Phoelarch

Phoelarches are thought to be the descendants of the legendary phoenix. Their proud bearing, brilliant plumage, and the intense heat they can generate all prove these rumors are closer to the truth than many realize.

Phoelarches vary somewhat in plumage and skin tone. Some have skin the color of dark rust, while others have skin that shows just a hint of gold. The feathers of these creatures serve no purpose but to hint at their ancestry and give the phoelarches something to preen. They range in color from pale gold to deep fiery red. Phoelarches stand taller than humans, most reaching 6 to 6½ feet tall. An average phoelarch weighs around 180 pounds.

Phoelarches speak Ignan and a smattering of other languages picked up in their wanderings as well (Common, Sylvan, Elven, Draconic, Celestial, and so forth).

Phoelarches do not confine themselves to any one terrain or climate. They prefer warmer areas, but they can tolerate almost any habitable clime. They are almost universally possessed of a terrible wanderlust, though. Most phoelarches spend their lives wandering the land, seeking out new places and new people. As a result, phoelarches don’t typically have their own society, although rumors of phoelarch cities on the Elemental Plane of Fire circulate among the phoenixkin.

Another trait phoelarches have in common is how they respond to injustice. Phoelarches treasure their freedom, and the freedom of others, almost more than anything else. As a result, wherever a people’s freedom is threatened, a phoelarch may be drawn to the scene to help in the fight for justice or freedom.

A phoelarch is a deadly combatant at a distance and in melee. In a fight, it prefers to rely on its empowered scorching ray and other spell-like abilities as long as possible, engaging in melee with its falchion only if necessary. Charismatic and engaging, a phoelarch is rarely encountered alone. One is frequently accompanied by companions of similar interests, or by loyal followers.

Death Throes (Su): When slain, a phoelarch explodes in a blinding burst of fire that deals 10d6 points of fire damage to anything within 20 feet (Reflex DC 15 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Heat (Ex): A phoelarch generates so much heat that merely touching it deals 1d6 points of fire damage to the toucher. The phoelarch’s metallic weapon also conducts this heat. A phoelarch can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

Healing Fire (Su): Any fire attack that would normally deal damage instead heals a phoelarch. Any fire effect targeted on a phoelarch heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the phoelarch to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a phoelarch exposed to a fireball that deals 30 points of damage would heal up to 10 points of damage, or provide the phoelarch with up to 10 temporary hit points.

Rise From the Ashes (Su): When a phoelarch is slain (reduced to –10 hit points or below), its body is immolated, leaving nothing but ash and a chrysalis form in the shape of a small black glass egg roughly 6 inches across. The egg remains dormant for 24 hours, after which time it hatches, releasing a fully grown phoera (see below).

The most distinctive aspect of a phoelarch has nothing to do with its life, but rather with its death. When a phoelarch dies, it explodes in a massive burst of flame. This burst leaves behind a small black glass egg. The egg radiates faint transmutation magic but otherwise has no magical properties. The black egg has hardness 5, 20 hit points, and immunity to fire.

If the egg is undamaged, within 24 hours it hatches into a new creature: the phoera, a beautiful bird that closely resembles the phoenix of myth. While the phoera retains many of the phoelarch’s abilities, this beautiful, red-andgold-plumed bird has no memory of the phoelarch’s life. It is, in fact, an entirely new creature.

Once hatched, a phoera typically finds a comfortable, remote stretch of forest in which to nest. It preys on small mammals, and tends to shy away from larger creatures. Being very territorial, however, it attempts to frighten off intruders in its claimed area of forest. If pushed, a jealous phoera will not hesitate to set its forest home ablaze to keep it from the hands of intruders.

These creatures do not willingly risk their lives. They seem to have no knowledge of their power to rise from the ashes.

A phoera measures 7 feet long from its beak to the tip of its long tail. It weighs around 250 pounds.

A phoera in battle uses its Flyby Attack feat liberally, relying on the attrition of several fire attacks to weaken foes in the hopes of driving them off.

Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot line of fire, 3/day, damage 5d4 fire, Reflex DC 12 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Heat (Ex): A phoera generates so much heat that merely touching it deals 1d6 points of fire damage to the toucher. A phoera can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

Ignite (Ex): A creature struck by a phoera’s bite or claw attacks must make a successful DC 12 Reflex save or catch on fire. The flames burn for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flames. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Healing Fire (Su): Any fire attack that would normally deal damage instead heals a phoera. Any fire effect targeted on a phoera heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the phoera to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a phoera exposed to a fireball that deals 30 points of damage would heal up to 10 points of damage, or provide the phoera with up to 10 temporary hit points.

Rise From the Ashes (Su): When a phoera is slain (reduced to –10 hit points or below), its body is immolated, leaving nothing but ash and a chrysalis form in the shape of a small black glass egg roughly 6 inches across. The egg remains dormant for 24 hours, after which time it hatches, releasing another fully grown phoera. If the slain phoera had advanced to 4 Hit Dice or more, the new one only has the Hit Dice (3) of an unadvanced phoera.

The ash and chrysalis left behind when a phoera dies can be used to resurrect the phoera, but the creature cannot be raised by any means. Once a phoera has burst free from the chrysalis, the previous phoera cannot be brought back to life by any means. A gentle repose spell or similar magic cast on a chrysalis can keep the egg from hatching, allowing the phoera to possibly be brought back to life at a later time. Once the gentle repose effect ends, however, the egg hatches 24 hours later.

A wish or miracle spell used in conjunction with a resurrection effect can restore a phoera to life after its chrysalis has hatched.

Phoelarches often make their lairs near portals to Fernia, the plane of fire. Phoelarches treasure their freedom and the freedom of others, almost more than anything else. For this reason, they frequently unite with bands of adventurers strongly opposed to tyranny. The ancient past saw phoelarches helping to free elf slaves from their giant overseers on Xen’drik, and in the present day phoelarches have been know to help kalashtar escape the tyranny of the Inspired and assist warforged who are struggling to gain recognition as an independent race.

Whenever a people’s freedom is threatened, a phoelarch may be drawn to the scene to help in the struggle for freedom and justice. Phoelarches staunchly oppose slavery in Faerûn. Consequently, they are most active in places such as Calimshan, Mulhorand, and other nations where slavery is legal. They also form alliances with organizations and bands of adventurers opposed to powerful tyrants or slave rings.

The vazalkyon and the vazalka (described below) are cold-based variants of the phoelarch and phoera, respectively. Other elemental variants may also exist.

Vazalkyons are cold-dwelling creatures similar in appearance to phoelarches, except that they have pale blue skin, silvery-white plumage, and a chilling aura. When a vazalkyon dies, it turns into a pile of slushy ice and leaves behind a glassy black egg that’s cold to the touch (hardness 5, 20 hit points, immunity to cold). After 24 hours, an undamaged vazalkyon egg hatches into a vazalka, a cold-based variant of the phoera.

In the Eberron Campaign Setting, vazalkyons and vazalkas often make their lairs near portals to Risia, the plane of ice.

Vazalkyon: A vazalkyon has statistics and abilities similar to the phoelarch, except as noted here:

Cold Subtype: A vazalkyon has the cold subtype instead of the fire subtype.

Damage: A vazalkyon deals 1d6 points of cold damage (instead of fire damage) when it hits with a weapon.

Death Throes (Su): A slain vazalkyon deals cold damage instead of fire damage when it explodes.

Chill (Ex): As the phoelarch’s heat ability, except that it deals cold damage.

Healing Cold (Su): As the phoelarch’s healing fire ability, except it applies only to cold attacks.

Vazalka: The vazalka does not possess the phoera’s ignite ability. A vazalka’s statistics and abilities are otherwise similar to the phoera’s, except as noted below:

Cold Subtype: A vazalka has the cold subtype instead of the fire subtype.

Damage: A vazalka deals 1d6 points of cold damage (instead of fire damage) when it hits with a claw or bite attack.

Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot line of cold, 3/day, damage 5d4 cold, Reflex DC 12 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Chill (Ex): As the phoera’s heat ability, except that it deals cold damage.

Healing Cold (Su): As the phoera’s healing fire ability, except it applies only to cold attacks.

Shivering Strike (Ex): A creature struck by a vazalka’s bite or claw attack must make a successful DC 12 Fortitude save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.