Dawncrier
Beast · no Crown (Meridian)
T1d4Minor
Crow-sized raptors with feathers shifting from indigo to gold at sunrise, whose piercing dawn cry manifests as a burst of radiance that damages light-sensitive creatures.
Tier 1 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 1 (+1 overflow) · AC 10 · ATK +2 · Save DC 11 · Dmg 1 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 12 | - | - |
| Mind | 8 | - | - |
| Sense | 14 | - | - |
| Heart | 8 | - | - |
| Cunning | 12 | - | - |
| Fate | 12 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Heralding Shriek
At dawn, produces a piercing cry that functions as bright light in a 30 ft radius for 1 turn. Creatures sensitive to light (undead, certain aberrations) caught in the shriek-light take 1 Vigor damage.
Maneuvers
Diving Talons
Standard talon attack. Gains advantage if attacking from above.
Dawn Burst
Emits a concentrated burst of radiant sound-light in a 15 ft radius. Light-sensitive creatures take 1 Vigor damage. Others are merely illuminated.
Reactions
Warning Cry
When an undead or aberration moves within 30 ft, the dawncrier automatically shrieks, alerting all nearby creatures; the intruder takes 1 Vigor damage.
Tactics
GM tactics
Dawncriers roost on high perches and cry at dawn. They are not aggressive but serve as living alarms and minor undead deterrents. They attack only small prey and flee from larger threats.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 1, then 1 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 1, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d4 and never lands below 1.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 2 kills it outright, and a single blow of 2 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.