Rylkar

Back in the tail end of third edition, there was a creature printed in the Monster Manual 5 called the rylkar. While copyright laws prevented the writers from admitting it, this creature was obviously inspired by the Stephen King short story ¨Graveyard Shift,¨ which happens to be one of my personal favorites of King´s. I used rylkars to very good effect in one of my campaigns; one of the players told me it gave him nightmares. Needless to say, this was one of my most beloved third edition monsters.

When fourth edition came out, I thought that the introduction of the god Torog could make a good thematic tie-in for the rylkars. A morbid, cave-dwelling god of suffering and imprisonment who´s holy animals are vermin? Suddenly, we have a possible explanation for who might have created the rylkars and what their place in the world could be. Since Wizards of the Coast hasn´t yet updated the rylkars for 4E, I hereby present them to you myself.

Urban legends persist of basements where an inordinate number of people seem to have disappeared over the years; these stories invariably pop up around neighborhoods with strangely determined rat infestations. Occasionally, a child will claim to have seen something hairy, hideous, and wicked scuttling into a sewer or darting toward a crumbling alleyway. Adventurers returning from the underdark speak of hordes of starving rats, bigger and bolder than any normal rodent, that rush from hidden crevices with a hunger and tactical intelligence that one would never expect from a mere animal.

At the center of all these vague reports is the rylkar.

Though they descended from mundane rats, rylkars are intelligent, organized, and malicious. Their social structure is like that of ants or termites, with a bloated ¨queen¨ creature giving birth to a colony of workers and soldiers. Rylkars prefer to make their hives in dark, underground places unlikely to be disturbed (such as cellars, catacombs, or natural caves), from whence they can send foraging parties to capture food and shiny things. Secrecy and stealth are two of the rylkars´ defining characteristics. Sadism is another. A favorite hunting strategy of theirs is to lure or trick prey into a secluded, enclosed place, where dozens or hundreds of the creatures then leap from hiding and tear the flesh from its bones mouthful by mouthful. Rylkars kill even when they aren´t hungry or threatened.

Normal animals are naturally afraid of rylkars; when common rats begin fleeing an area en masse, it may be a sign that their more sinister relatives are moving in. Opportunistic creatures, their first victims are usually small children, livestock, and other prey that can´t easily flee or fight back. Though they are technically omnivorous, rylkars prefer fresh meat when they can get it. 

Along with the obvious dissapearances, an early sign of rylkar presence is a string of senseless petty thefts; anything that shines and glitters, be it valuable or worthless, is likely to be carried off to the rylkar hive.

Rylkars communicate among themselves with ratlike hisses and squeaks, but don´t allow their linguistic limitations to fool you; they are sapient creatures, and can understand Deep Speech even if their mouths can´t form the words.

Rylkar Lore (Dungeoneering):

DC 15: Rylkars are dangerous, social rodents that live and hunt in large groups. Though normally native to the underdark, a colony of rylkars will sometimes find its way to shallower caves and dungeons, or even urban basements. They like fresh meat and shiny objects; two appetites that do not endear them to humanoids. Once established, they are notoriously difficult to fully eradicate.

DC 20: Rylkars are crudely intelligent, and understand Deep Speech. There is something unnatural about them, as if someone took a normal rodent and twisted it into something fiendish and aberrant. Like ants, rylkars are produced in bulk by a queen or ¨harridan¨ of their kind, who births foragers, tormentors, madclaws, and winged harriers in profusion. The queen dwells in their secret hive chamber, to which food and treasure are brought. Legend has it that it is possible to strike a bargain with these filthy creatures, if one promises them abundant food and trinkets, but its not easy to do.

DC 25: Rylkars were some of the first creations of the dark god Torog, who uplifted them from among the rodents that infest the underdark. Rylkars worship Torog, in their primitive way. It is to provide sacrifices for him that they kill even when they aren´t hungry, and it is to decorate their macabre shrines that they steal treasure. Those few humanoids who have managed to earn the ¨friendship¨ of the rylkars were mostly Torog worshippers themselves. Displaying his holy symbol might make rylkars more hesitant to attack.

Encounters

Being hive creatures, rylkars are likely to be encountered in large groups. A rylkar hive can provide a series of varied encounters using different mixtures of Foragers, Tormenters, Madclaws, and Harriers, culminating in a boss fight against the Harridan and her bodyguards.

Although they see most other creatures as food and sacrifices rather than potential friends, rylkars can coexist with unappetizing creatures like undead and constructs. A rylkar hive that moves into a preexisting dungeon might use the place´s nonliving guardians to their advantage, fighting alongside them to bring down tasty adventurers (the rylkars are likely too small and insignificant for a golem or the like to even notice, as long as the Harridan and Madclaws stay hidden).

Finally, some other intelligent beings do manage to make arrangements with a rylkar hive. A crime lord who will feed them his rivals in exchange for their assistance here and there. A vampire who manages to charm these fellow creatures of the night into his service. A cult of Torog whose devotion to the King that Crawls causes the rylkars to see them as family. The possibilities are almost endless.

Rylkar Forager 

Level 1 Minion Skirmisher (XP: 25)

Tiny Natural Beast

Initiative: +5 Perception: +7 (darkvision)
Hit Points: 1; a minion is never damaged by an attack that misses.
AC: 15 Fortitude: 13 Reflex: 14 Will: 13
Speed: 8
Resist: 5 disease

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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bite (at will); +6 vs. AC; 3 disease damage.

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Passive

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Scurry; the rylkar can move through occupied squares as long as it begins and ends its move in empty ones.

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Evasion; the rylkar recieves a +4 bonus to defenses against opportunity attacks.

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Strength: 6 Constitution: 12 Dexterity: 16 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 8
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

Rylkar Forager Swarm 

Level 2 Elite Skirmisher (XP: 250)

Large Natural Beast (swarm)

Initiative: +6 Perception: +8 (darkvision)

Hit Points: 60; bloodied 30
AC: 16 Fortitude: 14 Reflex: 15 Will: 14
Speed: 8
Resist: 5 disease, half damage from melee and ranged attacks

Vulnerable: 10 area

Saving Throws: +2

Action Points: 1

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Aura

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Hungry Mouths (aura 1); at the beginning of its turn, the swarm makes a melee basic attack against all enemies within the aura.

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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bites (at will); +7 vs. AC; 1d10+4 normal and disease damage and ongoing 5 (save ends).

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Passive

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Swarm; a swarm can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter a swarm's space, which is difficult terrain. A swarm cannot be pulled, pushed, or slid by melee or ranged attacks. A swarm can squeeze through any opening large enough for even one of its constituent creatures.

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Evasion; the rylkars recieve a +4 bonus to defenses against opportunity attacks.
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Reactions
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Disperse; when reduced to zero hit points, the swarm is destroyed, and four rylkar foragers appear in the vacant squares and continue acting on the swarm's initiative. Do not award XP for killing these foragers.

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Strength: 6 Constitution: 12 Dexterity: 16 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 8
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

A rylkar Forager could be easily mistaken for a large, mangy rat. Closer inspection might reveal that the snout is just a bit too blunt and the limbs a bit too thick, but not beyond the range of common rat diversity.

Foragers are the workers of the hive, being birthed by the hundreds. They perform reconnasaince, steal shiny items, and (in large numbers) help capture and bring back food. They are constantly bullied and abused by the Tormenters and Harriers, and thus spend most of their time away from the hive.

Tactics

Foragers dart around the battlefield, squirming their way around the feet and between the legs of bigger creatures as they attack. A Forager should never be in the same square for two consecutive turns, unless its the only viable tactic. Their Scurry and Evasion abilities are meant to be used constantly. These abilities make them very good at flanking, and at getting past the Defender PC´s to snack on the vulnerable Strikers and Controllers. Rylkars are fast and agile; chasing and flanking are what they are all about.

Rylkar Tormenter 

Level 1 Lesser Controller (XP: 50)
Tiny natural beast

Initiative: +3 Perception: +7 (darkvision)
Hit Points: 13
AC: 15 Fortitude: 13 Reflex: 14 Will: 13
Speed: 8
Resist: 5 disease
Vulnerable: a lesser monster is immediately killed by a critical hit.
Saves: a lesser monster automatically fails all saving throws.
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bite (at will); +6 vs. AC; 6 normal and disease damage and use Attach.

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Passive

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Attach; after biting someone, the Tormenter digs its teeth into their flesh and refuses to let go, entering the target´s square. While attached, the Tormenter cannot be targeted by opportunity attacks, and recieves a +4 bonus to its AC, Fortitude, and Reflex defenses. Attacks against the rylkar that target any of these defenses that miss will instead hit the creature to which it is attached. The rylkar gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against its victim, but cannot attack anyone else until it lets go. The rylkar´s victim is slowed. Save ends; on a succesful saving throw, the Tormenter reappears in a space adjacent to the target. 

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Scurry; the rylkar can move through occupied squares as long as it begins and ends its move in empty ones.

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Strength: 8 Constitution: 14 Dexterity: 16 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 10
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

These rylkars are about the size of a housecat, and have thinner, mangier fur than the Foragers. Most disturbing is  that they have human faces, with mouths full of sharp, vampire-like teeth.

The soldiers of the colony, Tormenters are tasked with bringing down tougher prey, defending the nest from intruders, and similar duties, often leading scores of Foragers into the attack. For obvious reasons, Tormenters cannot pass for normal rats unless they are seen very briefly, or if their faces are turned away. They remain in the dark, emerging only when it is time to make a kill. Surly and cruel even for rylkars, the Tormenters enjoy causing pain before killing their prey, and are very hard on the Foragers.

Tactics

Though they possess the same Scurry ability as the Foragers, the larger Tormenters are somewhat more vulnerable to opportunity attacks. Instead of darting senselessly about, they pick a target and Bite it, hoping to Attach and not let go until its dead. Often, a Tormentor will target either the most mobile enemy (to nullify its mobility), or the physically strongest one (to slow it down while the other rylkars mob the rest of the party).

Rylkar Harrier

Level 2 Lesser Skirmisher (XP: 62)
Tiny natural beast

Initiative: +3 Perception: +7 (darkvision)
Hit Points: 16
AC: 16 Fortitude: 13 Reflex: 15 Will: 14
Speed: 4; fly 8 (average)
Resist: 5 disease
Vulnerable: a lesser monster is instantly killed by a critical hit.
Saves: a lesser monster automatically fails all saving throws. 
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bite (at will); +7 vs. AC; 6 disease damage.

Special: if the target is being flanked by two of the Harrier´s allies, this attack deals an extra 4 damage.

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Melee Flyby Attack (at will); the Harrier moves its speed and makes an attack at any point along its move. The Harrier does not provoke an opportunity attack from its target. 

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Passive

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Flutter; the rylkar can move through occupied squares as long as it begins and ends its move in empty ones.

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Strength: 6 Constitution: 12 Dexterity: 16 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 10
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

The rylkar reproductive caste. Most of the Harriers are short-lived males, while the rest are immature Harridans. They resemble slightly larger Foragers, but with no fur whatsoever and batlike wings instead of front legs.

Harriers usually stay in the hive, but occasionally fly out during moonless nights to do some aerial scouting. Every few years, a female Harrier will be impregnated, and fly away to create a new colony elsewhere.

Tactics

Since they are almost always fought in dark, underground places, Harriers act almost more like Lurkers than Skirmishers, flying in and out of the darkness to snap at the intruders (prefering ones that are already flanked, so that their Bites will do extra damage). They plan their Flyby Attacks carefully, avoiding passing through the threatened space of anyone who isn´t their target. This works well in conjunction with their Flutter ability, which gives them a bit more freedom in planning an escape route; they never end their turns next to an enemy if they can help it.

Rylkar Madclaw
Level 2 Lurker (XP: 125)
Medium natural beast
Initiative: +9 Perception: +2 (darkvision)
Hit Points: 25 Bloodied: 12
AC: 15 Fortitude: 14 Reflex: 14 Will: 12
Speed: 6
Resist: 5 disease
Vulnerable: a lesser monster is instantly killed by a critical hit.
Saves: a lesser monster automatically fails all saving throws.
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bite (at will): +6 vs. AC; 1d8+3 normal and disease damage.
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Melee Attack from Hiding (at will): the target must not be able to see the Madclaw; +6 vs. Reflex; 2d6+3 normal and disease damage and target is grabbed. 
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Minor
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Laugh (recharges when an enemy within range cannot see the Madclaw): close burst 5; +4 vs. Will; target receives a -5 penalty to Perception checks made to find hidden enemies until the end of the Madclaw's next turn.
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Strength: 16 Constitution: 12 Dexterity: 16 Intelligence: 6 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 12
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

Madclaws are few in number, but terrible to behold. A madclaw looks like a purple, nearly-hairless rat the size of a small pony, with unusually long and sharp teeth that prevent it from fully closing its mouth. It seems to wear a perpetual rictus grin.

Madclaws are elite guards and enforcers, aiding in the most vital ambushes and guarding the way to the Harridan's lair. In addition to their size, they are recognizable by their horrible, hideous, cackling laughter, which echoes around rooms and corridors and makes the rylkar's position harder to pinpoint. So horrible is the sound that it is likely to ruin an easily-frightened adventurer's wits entirely, causing him to imagine hidden enemies that aren't there and overlook hidden enemies that are.


Tactics

Madclaws are almost always encountered with smaller rylkars, which they allow to distract the enemy while the madclaws get into position in the darkness or behind cover. Their horrible, echoing Laughter makes them harder to track, which allows them to get close enough to Attack from Hiding without being seen. After making one or two attacks, a Madclaw will shift away and let some smaller rylkars move in to cover its retreat, using another Laugh to lose itself in the darkness again.

Rylkar Harridan 

Level 4 Elite Brute (leader) (XP: 350)
Large natural beast

Initiative: +2 Perception: +4 (darkvision)
Hit Points: 116; bloodied 58
AC: 18 Fortitude: 19 Reflex: 13 Will: 18
Speed: 5
Resist: 5 disease

Saves: +2

Action Points: 1

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Aura 

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Feed Me (aura 6); enemies that begin their turn adjacent to two or more allied rylkars are pulled 1.
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Standard Actions
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Melee basic Bite (at will); +8 vs. AC; 2d8+7 normal and disease damage and ongoing 5 disease.

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Minor Actions

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Birth (once per round, at will); a rylkar Forager appears in an adjacent square and acts after the Harridan´s turn.

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Close burst Threatening Scream (recharge 4, 5, 6); close burst 6; allied rylkars take a move action.

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Passive

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Swarm Defense; while adjacent to two or more allied rylkars, the Harridan recieves a +2 bonus to defenses against ranged and area attacks.

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Strength: 18 Constitution: 18 Dexterity: 6 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 14 Charisma: 12
Alignment: Evil Languages: None (understands Deep Speech)

This morbidly obese, sausage-shaped blob of naked, pink flesh is the heart of the rylkar colony. The harridan's legs are so small and stumpy compared to its body that it can only drag itself slowly across the floor. It is eyeless, and has only faint traces of ears and whiskers. Beneath its dripping nostrils is a yawning, disturbingly human-like mouth full of sharp, mismatched tusks. Beneath the abomination's tail is a gaping birth canal, through which newborn rylkars constantly tumble, covered in amniotic fluid but ready to hunt.


Tactics

The harridan is essential for the colony's survival, and thus only leaves the well-protected brood chamber when there is no other choice. She is always surrounded by the various lesser rylkars of her brood, who spread out between the harridan and the enemy to make her Swarm Defense and Bring Them to Me abilities work. If possible, the Harridan will hide behind cover and let her minions hold most of the enemies away while Bringing One of Them to Her at a time. She uses Birth and Threatening Scream as soon as they recharge to replenish and reposition her minions.