I have statted her up as a supernatural being with powerful snow magic, capable of turning into a flurry of snowflakes or passing on winter's chill with her touch. Her natural curiosity attracts her to human settlements, but a bad run-in with fire or warmth can lead her to violent outbursts against those who inadvertently threaten her with melting.
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| Снегурочка by Boris Zvorykin, via Wikimedia |
The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2015 Jonah Bomgaars.
Snegurochka CR 6
XP 2,400
CN Medium outsider
(cold, native)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 15 (+4
Dex, +5 Cha)
hp 68 (8d10+32); fast healing 5 (in
snow)
Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +11
Immune cold, disease, poison
Vulnerability fire
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in snow)
Melee touch of winter +12 (2d8+5 cold
plus fatigue (DC 19))
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th)
at will – ray of frost, snow shape
3/day – chill
metal (DC 17), frigid touch (DC
17), frost spray (as burning hands, but deals cold damage; DC
16) sleet storm, unshakable chill (DC
17)
1/day – cone
of cold (DC 20), resist energy, summon
(level 3, 1 snegurochka 20%, 1 frostjack 30%, or 1d4 Medium ice elementals 50%)
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 20
Base Atk +8; CMB +12; CMD 21
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Improved
Initiative, Run, Skill Focus (knowledge local)
Skills Acrobatics +12, Bluff +13, Diplomacy
+13, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +10, Sense Motive
+10, Stealth +12 (+16 in snow); Racial
Modifiers +4 Stealth (in snow)
Languages Common
SQ body of snow, evasion, flurry form (1/day,
5 rounds), snow step, unearthly grace
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Body of Snow (Su)
A
snegurochka is composed entirely of snow.
Whenever she is in contact with snow, she gains fast healing 5. If a snegurochka ever leaves a cold environment
(below 40°F), she takes 1 point of damage per hour. In hot environments (above 90°F), a
snegurochka takes 1d6 points of damage per minute. In severe heat (above 110°F), a snegurochka
takes 1d6 points of damage per round.
When a snegurochka is subject to a spell that deals cold damage, she instead heals a number of hit points equal to half the damage the spell would have dealt.
Flurry Form (Su)
Once per
day, as a standard action, a snegurochka can turn into a 10x10 flurry of snow. In this form, she is immune to all physical
attacks and spells that target a single creature, but can still be affected by
area spells. She loses her fast healing
ability and cannot cast spells (unless they were prepares using the feats Still
Spell, Silent Spell, and Eschew Materials).
She gains a fly speed of 40 ft. with perfect maneuverability. Creatures within the area of the flurry form
are subject to the snegurochka’s touch of winter ability. A snegurochka can maintain its flurry form for
a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier. At the end of the duration, the snegurochka
reforms in one of the squares in the flurry form area.
Snow Step (Ex)
A
snegurochka walks on top of snow, leaving no tracks as if under the effects of pass without trace. In addition, a snegurochka adds 10 ft. to her
move speed while moving across snow and gains a +4 racial bonus to Stealth
checks.
Touch of Winter (Su)
A
snegurochka’s touch attack deals 2d8+5 cold damage, and the touched creature
must make a DC 19 Fortitude save or be fatigued for 1 minute. The extra damage and the save DC are
Charisma-based.
Unearthly Grace (Su)
A
snegurochka adds her Charisma modifier as a racial bonus on all her saving
throws, and as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class.
ECOLOGY
Environment any cold
Organization solitary
Treasure none
A
snegurochka, also known as a snegurka or snow maiden, is a being of pure snow in the shape of a young
girl or beautiful woman. Her skin is
pure white and her clothes are of delicately swirled ice and snow. They are curious creatures, eager to learn
more about the human societies near to which they form. They also have a great fear of fire and
warmth, which present mortal threats to the snow maiden. Those who survive a run in with fire tend to
become suspicious or even hateful of all who bear flame.
Some say snegurochkas form from snow fallen
on the fresh grave of a maiden. Others
believe they are created by the wishes of childless couples. Another theory is that snow exposed to fey
magic can spontaneously form a snegurochka.
Whatever their origins, it is clear that snegurochkas can only exist in
cold, snowy environments. Snegurochkas
who grow too curious about human culture often find their death in front of a
warm fireplace. Some tales even suggest
that falling in love warms a snegurochka to a tragic melting point.
Although snegurochkas are transient beings, fated to die with the spring thaws, legend speaks of snegurochkas living in places where it is cold year-round who develop powerful magical abilities and become ice queens in their own right.
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I originally intended the snegurochka to be about a CR 2 or 3 creature, but some of her abilities seemed too powerful for that level, so I beefed her up across the board to a CR 6 monster. It may seem a bit much for a snow maiden, but I figure if a nymph is a CR 7 monster, a snegurochka can be CR 6.
Snegurochkas are inherently sad creatures, since their curiosity about the human world inevitably leads them to disaster. That itself can be a good story hook. The adventurers may stumble upon a snegurochka who "wants to be where the people are", and try to help her while protecting her from fire. Or they may discover a cruel nobleman who has captured a snegurochka as a wife, not realizing that she will melt if kept in his mansion for too long. They may also be tasked with defending a village from a snegurochka who mistook the villagers' kind-hearted offer of a warm fire as an attempt on her life.
-your niveous d20 despot
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