Scythed Horror

From Monsterbook

Current revision as of 23:10, 22 November 2006

This humanoid is slightly taller than human, but with skin the color and texture of the rock around it. It appears to have four arms, the upper ones are bulky with huge scythe-like blades that unfold from its body with a smaller set of lower arms with pudgy, two-fingered hands. Its face has only the semblance of eyes and a mouth, appearing like a piece of slate.

SCYTHED HORROR (CR 4)

• Usually N Medium monstrous humanoid
• Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +12, Spot +1
• Languages: common, undercommon

• AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15;
  • (-1 Dex, +6 natural)
• hp 30 (4 HD)
• Immune: sonic-based, mind-affecting spells and effects
• Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5

• Speed 20 ft. (slow moving)
• Melee 2 claws +7 (2d4+3/x4)
• Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
• Base Atk +4; Grp +6
• Atk Options power attack
• Special Actions hypnotic whisper

• Abilities Str 15, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 12
• SQ ambidexterity, camouflage, keen hearing
• Feats power attack, weapon focus (claw)
• Skills Listen 7(+12)
• Advancement 5-12 HD (Medium)

Slow Moving A scythed horror can only take one move action (it cannot double-move, run, or charge).

Ambidexterity (Ex): A scythed horror may always make a full-attack with both claws, even on a turn in which it moves.

Keen Hearing (Ex): +4 racial bonus on Listen checks and may make Listen checks without penalty while sleeping.

Hypnotic Whisper (Ex): A scythed horror can mutter a barely audible series of unintelligible words that can hypnotize any non-scythed horror creature that hears it. Any creature within 20-feet of a scythed horror using its hypnotic whisper that succeeds at a Listen check (DC 10) must make a Will save (DC 13) or become paralyzed for 1d3 rounds. This is a mind-affecting, sonic-based enchantment effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Camouflage (Ex): Over time, a scythed horror's skin matches the coloration of the rock around it. After remaining stationary for one hour, a scythed horror can only be detected with a Search check (DC 16).

The scythed horror is a slow-moving, subterranean menace that blends into its surroundings and attacks any prey that wanders across it. Its upper arms have no hands and instead form huge blades. While at rest, the arms folded before the creature resemble the arms of a preying mantis. Its lower arms are very short and can be used to support the upper arms, making it appear that the beast is wielding two large scythes with two pairs of arms.

Strategies and Tactics

Scythed horrors are not particularly intelligent. They spend most of their time sleeping and attack anything that wakes them, so they rarely have any sort of master plan prepared.

Round one: Use hypnotic whisper. Round two: Coup d'grace any paralyzed creatures. Repeat.

If there is more than one scythed horror, then several will close into melee, while those that cannot reach their opponents will use their whisper.

Adventure Hooks

Stone giants have captured the last female scythed horror and extorted a group of males to relocate to the entrance of their hall to act as sentries, otherwise their kind will go extinct.

Scythed horrors have been forced out of their cave lair and have relocated to a narrow mountain trail. They have been attacking merchant caravans that have been passing this way for years. Adventurers are needed to root them out and destroy them.

A single scythed horror female was in a pregnancy coma while adventurers destroyed the rest of her kind. She is a high level druid, and her animal companion witnessed the slaughter. She sets out on a quest for revenge with her offspring and her dire badger companion.

Ecology and Society

Scythed horrors were probably created through the arcane fusion of a subterranean humanoid race, possibly drow or duergar, with the properties of a mimic. They have very slow metabolisms and can sleep indefinitely. Scythed horrors can be male or female. They do not form families, and any female that is not pregnant will be immediately impregnated by the first male that comes into contact with it. The gestation period for offspring is roughly four years, after which the mother enters a coma for another year, then gives birth to a single offspring that quickly grows to full-size in about a year.

Scythed horrors can speak but rarely do. Although they tend to congregate in groups, they are not particularly social creatures. They are very territorial and so will all join in to attack intruders. The average scythed horror is 7-feet tall and weighs 400 pounds.

Scythed Horror Lore

Knowledge (Nature)

DC 14: These creatures have vicious blades that are as sharp and dangerous as scythes. This result reveals all monstrous humanoid traits.

DC 19: They are extremely territorial and usually only attack intruders.

DC 24: They can paralyze anyone that listens to their faint murmuring.