12
Atk Options Combat Style (Manyshot, Rapidshot), Favored Enemy (Elf +6, Human +2), Improved Favored Enemy
Combat GearSpells Per Day 1st: 2/day (DC 14)
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Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 3
SQ Natural Camouflage, Elfsense, Dormancy, Track, Plant Empathy, Elf Hatred
Feats Improved Camouflage, Needle Resin, Point Blank Shot, Stealthy, Endurance (B), Track (B)
Skills Climb +7, Hide +9, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +7, Survival +7
+8 Racial Bonus to Hide Checks if moving up to half speed, +16 if standing still
Possessions +6 Bracers of Armor, +2 Amulet of Mighty Fists, Ring of Invisibility, Talisman of Undying Fortitude
EPIC CATUSAUM Hit Die: d8
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Favored Enemy At 25th level and every 5 levels thereafter the Catusuam gains an additional Favored Enemy.
Stalker At 23rd level and every 3 levels thereafter the Catusuam may choose an additional skill to Take 10 on.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Catusaum gains a Bonus Feat every 3 levels higher than 20th
NEEDLEFOLK FEATSImproved Needle RangeThe Range increment of your Needle Attacks is better.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Con 13
Benefits: Your Needle Attack now has a Range Increment of 50', and a maximum range of 250'.
PincushionYour needles are pretty good in Grapples too.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Improved Grapple
Benefits: You do 1d12 damage with a successful Grapple Check due to the needles sprouting from your body.
Improved PincushionOuch...just ouch.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Pincushion
Benefits: You gain a +3 Racial Bonus to Grapple Checks.
Improved CamouflagePlants are sneaky.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Dex 15+
Benefits: You no longer need to stand still to use your Camouflage Ability.
EvergreenThe cold doesn't hurt you as much.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Con 15+
Benefits: You don't go dormant in cold weather.
Elf FoeYou hate the Elves.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk
Benefits: You gain a +4 Racial Bonus on Critical confirmation rolls against Elves.
Veteran Elf FoeYou really hate the Elves
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Elf Foe
Benefits: You gain a +2 Racial Bonus on Saving Throws against spells cast by Elves.
Foaming Elf FoeYou really, REALLY hate the Elves
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Veteran Elf Foe
Benefits: Once per encounter you may choose to do maximum damage to an opponent if it is an Elf.
Needle ResinDue to oddities in your diet and possible mutations you get rid of your bodies toxins by sweating it out as a sort of pine resin. Incidentally it makes your needles really sting.
Prerequisites: Needlefolk, Con 15+
Benefits: If an opponent is struck by your needles it must make a Fortitude Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 Hit Dice plus Constitution Modifier) or be mildly poisoned. initial and Secondary Damage is 1d3 Dexterity.