Rougarou (Template)

“The swamp remembers what the city forgets.”

The Rougarou is a cursed shapeshifter said to haunt marshlands, cypress groves, and fog-laden riverbanks. While similar to lycanthropes such as werewolves, the rougarou is steeped in regional superstition and spiritual consequence - a creature born of broken sacred oaths or deliberate curse-work by those who traffic in dark rites.

Its presence is often heralded by the distant sound of splashing water, the scent of wet earth, and the low, mournful howl of something that remembers being human.

Unlike traditional lycanthropes, the rougarou’s curse carries strange cultural bindings - rituals, foods, and customs that can influence its behavior in unexpected ways.

Creating a Rougarou

“Rougarou” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or giant (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A rougarou uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type

The base creature’s type does not change, but it gains the shapechanger subtype.

Hit Dice

As base creature.

Speed

Same as base creature in humanoid form. In beast or hybrid form, base land speed increases by +10 ft.

Armor Class

Natural armor improves by +2 in beast and hybrid forms.

Attack

A rougarou gains a bite attack in beast and hybrid form:

• Bite: 1d6 (Small), 1d8 (Medium), 2d6 (Large)
  If the base creature already has a bite attack, use whichever is better.

Special Attacks

Curse of the Rougarou (Su)

Any humanoid or giant hit by a rougarou’s bite attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15 + 1/2 HD + Con modifier) or contract the curse of the rougarou.

This curse may also be deliberately inflicted through dark ritual:

• A bokor (or similarly themed spellcaster) may bestow the curse using bestow curse, but:
  • The casting time is doubled
  • The ritual may only be performed under a completely full moon
  • The effect is considered a more powerful curse for the purposes of removal (DM adjudication, but typically requiring remove curse cast at higher caster level, or additional ritual components)

Special Qualities

Alternate Form (Su)

A rougarou can assume three forms:

• Humanoid (base form)
• Beast form
• Hybrid form

Changing form is a standard action.

Beast Form:
The rougarou’s wolf form uses the statistics of a dire wolf (MM), except where modified by this template.

Damage Reduction (Ex)

A rougarou in beast or hybrid form gains DR 10/silver.

Scent (Ex)

As the universal monster ability.

Swamp Stride (Ex)

A rougarou may move through natural difficult terrain (mud, shallow water, marsh undergrowth) at normal speed without penalty and leaves no trail unless it wishes to.

Bayou Resilience (Ex)

Rougarou gain a +4 bonus on saving throws against disease and poison.

Roux Compulsion (Su)

The rougarou is mystically bound to the culinary traditions of its curse.

• When exposed to the smell, sight, or presence of gumbo, roux, or any dish derived from a roux, the rougarou must immediately succeed on a Will save (DC 15) or be affected as follows:
  • It is calmed (as calm emotions) for 1d8 rounds
  • It immediately reverts to humanoid form
  • It becomes non-hostile and politely requests a bowl
• If provided with food:
  • The rougarou remains calm and will not attack for the duration of the meal plus 10 minutes
• If denied:
  • The rougarou must make a second Will save (same DC)
  • On failure, it immediately enters a rage-like state:
    • +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 AC
    • Must shift into beast or hybrid form
    • Must attack the nearest creature for at least 3 rounds

This is a mind-affecting supernatural compulsion.

Moonbound Curse (Su)

Rougarou are influenced by the full moon:

• During the full moon, a rougarou must succeed on a Will save (DC 15) or involuntarily assume beast form
• Environmental conditions such as swamp fog, heavy rain, or ritual music may modify this save at the DM’s discretion

Abilities

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom (in beast or hybrid form only)

Skills

In beast or hybrid form, a rougarou gains:

• +4 bonus on Survival checks
• +4 bonus on Listen checks
• +4 bonus on Move Silently checks in swampy terrain

Feats

Same as base creature, but gains Track as a bonus feat in beast or hybrid form.

Alignment

Usually chaotic neutral or chaotic evil

Challenge Rating

Same as base creature +2

Level Adjustment

+3

Lore

A rougarou is not merely a beast - it is a punishment given teeth.

The curse falls upon those who break sacred oaths, whether sworn before gods, spirits, or something older still. These oaths are not always grand or ceremonial; a whispered promise in a dark chapel, a bargain struck at the edge of a cypress swamp, or a vow made in desperation can all carry the same terrible weight. When such promises are broken, the curse does not always come swiftly. It lingers, festers, and waits for the right moment - often beneath the rise of a full and watchful moon.

In other cases, the transformation is not fate but design. Bokor and other practitioners of forbidden rites may inflict the curse deliberately, performing long and exacting rituals beneath a perfectly full moon. These workings are not undertaken lightly, for they bind not only the victim but also echo back upon the one who casts them. Still, there are always those willing to pay the price, whether for vengeance, control, or the cruel satisfaction of reshaping a soul into something monstrous.

Though its body becomes that of a predator, the rougarou is never wholly divorced from what it once was. It remembers fragments - the cadence of speech, the structure of manners, the quiet rituals of shared meals. These remnants surface in strange and unsettling ways, particularly when confronted with familiar scents and traditions. A rougarou may pause mid-hunt at the smell of a simmering pot, its violence unraveling into something almost civilized, if only for a fleeting moment.

This contradiction is the cruelest aspect of the curse. The rougarou is not a mindless beast, nor is it truly a thinking creature. It exists in a liminal state, caught between instinct and memory, hunger and habit. Those who encounter one may find themselves treated not as prey, but as guests - right up until the moment they are not.

In the end, the swamp keeps its own stories. The rougarou is one of them - a walking reminder that promises matter, that rituals have power, and that even the most refined customs can survive in the jaws of something terrible.

Court of Broken Bells

(as per the rules in The Hunt Rise of Evil Guilds and Adventurers)

Brief Description:
The Court of Broken Bells is a traveling troupe of entertainers - jesters, musicians, actors, and satirists - known for their sharp wit and bold performances. They are welcomed into courts, noble estates, and festivals where their humor disarms even the most guarded audiences. Beneath this harmless façade lies a disciplined and secretive assassin guild. Its members are trained to manipulate attention, emotion, and timing, turning performance into a weapon. Only the most skilled rise beyond simple entertainment, learning to weave death seamlessly into spectacle. To the untrained eye, their acts are merely clever. To their targets, they are the last thing seen before the final curtain.

Guild Symbol:
A simple jester’s cap adorned with small bells, rendered in soft, cheerful colors. The symbol appears decorative and innocuous. The number of bells indicates rank within the guild, though this meaning is unknown to outsiders.

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Guild Requirements

• Bluff 5 ranks
• Perform (comedy or acting) 2 ranks
• Sleight of Hand 4 ranks
• Must be accepted into a Court troupe

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Associate Membership

Associate members include performers, musicians, stagehands, costumers, and informants who travel with or support the Court. Associate membership costs 25 gp annually.

Associate members gain access to troupe encampments, performance venues, and the guild’s network of information. They may hear rumors, gain introductions to patrons, and find employment as entertainers. However, they are never taught the Court’s more dangerous techniques and are not entrusted with guild secrets.

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Guild Dues

Full members pay 75 gp annually. Masters and Grande Masters do not pay dues, but must devote time to training and guild operations.

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Guild Specialized Skill

Perform (comedy)

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Class Skills

Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)

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Guild Feats

Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Skill Focus (Perform), Skill Focus (Bluff), Persuasive, Deceitful, Quick Draw

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Guild Rank and Aptitude

Apprentice (Mute Bell - 1 Bell):
Apprentices are observers and assistants, learning timing, stagecraft, and subtle manipulation. They gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff checks made as part of a performance. Apprentices cannot take guild contracts and must train under a journeyman.
Requirement: Perform 2 ranks

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Journeyman (First Laugh - 2 Bells):
Journeymen are trusted performers capable of minor assignments and distractions. They gain a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against flat-footed opponents. A character may not advance to this rank until they have successfully performed before a live audience at least twice.
Requirement: Perform 4 ranks

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Expert (Broken Chime - 3 Bells):
Experts are full operatives of the Court. They are capable of blending performance and violence seamlessly. They gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Perform checks when these skills are used together (such as feinting or distraction). They also gain one bonus feat from the guild feat list. Experts receive a 10% bonus on contract payments. Advancement to this rank requires completion of at least one successful “performance kill.”
Requirement: Perform 6 ranks
Special: Members at this rank are expected to begin training as assassins.

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Master (Hollow Peal - 4 Bells):
Masters are elite killers and leaders within the Court. They direct performances, assign contracts, and train lower-ranking members. Masters gain a +4 insight bonus on Gather Information checks within settlements where performances occur. They also gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks immediately after making a successful attack. Masters receive a 20% bonus on contract payments and may receive a stipend for maintaining troupe operations.
Requirement: Perform 10 ranks
Special: Most masters possess levels in the Assassin prestige class.

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Grande Master (Grand Harlequin - 5 Bells):
Grande Masters are the undisputed leaders of the Court. They are masters of performance, deception, and death. They gain a +4 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-based checks when dealing with guild members and associates. Grande Masters receive a 50% bonus on contract payments and may call upon guild members for assistance.
Requirement: Perform 13 ranks (recommended)

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Guild Abilities

The following abilities are available to guildsmen and guild experts of the Court of Broken Bells. Unless otherwise stated, each ability may only be taken once.

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Distracting Performance:
Prerequisite: Perform 5 ranks
As a standard action, the character may make a Perform check opposed by a target’s Sense Motive. If successful, the target is considered flat-footed against the character’s next attack before the end of the character’s next turn.

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Mocking Strike:
Prerequisite: Sneak Attack +1d6
The character deals an additional +1d6 damage when attacking a flat-footed opponent. This stacks with existing sneak attack damage.

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Bell’s Deception:
Prerequisite: Bluff 5 ranks
The character gains a +2 bonus on Bluff checks made to feint in combat.

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Stage Misdirection:
Prerequisite: Tumble 5 ranks
If the character moves at least 10 feet in a round, they gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC until the start of their next turn.

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Armor is a Lie:
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +4
The character gains a +4 bonus on sunder attempts against worn armor and shields.

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Shattering Finale (Su):
Prerequisite: Expert rank
Once per day, when making a successful sunder attempt against a metal object, the character deals an additional 2d6 points of damage.

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Laughing Terror (Su):
Prerequisite: Journeyman rank
When the character reduces a target to 0 hit points or fewer, all enemies within 10 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + class level + Charisma modifier) or suffer a –1 morale penalty on attack rolls for 3 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

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Perfect Timing:
Prerequisite: Initiative bonus +2
The character gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks.

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Special

Members of the Court of Broken Bells may multiclass freely between Rogue, Bard, Guildsman, and Assassin without penalty. Advancement within the guild beyond the rank of Expert typically requires at least some training as an assassin, and such training must be demonstrated through successful contracts performed in a theatrical or performative manner.

Spell: Dunning–Kruger Invocation

Dunning–Kruger Invocation

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Bard 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Cleric 4 (Knowledge domain)
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 day/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Description

You infect the target’s mind with a crippling distortion of self-perception, causing them to dramatically overestimate their competence while simultaneously eroding their actual understanding. The subject becomes supremely confident in their abilities - especially where they are least capable.

Effects

Upon failing its saving throw, the target selects (or the caster designates) one Knowledge skill, Profession, Craft, or any one skill in which the target has fewer than 5 ranks. This becomes the affected domain.

The target suffers the following effects:

• Takes a –6 penalty on all checks with the affected skill.
• Gains a +4 morale bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, and Diplomacy checks when asserting competence in that skill.
• May attempt untrained checks with the affected skill even if normally prohibited.

Cognitive Distortion

The target is convinced of their expertise and cannot willingly accept that they are mistaken:

• The target automatically believes they succeeded on any failed check involving the affected skill unless the failure has immediate, undeniable consequences (DM’s discretion).
• Any creature attempting to correct or advise the target must succeed on a Diplomacy check opposed by the target’s Bluff check or be dismissed as ignorant.

Escalation (Overconfidence Spiral)

Each time the target fails a check with the affected skill, they must make a secondary Will save:

• Failure: The penalty increases by –2 (cumulative, maximum –10), and the morale bonus increases by +1 (maximum +6).
• Success: No change.

Moment of Doubt (Suppression Clause)

If the target is confronted with overwhelming, undeniable failure (such as catastrophic consequences directly tied to the skill), they may attempt a new Will save with a +4 bonus:

• Success: The spell is suppressed for 1 hour.
• Failure: The target instead rationalizes the failure, immediately triggering the Escalation effect.

Special

• Creatures with 5 or more ranks in the affected skill gain a +2 bonus on their initial saving throw.
• Creatures with 0 ranks in the affected skill take a –2 penalty on the save.
• If cast on a creature already suffering penalties to Wisdom, increase the spell DC by +1.

Material Component (Optional Flavor)

A fragment of chalk or a scrap of poorly written notes, crushed during casting.

Lore

Though now regarded as a malicious enchantment, Dunning–Kruger Invocation is widely believed to have originated in the lecture halls of The Fraternity of the Veiled Quill, an order of mages devoted to the study of knowledge, rhetoric, and intellectual humility. Early records suggest the spell was first developed as a pedagogical tool - a controlled means of demonstrating the dangers of overconfidence to novice apprentices. By allowing students to experience the illusion of mastery firsthand, instructors hoped to instill a deeper respect for disciplined study and self-awareness.

The spell is most commonly attributed to the rival arcanists Archmage Dunning and Magister Kruger, whose infamous collaboration has become the subject of academic legend. Dunning, a meticulous theoretician, was obsessed with the limits of mortal cognition, while Kruger was a sharp-tongued lecturer known for publicly humiliating overconfident students. Together, they devised the enchantment after a series of increasingly bitter disputes with apprentices who believed themselves more knowledgeable than their masters. Ironically, surviving correspondence suggests that each wizard believed the other to be the lesser intellect - leading some historians to speculate that the spell’s creation may itself have been influenced by its own principle.

Over time, the spell escaped its academic origins. Rival scholars began using it in debates, subtly unraveling their opponents’ credibility by causing them to speak with unwarranted certainty on subjects they poorly understood. In political courts and noble salons, the spell found new life as a weapon of social sabotage - courtiers enchanted with it would confidently offer disastrous advice, misinterpret critical information, or undermine their own authority before key audiences. Entire careers have been quietly ended under its influence, with victims rarely understanding what went wrong.

Among experienced arcanists, the spell is both feared and grudgingly respected. It serves as a reminder that ignorance alone is rarely dangerous - it is the illusion of competence that leads to catastrophe. Some masters still employ a moderated version of the enchantment in advanced training, forcing students to confront the limits of their understanding. Yet even they warn that repeated exposure carries risks, as the mind can grow accustomed to its own false certainties. In rare cases, those subjected to the spell too often begin to exhibit its effects even in the absence of magic - a condition some grimly refer to as “true enlightenment’s shadow.”

Spell: Indelicate Transposition

 

Indelicate Transposition

Conjuration (Teleportation)

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Components: V, S, M, F (optional)
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Effect: One magical sigil or glyph
Duration: Permanent until discharged
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Description

You inscribe an invisible, magically reactive sigil upon a surface or object. The sigil remains dormant until a specified condition is met, at which point it immediately activates.

When triggered, the spell targets the offending creature and applies the following effects:

• The subject is teleported to a fixed destination designated at the time of casting. This location must be on the same plane, within 1 mile per caster level, and must be a place the caster has personally visited.
• The subject arrives 10 feet above the nearest stable surface at the destination and immediately falls. This can include stone, sand or even water.
• All worn and carried items (including clothing, armor, and held gear) are removed and left on the ground nearest the fixed destination where they can be found by the target of the spell. These items land harmlessly and remain where they fall.
• The subject is dazed for 1 round upon arrival.

Trigger Condition

At the time of casting, you define a specific triggering condition, such as:

• Removing an item from a protected area
• Opening a container
• Crossing a boundary

The condition must be clear and observable. The sigil affects only the creature that triggers it.

Saving Throw and DC Scaling

The saving throw DC is calculated as normal:

DC = 10 + spell level + caster’s Intelligence modifier

Because this spell is bound to a fixed location and conditional trigger, creatures attempting a saving throw take the following penalties:

• –2 penalty on the Will save due to the spell’s anchored nature
• –4 penalty if the triggering action is performed knowingly in violation of the ward’s condition (such as deliberate theft)

These penalties stack.

Casters may increase the save DC through normal means, including but not limited to:

• Preparing the spell in a higher-level slot via metamagic (such as Heighten Spell)
• Feats such as Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Greater Spell Focus
• Increasing Intelligence through level advancement or magical enhancement

Material Component

A small engraved silver token worth 25 gp, attuned to the destination. The token is consumed during casting.

Focus (Optional) - Arcane Anchor

An arcane anchor is a specially prepared object worth at least 100 gp, placed at the intended destination.

If a focus is used:

• The destination must be within 10 feet above the anchor
• The caster must place the anchor personally at the destination
• The anchor is not consumed and remains in place

When an anchor is present:

• The teleportation is precisely fixed, and the subject arrives directly above the anchor point
• The subject takes an additional –1 penalty on the Will save

If the anchor is moved or destroyed, the sigil becomes inert until the spell is recast.

Lore

Among the merchants and mages of Ville des Marai, few spells are as widely recognized - or as widely feared - as Indelicate Transposition.

The spell is most commonly attributed to Kelwyn, proprietor of Kelwyn’s Emporium, whose protective magic has become something of a local legend. In his earlier years, Kelwyn is said to have relied on more conventional arcane defenses - wards of flame, lightning, and annihilation. These proved effective, but ultimately unsatisfying. Ash left no witnesses, and fear born only of rumor had a tendency to fade.

What emerged instead was a different philosophy of protection.

The first widely recounted use of this spell involved a would-be thief, a display case, and an abrupt, unclothed arrival above the rushing waters of the Rivière Tumultueuse. The man survived. More importantly, he returned to the city - cold, humiliated, and very talkative.

From that point on, Kelwyn’s reputation ceased to rely on what might happen to thieves, and instead on what had.

“A dead thief is a solved problem,” Kelwyn is rumored to have said. “A humiliated thief is a message.”

Since then, variations of Indelicate Transposition have spread well beyond his shop, studied and replicated by mages who appreciate its particular elegance. The spell does not destroy, nor does it permanently harm. Instead, it separates intent from outcome with surgical precision - removing the offender from the scene, divesting them of ill-gotten gains, and depositing them somewhere memorable.

Reports from across the region describe victims appearing in fountains, alleyways, rooftops, and riverbanks - often at inconvenient heights, and almost never with their dignity intact. Their belongings, meanwhile, are typically found waiting at the destination, as though the spell itself expects the lesson to conclude with retrieval rather than loss.

Scholars occasionally debate whether such magic is more humane than lethal wards, or merely more theatrical in its cruelty. Few dispute its effectiveness.

Those who experience Indelicate Transposition rarely require a second lesson.

And in certain circles, a final refinement of Kelwyn’s method is quietly repeated:

“If I wished you dead, you would not be wet.”

Feat - Resist Intimidation

Resist Intimidation [General]

Yes, you're quite scary. (yawn)

You possess an unusual resistance to fear-based coercion, whether born of courage, indifference, compassion, or sheer obliviousness.

Prerequisite: Base Will save +2.

Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on level checks made to resist the effects of the Intimidate skill (including demoralize attempts and any other use of Intimidate that opposes your level or Hit Dice). In addition, the DC of any Intimidate check made against you increases by +4.

This bonus applies against all forms of intimidation, whether mundane or supernatural, so long as they rely on the Intimidate skill or explicitly function as such.

Normal: Creatures resist Intimidate checks using their level or Hit Dice without this bonus.

Special: A fighter may select Resist Intimidation as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Feat - Perfect Shot

Perfect Shot [General]

Your mastery of ranged combat borders on the uncanny, allowing you to place shots with impossible precision even in the chaos of melee.

Prerequisites: Dex 17, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, base attack bonus +11.

Benefit: When making a ranged attack, you never risk striking an ally due to cover, concealment, or a missed attack roll. If your attack would normally hit an ally because of cover or a misdirected attack (such as shooting into melee or through occupied squares), the attack instead automatically misses.

In addition, if you roll a natural 1 on a ranged attack roll, you may immediately reroll the attack. You must accept the result of the second roll, even if it is another natural 1.

You can never strike yourself with your own ranged attacks, even due to deflection, ricochet, or similar effects.

Normal: A character firing into melee risks hitting allies if cover applies, and a natural 1 may result in a mishap at the DM’s discretion.

Special: A fighter may select Perfect Shot as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Feat - Socially Shrewd

Socially Shrewd [General]

A cunning fox is better than a lazy lion.

You possess a keen instinct for reading others, allowing you to quickly discern motives, intentions, and hidden agendas.

Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on all Sense Motive checks.

In addition, you may make Sense Motive checks more quickly than normal. You may attempt a Sense Motive check to oppose Bluff as a free action once per round, rather than as part of another action.

Normal: A Sense Motive check to oppose Bluff is typically made as part of an opposed check or requires attention as determined by the DM.

Special: A rogue may select Socially Shrewd as a bonus feat in place of a special ability.