In-Vest-Igator (Old School Hack remix)

~@§  The In-Vest-Igator  §@~

Created by a mad wizard intent on giving flesh to his awful puns, you are an intelligent alligator with a permanent vest and tend to stand on your hind legs and investigate mysteries. You often speak very properly and try to show others the clue or perspective they might have missed.

inherent: Underwater Lurker, Natural Curiosity

Being an altered alligator, you retain the ability to hold your breath for 20 minutes if moving, and several hours if lying still. You can see and move silently in water. You can speak to most natural animals. Your starting Awareness OR Brawn bonus is increased by one.

limitation: Feared

Inside, you are as intelligent and civilized as humans or elves, if not moreso, but what people see before the vest, pipe, and monocle (or pince-nez) is a great big alligator lumbering around on its hind legs. Unfamiliar folks may flee at top speed or poke you with sharp sticks - or worse, attempt to feed you rotting meat.

--available talents----- (pick one at first level)

CAST-IRON STOMACH constant ability
You can eat pretty much anything. You can retrieve it later if you're willing to get your hands dirty. You always have a Light weapon, even if you've been disarmed, thanks to those sharp teeth of yours.

JAW GRAPPLE useable once per arena

You attempt to Impede a creature with a +2 bonus. If successful, they are immediately Cornered. If you succeeded by more than their HP, they are at -2 to hit their following attack.

TOUGH SKIN constant ability

Your Armor Class is as if you were wearing Light Armor, even when you are wearing none. You still get the Awesome Points for fighting unarmored. If you wear armor, this ability has no effect on your Armor Class.

SWAMP DASH focused action, useable after rested

You move double the normal amount, and get a +2 to any ability checks the DM requires to move to/from the area. If a creature has Impeded you, instead of the above, you may Counter Attack and then Move your normal amount.

ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR non-combat talent, useable once after rested

You get a +2 to rolls related to detecting lies, clues, hidden things, or leads. If a situation requires multiple successes, you can gain one automatic success instead of the +2 to a roll. If solving a puzzle, you may use this ability to get an extra hint from the DM that only your character knows. Once your character believes the puzzle is solved, she must demonstrate or explain the solution in dramatic fashion.

starting equipment

A vest you cannot take off, a monocle or piece-nez, a pipe and smoking material, a travelling tea set, some biscuits, a magnifying glass or jeweler's eyepiece, wineskin, cheese, a comically tiny folding stool, odd trinkets and figurines, travel editions of several books, and a bunch of dead fish in a leather pouch.

1st   [x] Bloated Bloviator

2nd [  ] Curious Cat

3rd  [  ] Scaly Sleuth

4th  [  ] (what it says up there on the tin)

Nekomata of Hibernia (monster for old school games)

Nekomata appear as small felines of a breed similar to the house cats and strays present in any city. Observant travelers will notice they have two tails. They are encountered in the wild hills of Hibernia, and are feared and respected by the tribes of savages, barbarians, and mystics who reside there.
If threatened, the resemblance to a normal animal will quickly be shed. Similar to human warriors of the Hibernian hill tribes, these cats undergo a Warp Spasm and become large, monstrous beasts when angry. They twist and turn within their skin, foaming at the mouth and growing to a length of 5 feet or more. The final appearance does not necessarily resemble the larger natural cats found elsewhere.

 In addition, they are known to have several unusual powers. While these cats cannot speak in human tongues audibly, they can read human thoughts and will react appropriately if offended thereby. The Nekomata may also enter the dreams of humans, where they may communicate by shaping the images in the dream or by direct thought as if they were speaking the same language. They can also create the illusion of small fires in the minds of the awake, often leading travelers towards or away from things at the Nekomata's whim.
If a body has not been through any burial rituals, a Nekomata may jump over it to animate and command it as a zombie. This undead is essentially mindless, fighting or performing physical tasks as directed by its master. The zombie will stay animate even if contact with the Nekomata is lost, performing the last action as directed until destroyed. If the animated dead is still intact when the fight is over or physical task complete, the Nekomata will usually release it from control and return the creature to a freshly dead state.
There are tales of similar creatures in other realms that can take the forms of humans and breed with them, but the specimens in the hills of Hibernia are not known to do this.

NEKOMATA: AC 6 or 14; HD 3+2 up to 8; MV 150'*; ATTACKS claw/claw/bite - 1st round 1d4/1d4/1d6, Subsequent rounds 1d8/1d8/2d8; SPECIAL raise dead / dream communication / illusion of small fires as above; AL N

*if difficult to translate MV 150', just assume they can move 1.25 times as fast as a human, so slightly faster

ZOMBIES: treat as your standard low-level mindless undead; Zombie from Basic or AD&D 1E works