Friday, March 18, 2011

Swordwing

The swordwing is one of the most mysterious new monsters introduced in the debut of fourth edition. Winged, mantislike humanoids that live underground and hunt sentient beings for sport is a fine concept for a random encounter monster, or a short sidequest. However, the weakest swordwing presented in the Monster Manual is twenty-fifth level; a handful of these creatures could conquer a small kingdom, and according to the flavor text they are social creatures. Such a powerful and alien menace is worth more attention, in my opinion.

Here is an expanded swordwing menu, meant to supplement the types already present in the MM, as well as a bit of homebrew fluff. Enjoy.


...

The underdark is known for its many, horrific denizens. Tentacled amphibious slavers, demon-worshipping humanoid maniacs, and all manner of other gruesome creatures can be found fighting desperately for survival amidst the twisting caverns and endless, gloomy caves. In the very deepest part of the underdark, where one could wander for decades without meeting any creature that has ever beheld the sun, live the creatures nicknamed "swordwings" by humanity.

More than anything else, the swordwing resembles a jagged, humanoid insect, about seven feet tall and covered in a painful-looking chitinous carapace. Three pairs of dragonfly-like wings beat rapidly to carry the creature above the ground, supplemented by a pair of double-jointed legs for terrestrial locomation. One of the swordwing's arms ends in a clawed, three-fingered hand with an opposable thumb, while the other terminates in an elongated claw or blade. The face is like a hornet's, with two pairs of scissorlike mandibles and two, blazing eyes.

Swordwings live in large communities in the deep underdark, resembling spherical or ovular hives made from some hard, stone-like substance that - on closer inspection - is actually a living fungus. These biological hives grow on the walls and ceilings of massive underground caves, covering and spreading through networks of smaller caves and passageways, or even floating in subterranean lakes and seas. Each hive has long tentacles that secure it to the stone around it, like flying buttresses. It is unclear if the swordwings plant these fungal hives, or if the fungus gives birth to swordwings. Whatever the case, neither is ever found independently of the other.

Swordwings understand Deep Speech, but they very rarely speak. When they do, their speech makes little sense, as if spoken by someone barely fluent in it - and it requires a bit of thought to deduce what they are trying to say (usually a demand for sacrifices of food or treasure). Their motives are limited to predation (they are ravenous carnivores) and gathering their strange collections: every individual swordwing collects something, whether coins, dinner plates, or skulls, which it will kill to get more of.


Swordwing Lore (Dungeoneering):

DC 20: Swordwings are mysterious, humanoid insects that live deep underground. They are said to be among the deadliest warriors in the world, each swordwing being able to lay low scores and scores of soldiers. Though they usually keep to themselves, they occasionally emerge from their mysterious lairs to wreak absolute havoc and destruction on the rest of the underdark and - occasionally - spilling out into the surface world.

DC 25: Swordwings are obsessed with collecting items and trinkets. Every swordwing has a personal collection of stolen items (such as jewelry, mirrors, or canoe paddles) that it gathers during their bloody raids. There are different forms of swordwing, with various weapons growing out of their left arms, all seemingly part of the same hive. They are led by "crownwings," but the command structure is fairly informal.

DC 30: Swordwings breed in large, nestlike structures, grown from a stony plant or fungus in the deep underdark. It is here that their collections are stored, and that more swordwings are birthed through an unknown reproductive process. Some believe that the swordwings are actually grown from the fungus itself, which leads one to wonder where the fungus came from...


Bloodwing; Level 22 Lurker (4,150 XP)
Medium aberrant humanoid
____________
Initiative +23 Perception +17 (darkvision)
HP 112 Bloodied 56
AC 36 Fortitude 34 Reflex 35 Will 33
Speed 6; fly 8
Skills +24 Stealth, +22 Nature
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Forked Spear (at will):
+27 vs. AC; 3d8+8 damage (critical 3d8+32) and ongoing 15 (save ends).
Combat Advantage: receive an additional +2 to attack rolls, and deal ongoing 20 damage instead of 15.
-
melee Bite (at will):
Target must be taking untyped ongoing damage; +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d10+8 damage and the bloodwing shifts 8 squares and heals 15 hp.
-
Active Camouflage (at will):
The bloodwing gains concealment until it makes an attack.
____________
Alignment evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 24 (+18) Con 20 (+16) Dex 26 (+19) Int 10 (+11) Wis 22 (+17) Cha 16 (+14)


This type of swordwing is slightly smaller and more darkly colored than most, and its right arm ends in a two-pronged spear, each tip surrounding by toothy serrations. This weapon is used to cause heavy bleeding, which the bloodwing uses a proboscis hidden behind its mandibles to drink.


Tactics

The bloodwing relies on its allies to distract the enemy, using its Active Camouflage to sneak up behind the target and flank it. Once it has Combat Advantage, the bloodwing uses its Forked Spear to cause bleeding, and follows it up on the next turn with a Bite before shifting away and using Active Camouflage again. If there are two bloodwings working together, or other monsters that cause untyped ongoing damage, the bloodwing will Bite everyone it can, shifting between the bleeding enemies to drink all their blood.


Blastwing; Level 24 Artillery (6,050 XP)
Medium aberrant humanoid
____________
Initiative +23 Perception +17 (darkvision)
HP 124 Bloodied 62
AC 36 Fortitude 36 Reflex 36 Will 34
Speed 6; fly 8
Skills +22 Nature, +22 Dungeoneering
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Pincer (at will):
+31 vs. AC; 3d6+8 damage.
-
blast Shockwave (encounter, recharge when first bloodied):
Blast 6; +29 vs. Fortitude; 4d12+8 sonic and fire damage and target is knocked prone.
____________
Minor Actions
-
basic ranged attack Pincer Blast (minor; at will):
Range 6; +29 vs. Reflex; 3d6+8 sonic and fire damage and target is pushed 1 square; if the target is hit by two sound blasts in the same turn, it is dazed until the end of its next turn. If the target is already dazed, it is stunned until the end of its next turn (save ends).
____________
Alignment evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 20 (+17) Con 24 (+19) Dex 26 (+20) Int 14 (+14) Wis 20 (+17) Cha 16 (+15)


This solidly-built swordwing has a thick, strangely shaped pair of pincers. Though they can inflict a nasty cut, their main purpose is to click against each other, releasing a sonic blast so powerful it sets the air momentarily on fire in a flash of orange. This weapon is a larger version of the pistol shrimp's claw; a mundane animal that actually exists in real life.


Tactics


The blastwing uses fairly simple tactics, flying around the battlefield to get an unobstructed line of sight to the enemies and launching pincer blasts in as rapid a succession as it can, hoping to stun an enemy by hitting it with three consecutive attacks. If an enemy is flanked (or looks like it is about to be), the blastwing will move to its side, so it can start its next turn with the immobile foe in its sights. The blastwing avoids melee whenever it can. If there are multiple blastwings, they will always gang up on a single enemy if they are able.

Whenever Shockwave is charged, the blastwing will try and get into a position where it can hit two or more enemies without catching any allies within the blast.


Ramwing; Level 24 Controller (6,050 XP)
Medium aberrant humanoid
____________
Initiative +23 Perception +17 (darkvision)
HP 170 Bloodied 85
AC 37 Fortitude 36 Reflex 35 Will 34
Speed 6; fly 8
Skills +22 Nature, +22 Dungeoneering
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Hammer Claw (at will):
+31 vs. AC; 3d10+8 damage (critical 3d10+38) and target is pushed 5 squares and knocked prone.
____________
Reactions
-
Repelling Attacks (when an enemy moves into a square adjacent to the ramwing, at will):
Make an opportunity attack against the enemy.
____________
Alignment evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 26 (+20) Con 20 (+17) Dex 24 (+19) Int 14 (+14) Wis 20 (+17) Cha 16 (+15)


The ramwing's right arm ends in a hard, bony plate that it can use for a high-velocity punch. Its right arm is built in such a way that a forward jab with this weapon is capable of transferring much more force than the creature's Strength score would normally allow, making for a truly devastating punch. This is similar to another real life crustacean, the mantis shrimp.


Tactics

The ramwing gets into the thick of melee, putting itself in places where the enemy will have to come within reach if they want to attack its allies, forcing them to trigger its Repelling Attacks. The ramwing's purpose is to defend the other types of swordwing, which it does by knocking the enemy away from the weaker forms and (if possible) into flanked squares or terrain hazards. If no enemies are moving, or if they are all prone, the ramwing will move to the most dangerous-looking one and use its standard action to hammer claw it.


Swarmwing; Level 27 Minion Skirmisher (2,750 XP)
Medium aberrant humanoid
____________
Initiative +22 Perception +18 (darkvision)
HP 1; a minion is never damaged by an attack that misses.
AC 42 Fortitude 39 Reflex 39 Will 37
Speed 6; fly 8
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Claw (at will):
+32 vs. AC; 20 damage (critical 30 damage) and the target receives a -2 penalty to AC against the next attack made against it before the start of its next turn.
-
melee Flyby Attack (at will):
The swarmwing moves its speed and makes a basic melee attack at any point along its move; do not provoke an opportunity attack from the target.
____________
Passive
-
Skirmish
If the swarmwing moves at least two squares before attacking, it deals an extra 5 damage.
____________
Alignment evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 24 (+20) Con 22 (+19) Dex 24 (+20) Int 10 (+13) Wis 20 (+18) Cha 14 (+15)


When swordwings are encountered in large numbers by very high epic level parties, you may want to use a minion version. Here ya go.


Tactics

Swarmwings are always in motion, dive-bombing the enemy in turn so that each one will benefit from its predecessor's inflicted AC penalty. When they are prevented from using their flyby attacks, they maneuver into flanking positions.


Encounters

Swordwings are capable of forming a complete encounter group on their own, with the different types filling the various monster roles. If variety is needed, it is possible that, despite being unable to communicate effectively with natural creatures, the swordwings can speak fluently with similarly alien aberrations. In this case, they could act as muscle for mind flayer, aboleth, or avolakia allies. In particular, they work well providing air support for a large, ground-based monster.

Finally, even an alien swordwing must realize that might makes right. Perhaps a swordwing hive lends a few of its members as bodyguards to an evil wizard or ancient dragon, in exchange for certain items?

Friday, March 11, 2011

Avolakia

A strange aberration from the old Age of Worms adventure path and earlier, the avolakias are basically giant worms that create undead for food. An odd concept, but a rather hideous one. I don't believe they've yet been updated to fourth edition, so here we go.

...

In the lowest caverns of the underdark and the deepest trenches of the ocean dwells a monstrous race of gluttonous necromancers and black sorcerers. The avolakias are of uncertain origins; some say they came straight from the Far Realms, while others believe they are creations of the evil demigod Kyuss. Whether or not they were created by him, the avolakias seem to have an affinity for Kyuss, and serve him with a devotion that isn't quite worship, but still very strong.

An avolakia is basically an overgrown, flesh-boring worm or maggot that uses a trio of long, whipping tentacles to hold itself up in a cobra-like position. The creatures squirm across the ground, leaving a trail of thick, toxic slime behind them like some horrific slug. Groups of avolakias make their homes in the carcasses of enormous dead creatures (like dragons, purple worms, or whales), which they burrow through like parasites. When there is nothing left but a pile of bones, they take the skeletons apart and use them to build eerie, house-like structures that only a worm slithering on its belly could navigate.

The most interesting trait of the avolakia is its diet. Avolakias can eat any kind of dead (and preferably decomposing) flesh, but they gain the most nourishment from eating undead creatures. For this reason, avolakias are always on the hunt for fresh corpses that they can animate into tonight's dinner. If they can't find any corpses, they'll make some using any living creature they can catch, sapient or otherwise. If there's an abundance of raw materials, the avolakias will put some of their undead minions on security or hunting duty until the larder runs out and they too must be eaten.

Avolakias can speak Deep Speech, but their alien mindset makes communication with them difficult. In general, they would much rather kill and zombify you than engage in discourse.


Lore (Dungeoneering)

DC 25: Avolakias are mysterious, wormlike creatures that practice strange forms of necromancy. They are known to eat their undead creations as well as put them to work, and do not hesitate to kill humanoids to provide the raw materials for their art.

DC 30: Avolakias live in the deep ocean and half-flooded grottos of the underdark, but have been known to move into dry caverns and ruins as well. They often keep enslaved humanoid populations in nearby towns, caves, or islands, who they breed for generations to provide bodies for zombification. Avolakias have a pact of some kind with the undead entity Kyuss, aiding him in the mortal realm in exchange for certain extra powers.

DC 35: The most monstrous creation of the avolakia is called an uruglastata. This giant abomination is made from the melted and congealed flesh of hundreds of corpses, and is often released as a last line of defense against interlopers. Be very wary when tackling these gargantuan atrocities.


Avolakia Grub; Level 17 Artillery (1,600 XP)
Medium aberrant magical beast
____________
Initiative +10 Perception +13 (darkvision)
HP 96 Bloodied 48
AC 29 Fortitude 30 Reflex 29 Will 29
Speed 6; swim 6; burrow 1
Skills +18 Heal, +15 Stealth
Resist necrotic 20, disease 20
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Flinging Tentacle (at will):
Reach 2; +22 vs. Reflex; 3d8+7 necrotic damage and target slides one square.
-
ranged Curse of Kyuss (at will):
Range 10; +22 vs. Fortitude; 3d8+7 disease and necrotic damage and target is weakened and takes ongoing 15 (save ends both).
____________
Passive
-
aura Death Stench aura 4; living creatures receive a -2 penalty to Fortitude defense as long as they remain within the area.
-
Slime Trail
Whenever the avolakia moves, it leaves a trail of worm-infested slime until the end of its next turn; anyone who enters or starts their turn in the slime takes 15 disease and necrotic damage and is slowed (save ends).
____________
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 18 (+12) Con 24 (+15) Dex 14 (+10) Int 20 (+13) Wis 20 (+13) Cha 18 (+12)


Even before they reach maturity, avolakias are fully intelligent and able to participate in battle. A typical avolakia colony consists of a small handful of adult worms and twice as many grubs, many of which die of starvation before reaching adulthood; siblings fight viciously over the undead flesh left over by the adults.

An avolakia grub is about seven feet long, with tentacles the same length growing in a ring around the "head."

Tactics

The grub uses a simple strategy; come just barely close enough to the enemy for its Death Stench aura to take effect, then use Curse of Kyuss every round. Whenever possible, the grub will stand behind its allies or minions, so that it can cast its curse and emit its stench with impunity. If an enemy does manage to come within melee range, the grub will use Flinging Tentacle to push him away before moving in the opposite direction, leaving a Slime Trail between itself and the attacker.

If there is deep water or soft soil on the battlefield, the grub will use its burrowing and swimming abilities to escape from a particularly tenacious pursuer. Avolakias pick battlefields with multiple escape routes whenever they can.


Avolakia Worm; Level 20 Elite Controller (5,600 XP)
Large aberrant magical beast
____________
Initiative +11 Perception +18 (darkvision)
HP 300 Bloodied 150
AC 34 Fortitude 34 Reflex 34 Will 35
Speed 6; swim 6; burrow 1
Skills +23 Insight, +23 Heal, +21 Dungeoneering,+21 Religion
Resist necrotic 20, disease 20
Saves +2
Action Points 1
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Infectious Tentacle (at will):
Reach 3; +24 vs. AC; 3d8+8 normal and necrotic damage and target is knocked prone and takes ongoing 15 disease and necrotic damage (save ends).
-
melee Sweeping Tentacles (at will):
Make two basic melee attacks against different targets.
---
ranged Curse of Kyuss (at will):
Range 10; +23 vs. Fortitude; 3d8+8 disease and necrotic damage and target is weakened and takes ongoing 15 (save ends both).
____________
Minor Actions
-
Wormfriend (minor action; once per round):
Range 10; target must be suffering ongoing disease and necrotic damage; choose one of the following attacks:
Wormeating: +23 vs. Fortitude; 4d8+8 damage and target is dazed until the end of its next turn.
Wormpuppet: +23 vs. Will; target is dominated until the end of its next turn.
____________
Passive
-
Death Stench aura 6; living creatures receive a -2 penalty to Fortitude defense as long as they remain within the area.
-
Slime Trail
Whenever the avolakia moves, it leaves a trail of worm-infested slime until the end of its next turn; anyone who enters or starts their turn in the slime takes 15 disease and necrotic damage and is slowed (save ends).
____________
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Deep Speech
Str 20 (+13) Con 24 (+15) Dex 12 (+11) Int 22 (+16) Wis 26 (+18) Cha 22 (+16)

Fully grown, an avolakia is fifteen feet long and three feet in diameter at the maw, with equally long, barbed tentacles twice as thick as a man's arm. Highly intelligent and infinitely patient, a fully grown worm is a mastermind that should not be underestimated.

Avolakia worms tend to live in groups of three or four individuals, with twice as many baby grubs swarming around them and competing for their parents' leftovers. Avolakias are accomplished necromancers; through their intricate rituals, the adult worms can create a wide variety of corporeal undead servants and snacks. Some of the more powerful worms also learn a spell that allows them to take human form and travel the world in disguise.

Legend has it that there are hidden cities deep within the earth and oceans build from millions of bones and corpses, in which hundreds of avolakias dwell. These rumors have yet to be confirmed.


Tactics

Unlike its grubs, the fully grown avolakia worm has no fear of close quarters combat, and happily thrashes away with its Sweeping Tentacles whenever an enemy comes within reach. That said, they are unlikely to actively approach the enemy, as their Curse of Kyuss is at least as effective. If the target of the Curse is adjacent to an ally, or a major threat to the avolakia, it will use Wormpuppet to make it attack its fellows or move away. Otherwise, Wormeating is how the avolakia prefers to deal damage.

Like their young, the worms will use their burrowing, swimming, and Slime Trails to escape if they are flanked or if the battle seems it can't be won.


Uruglastata; Level 21 Solo Brute (16,000 XP)
Huge undead animate
____________
Initiative special (see Double Actions) Perception +17 (darkvision)
HP 808 Bloodied 404
AC 35 Fortitude 37 Reflex 34 Will 32
Speed 6; swim 6; burrow 4
Skills +21 Intimidate, +24 Athletics
Resist necrotic 30, disease 30
Vulnerable radiant 10
Saves +5
Action Points 2
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Slimy Tentacle (at will):
Reach 4; +26 vs. AC; 3d10+14 damage and target is knocked prone and slowed (save ends).
-
Lashing Fury (at will)
Make two Slimy Tentacle attacks against different targets.
-
Bite (at will):
Reach 2; +24 vs. Reflex; 3d12+17 damage and target is grabbed and takes ongoing 15 acid and necrotic damage (save ends).
-
Necrotic Spew (recharge 5, 6):
Blast 10; +24 vs. Reflex; 4d12+14 acid and necrotic damage; target is pushed 4 squares and takes ongoing 20 acid and necrotic (save ends).
Miss: target takes half damage and is not pushed or afflicted with ongoing damage.
____________
Move Actions
-
Swallow (at will):
Target must be grabbed; +24 vs. Reflex; target is swallowed by the beast and enters its space. The target has line of sight only to the uruglastata and takes ongoing 20 necrotic and acid damage and loses one healing surge at the beginning of each turn (escape ends both). To escape, the target must deal 25 damage to the uruglastata with an attack. The target reappears in an adjacent, vacant square.
-
Disgorge (encounter; recharges when a creature dies in the uruglastata’s stomach):
Four abyssal ghoul hungerers appears in vacant squares within 2 squares of the uruglastata and act after its turn. When this ability recharges, it can only produce one abyssal ghoul hungerer instead of four. Do not award XP for defeating these ghouls.
___________
Reactions
 -
Life Drain (when first bloodied):
Close burst 20; +26 vs. Fortitude; target loses two healing surges and becomes vulnerable 10 to necrotic and acid damage until the end of the encounter.
____________
Passive
-
Double Actions
Rather than rolling initiative, the uruglastata takes two turns each round. The first turn has an initiative roll of 30. The second has a roll of 20. On each turn, the uruglastata can make a Standard, Move, and Minor action, but it only makes recharge rolls and saving throws on its first turn.
-
Undeath Stench aura 20; living creatures receive a -2 penalty to Fortitude defense as long as they remain within the area. Any creature killed while taking ongoing necrotic and acid damage within the aura becomes an abyssal ghoul hungerer and acts after the uruglastata’s next turn. Do not award XP for defeating these ghouls.
-
Coat of Tendrils bloodied aura 1; ranged attacks that target AC receive a -5 penalty to hit if their trajectory takes them through the aura. Creatures that enter or start their turn within the aura take 15 damage. Treat the aura as difficult terrain.
____________
Alignment unaligned
Languages -
Str 28 (+19) Con 26 (+18) Dex 20 (+15) Int 2 (+6) Wis 14 (+12) Cha 22 (+16)

The creation of the uruglastata is a grisly process, taught to the avolakia race by Kyuss himself. One hundred human-sized corpses are allowed to putrify in a stone pool until their flesh is gelatinous, at which point an alchemical acid is poured in to melt the bones and rotting mulch into a thick soup. Undead creatures are then marched into the pool to provide necromantic energy, and living slaves are thrown in after to provide life energy. Over the next several days, the avolakia worms cast spells and chant around the pool until the liquid congeals and solidifies into a massive, black worm. The newborn uruglastata is then ready to serve its masters.

Uruglastatas are killing machines, used to defend the avolakias from attackers and help them create more corpses to use for necromancy. fifty feet long and ten feet wide, the festering amalgamation of stolen flesh is armed with long, slicing tendrils that grow from random parts of the body and a wide, lampreylike maw with teeth made from unmelted bones. The entire creature is covered with stinking, gaping pores, from which vile fluids constantly seep; when the beast is in danger, each pore extends a razor-sharp tentacle to defend its horrid body.


Tactics

After starting the battle by Disgorging four abyssal ghoul hungerers, the uruglastata's Double Actions give it a great deal of adaptability in combat, allowing the worm to reposition itself or select a new target in half the time it takes most monsters. If the enemies keep in reach, the uruglastata can make up to four Slimy Tentacle attacks per round; more, if it spends an Action Point.

The slowing effect of Slimy Tentacle makes it difficult for the target to run away, allowing the uruglastata to come closer and attempt to Bite on its next turn. The uruglastata always tries to keep its belly full; if the meal dies, it immediately Disgorges the new undead minion and tries to bite someone else. The only times that it doesn't spend a standard action to Bite or Tentacle someone are when its Necrotic Spew recharges and it has an opportunity to catch several enemies within the blast.

Upon being bloodied, the uruglastata uses Life Drain and immediately extends its Coat of Tendrils aura, allowing it to fight much more recklessly. A bloodied uruglastata moves around much more, using its burrowing and swimming with near-impunity.


Encounters

Avolakias are necromancers of great skill; it makes sense to pair them with undead. Vampires, zombies, weights, ghouls; anything of close to their own level should do the trick. In particular, they are likely to be found in the company of other Kyuss servants, like larva creatures or spawn of kyuss.

Additionally, it may be possible for some particularly callous individual to strike a deal with the avolakias. Cultists of Kyuss are most likely, but anyone with bodies to dispose of and a need for undead shock troops might be tempted to seek them out. These deals seldom end well, however....

Mechanically, the avolakias work best when paired with Soldier and Brute class monsters, allowing the grubs to use their short-ranged attacks with impunity and holding the enemy in place for the worm's debhillitating attacks.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Thoon (part two)

The last monster post was my 4E conversion of the Thoon collective from the third edition Monster Manual V. We now conclude the update with the more powerful thoonians.

...



Thoon Abductor; Level 14 Lesser Lurker (600 XP)
Medium aberrant animate
____________
Initiative +17 Perception +17
HP 35
AC 29 Fortitude 27 Reflex 28 Will 27
Speed fly 6 (hover)
Skills Stealth +18
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
Vulnerable a lesser monster is reduced to 0 hp by a critical hit.
Saving Throws a lesser monster automatically fails all saving throws.
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Pincers (at will):
+20 vs. AC; 16 damage.
Combat Advantage: target is grabbed and takes ongoing 12 damage until escape.
-
Invisibility (at will):
The abductor becomes invisible until it attacks. It cannot use this ability while grabbing someone.
____________
Passive
-
Abduction
The abductor can move a grabbed enemy without making a grapple check as long as it moves no more than three squares.
____________ 
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Languages Thoon
Str 20 (+12) Con 12 (+8) Dex 22 (+13) Int 4 (+4) Wis 20 (+12) Cha 4 (+4)


The Abductor is a small, floating construction, similar in nature to the Thoondercloud. Resembling a synthetic jellyfish with four, grasping talons instead of tentacles and fleshy eyes embedded in the sides, the Thoon Abductor is a fragile - but very stealthy - cybernetic horror.

Abductors are tasked with gathering whatever treasures Thoon desires for its inscrutable purposes. These can be inanimate objects, raw materials, or living victims. For the third category, the Abductor uses its invisibility power to kidnap men and beasts with near-impunity.


Combat

Thoon Abductors are not designed to kill, but to capture. Despite their intended function, their grasping Pincers can do a respectable amount of damage. Their usual tactic is to use Invisibility to gain Combat Advantage over an enemy, then use Pincers to grab him and fly him into the air. If there are other Thoon creatures nearby, the Abductor may choose to drop its victim into their midst. If there is a Madcrafter on the battlefield, it will try to stuff its prey into one of the Madcrafter's vats to be processed.


Thoonhulk; Level 15 Elite Brute (2,400 XP)
Large aberrant animate
____________
Initiative +12 Perception +12
HP 300 Bloodied 150
AC 28 Fortitude 29 Reflex 28 Will 28
Speed 5
Skills +18 Athletics, +17 Acrobatics, +18 Endurance
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
Saves +2
Action Points 1
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Scythe (at will):
Reach 2; +21 vs. AC; 3d8+8 damage and target is marked. If the target is already marked, it is knocked prone.
-
melee Double Attack (at will):
Make two basic melee attacks.
-
melee Spin Attack (at will):
Make a basic melee attack against every target within reach, but do not mark or knock prone any of them.
-
melee Implant (at will):
Target must be below 0 hit points; +19 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 10 disease damage (save ends); if the target is killed while under this effect, it becomes an allied thoon pawn and acts on the thoonhulk‘s initiative.
-
ranged Thoon Laser (at will):
Range 20; attack one, two, or three targets, no two of which can be more than three squares apart; +19 vs. Reflex; 3d10+6 radiant damage and ongoing 10 (save ends). The thoonhulk takes 30 damage after using this attack.
____________
Move Actions
-
Sprint (at will):
The thoonhulk moves 10 squares and takes 10 damage.
____________
Minor Actions
- 
aura Fiery Aura (minor; once per round, at will):
Gain aura 4 until the beginning of the thoonhulk’s next turn; any target that enters or begins its turn within the aura takes 10 fire damage. The thoonhulk takes 5 damage at the end of its turn.
____________
Reactions

close burst Self Destruct (immediate reaction; when the thoonhulk is reduced to zero hp):
Close burst 2; +19 vs. Reflex; 3d8+8 fire damage and target is knocked prone. Miss: target takes half damage and is not knocked prone.
____________
Passive

Calculated Step
The thoonhulk never provokes opportunity attacks from prone enemies.
____________
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Thoon
Str 22 (+13) Con 22 (+13) Dex 20 (+12) Int 4 (+4) Wis 20 (+12) Cha 16 (+10)


When Thoon must send its forces into open battle against a powerful and well entrenched opponent, it uses the massive Thoonhulks to spearhead the attack. These towering destroyers are protected by a thick carapace of smooth, metal plating, and armed with massive claws as well as a plethora of magical weapons powered by copious amounts of stolen life force. When there isn't a war to be fought, Thoonhulks patrol the base, serving as a last line of defense against unexpected visitors.

The Hulk is an imposing presence. Standing over twelve feet tall, the creature consists of a vaguely humanoid upper half mounted on four, spiderlike legs. The Hulk's forearms are heavy, double-bladed scythes, and the elongated spike that serves as the head ends in a round, smoking orifice. Beneath the thick, gleaming metal that protects the creature is a sickening layer of semi-gelatinous flesh and fluids, wrapped around a skeleton assembled from the stolen bones of many creatures.

The one weakness of the Thoonhulk is its slow movement speed, a shortcoming it uses its strenuous life force abilities to circumvent.


Combat

When the enemy is considerate enough to come within melee range, the Hulk simply lays about with its Double Attack, switching to Spin Attack whenever there are three or more targets within reach. If the melee takes longer than a few turns, or if there are other enemies pestering the Hulk from a few squares away, it will activate its Fiery Aura and keep spending hit points to keep it burning until conditions change.

Should the enemy try to outrun or outdistance the slow-moving Hulk, it will use Sprint to quickly close the distance before going back to the tactics described above. Should the enemy prove consistently elusive, it will use its long ranged (but costly) Thoon Laser to fry them from afar.

Since its Scythe attacks are more than capable of knocking over melee attackers, the Hulk can often use its Calculated Step ability to move away from a prone warrior and take the opportunity to pursue the more vulnerable ranged attackers.

Should an opponent fall below zero hit points within easy reach of the Thoonhulk, it will use Implant to prevent its fellows from healing it and hopefully turn it into a Pawn. The Thoonhulk usually commands its pawns to charge the enemy and Explode as soon as they can act.

If it becomes clear that it cannot win the battle, the Hulk will turn on its Fiery Aura (if it isn't already active) and try to move into the middle of its enemies, putting them within range of its Self Destruct explosion.


Madcrafter of Thoon; Level 17 Solo Controller (leader) (8,000 XP)
Huge aberrant magical beast
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Initiative +6 Perception +4
HP 700 Bloodied 350
AC 33 Fortitude 33 Reflex 27 Will 31
Speed -
Skills Endurance +21, Arcana +16, Dungeoneering +16
Resist acid 20
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
Saves +5
Action Points 2
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Standard Actions

basic melee attack Bite (at will):
Reach 2; +24 vs. AC; 3d8+7 damage and ongoing 15 acid damage and target is slowed (save ends both). Regardless of whether it hits or misses, the madcrafter makes a secondary attack against all enemies adjacent to the target; +22 vs. Reflex; ongoing 15 acid damage and target is slowed (save ends both).
-
blast Spew (recharge 5, 6):
Blast 6; +22 vs. Reflex; 4d8+7 acid damage and ongoing 15 (save ends).
-
Create Thoon Constructs (recharge special):
The madcrafter summons one thoondercloud or two thoon abductors. Do not award XP for defeating these creatures. These creatures appear in vacant squares within 3 squares of the madcrafter, and act after its turn. When the creatures appear, make an area attack against anyone adjacent to the squares they appear in; +22 vs. Reflex; 3d8+7 acid damage and ongoing 15 (save ends).
Recharge: the madcrafter can recharge this ability by spending 50 hit points.
-
Create Thoonhulk (encounter):
The madcrafter takes 100 damage and summons one thoonhulk. Do not award XP for defeating this creature. The hulk appears in vacant squares within 3 squares of the madcrafter, and acts after its turn. When the creature appears, make an area attack against anyone adjacent to the squares it appear in; +22 vs. Reflex; 3d8+7 acid damage and ongoing 15 (save ends).
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Free Actions
-
Life Drain (once per round per target; at will):
If a thoontroid drops a Medium or smaller enemy onto the madcrafter’s space, the madcrafter sucks the victim into one of the vats on its back. The victim has line of sight only to the madcrafter, and must deal 25 damage with an attack to break off one of the lids and escape (the vat seals itself again afterward). Once per round, as a free action, the madcrafter can attempt (+22 vs. Fortitude) to use the victim’s hit points instead of its own to use Create Thoon Constructs and Create Thoonhulk. If the victim is killed by this attack, it becomes a Thoon Pawn and appears in an adjacent square, acting after the madcrafter’s turn. The Madcrafter can hold up to three creatures at a time. While inside the vat, the victim can use Second Wind once per round, as the Madcrafter drains the deepest stores of his life energy.
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Skill Challenge
By shattering the glass canisters attached to the madcrafter’s flanks, one could sabatoge the creature’s production capabilities. A Dungeoneering or Insight check (DC 27) lets a PC know that targeting the canisters might be a good idea.
Complexity 1; DC 27
Primary Skills (a character must be adjacent to the madcrafter to use these): Thievery, Athletics, Arcana
Secondary Skills (a character must be within 5 squares of the madcrafter to use these; a success grants a +2 bonus to the next Primary skill check. Each of these skills can only be attempted once): Bluff, Dungeoneering.
Success: The madcrafter takes 170 damage and is unable to use Life Drain until the end of the encounter.
____________
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Languages Common, Thoon
Str 22 (+14) Con 26 (+16) Dex 6 (+6) Int 16 (+11) Wis 18 (+12) Cha 22 (+14)


Every Thoon army has one or more Madcrafters at its heart. The Madcrafter isn't the leader of the other Thoon creatures (though it is highly intelligent); rather, it is simply another cog in the machine that births other Thoon entities, and answers to the same mysterious overlord as its children.

A Madcrafter of Thoon is an utterly repulsive creature. A wedge shaped blob of gyrating flesh, larger than an elephant, its body more like a slug's than anything else. Immobile, the Madcrafter is attached to an array of twisted wires, pipes, and ominous metal containers, some of which belch forth noxious gases as the monster's throbbing flesh pulls at its scaffolding. At the front of the creature is what could almost be a face; a round, shapeless mouth - jawless, toothless, and wide enough to swallow a horse with its rider - madly opens and contracts, hundreds of dripping cilia writhing around its periphery. Above the slime-dripping maw are a pair of unsettlingly humanlike eyes. Attached to the creature's back is a metal harness, which holds several transparent canisters of clear, green fluid that puncture into the Madcrafter's back. The canisters are used to drain the life energy and usable body parts from living creatures, and - through a long and complicated process - to implant Infiltrator parasites into new hosts. The enormous mouth is for vomiting forth completed Thoon entities, which are built or grown within the Madcrafter's innards.

It is not known how the immobile Madcrafters are transported when a base is relocated, or how more Madcrafters are brought into existence. Unlike most Thoon creations, the Madcrafter is mostly biological, with vestigial features that suggest it may have descended from a free-living creature. There is so much about the origins and nature of Thoon that has yet to be learned.

Madcrafters can speak to non-thoon creatures, and can negotiate or threaten if they feel that communication will help further Thoon's goals. If a Madcrafter is captured by enemies, it will poison itself with some internal self-destruction gland rather than allow itself to be taken alive.


Combat

Unable to move from its scaffolding, the Madcrafter can only apply its corrosive Bite to those who come within reach. While it can use its Spew of acidic saliva to attack from a modest distance, the Madcrafter's main defense is its ability to birth lesser Thoon forms.

The Madcrafter will usually start the battle by creating two Abductors, and then spending an action point to unleash a Hulk. The Abductors will do everything in their power to grab an enemy and drop it into the Madcrafter's processing vats, where it can use its Life Drain to recharge its Create Thoon Constructs ability without damaging itself. It will create Thoonderclouds until its Abductors are destroyed, at which point it will replace them instead. If it is unable to capture anyone in its vats - or if the captured ones prove resistant to its Life Drain - the Madcrafter will reluctantly use its own hit points to create underlings, using Spew whenever it recharges.

If the Madcrafter's vats are destroyed by the skill challenge described above, it will grow desperate and begin spawning Thoonderclouds as fast as it possibly can, stopping only when it has fifty hit points or fewer.

Skill Challenges in Combat Encounters

Some time ago, a clever individual on the Wizards of the Coast forum posted an intriguing idea of his about working skill challenges into monster statblocks. Unfortunately, I don't recall this fellow's name, but I have used his homebrew mechanics to great effect in my games, and I'd like you to be able to do the same.


The Fluff

The concept here is that rather than simply bludgeoning a monster to death by lowering its hit points, your heroes can sabotage their enemy through more clever means. Imagine cutting the ropes holding the palanquin on an elephant's back, so that the archers mounted on the beast fall to the ground. Or the party's magic users working complex spells to bring the incorporeal demon into the physical world so that the fighter can harm it with his sword. These escapades don't directly injure the enemy, but they prevent it from using its more dangerous abilities and makes the battle much easier for the PC's.


The Crunch

The DM describes the monster in such a way that the PC's are likely to notice a specific weakness (alternatively, the DM can inform the players directly of the weakness if they roll high enough on their Knowledge checks to identify the creature). To take advantage of that weakness, the party shares a skill challenge in the heat of combat. In general, you'll want to assign average to hard DC's for the skill checks. Using one of the Primary skills for the challenge is a Standard Action. Using a Secondary skill is a Minor or Free Action (depending on the skill in question. Its the DM's call). If the skill challenge succeeds, the monster will be prevented from using some of its abilities for the rest of the battle, and might take other penalties or hit point damage as well. If the skill challenge fails, the PC's will have wasted a bunch of actions in the heat of battle.


An Example

The PC's are in the savanna on a dark, moonless night, surrounded by a pack of vicious gnolls. The filthy beasts growl and wave their weapons as they advance from beneath the tall grasses, looking frequently at the largest member of the pack for instructions, waiting for her cue to strike.

One of the PC's rolls a History check to see what he knows about gnolls. He gets a 26, which beats the DC 25 check to learn about their secret weakness. The DM tells the player - in addition to everything the Monster Manual says a roll of 26 should teach him about the creatures - that gnoll packs are led by the alpha female, who rules through intimidation and dominance displays; making the alpha appear weak or ridiculous might wreak havoc on their animalistic morale.

The primary skills for this challenge are Intimidate, Bluff, and Acrobatics. Secondary skills are Insight and Nature. The skill challenge has a complexity of 1 (four successes before two failures needed to pass the challenge) and a DC of 20.

The Warden acts first. He marches up to the alpha gnoll and, waving his enormous hammer over his head, he howls in primal fury (Intimidate). The Warden's player rolls a 21 on his Intimidate check; just high enough to make the gnoll forget herself and flinch in fear from his feint. The other gnolls see this as a sign of weakness. That's one success. Unfortunately, that was also his standard action for the round.

Next is the Rogue. He looks at the mildly cowed gnoll and makes an Insight check to see where she could best be attacked from next. He rolls a 23, which allows him to see that the alpha gnoll is off-balance from the Warden's intimidation. He turns to the Monk and tells her this, costing himself a minor action but giving the Monk a +2 bonus to her next skill check.

Its the gnolls' turn now. They close into melee and begin slashing at the heroes with their crude spears and axes. The fighter is flanked, preventing him from getting close to the alpha female...but the monk is not. She darts over to the alpha female and makes an Acrobatics check to confuse the beast with her movements. She rolls a 25; the alpha gnoll tries to slash at her, but is thrown off completely, and ends up banging the handle of her spear against her own paw and yelping in pain. A couple of the other gnolls appear to be chuckling in their hyena-like way.

Its the alpha gnoll's turn next. She attacks the Monk and does some nasty damage. She also uses some of her remaining dignity to give forth a deep howl, the sound of which whips her minions into a frenzy. The PC's need to break up the gnoll pecking order quickly, or this could get deadly.

Next is the Wizard. After casting an area spell to clear the attacking gnolls away from him, his player asks the DM if he can use Arcana to humiliate the alpha. The DM is taken aback, but decides "sure, why not?" The DC for this is going to be higher (25), though, since this is an unlikely skill for the situation. The Wizard spends an Action Point so he can take another Standard Action and tries to use an illusion to make the alpha gnoll appear to be wearing a dressing gown and wig. Against everyone's expectations, his player rolls a natural 20, for a total skill check of 32. The alpha gnoll seems to be wearing foppish formalwear, and the other gnolls are finding her harder to take seriously.

On the next turn, the Warden starts by trying to Intimidate the alpha gnoll again. This time, he only gets a 16, which isn't enough to faze her. He's wasted his standard action screaming and stamping his feet, and needs to spend his Action Point to flank the alpha gnoll and attack her with his hammer.

The Rogue slinks away from the gnoll attacking him (soaking up an opportunity attack in the process) and makes an Acrobatics check as he charges the alpha. He rolls a 22, and manages to make her trip over her own feet and fall facefirst in the mud, getting the muck all over her illusory gown. Four Successes, only one Failure. The gnolls can no longer respect their leader; they all suffer a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls for the rest of the encounter, and the alpha can no longer use her Howl and other leadership abilities. The fight is now a piece of cake for the PC's.


Guidelines

-The skill challenge should be appropriate to the type of monster and the battle conditions. A skill challenge using Arcana and Religion could prevent a mummy from using its Fear and Mummy Rot powers. A skill challenge using Athletics and Dungeoneering could cut off a hobgoblin soldier's full plate and drop his AC into the low teens. 

-The skill challenge should have average or hard DC's and a complexity of 1. The idea is that it should be no easier or harder than hitting the monster with conventional attacks.

-Only Elite and Solo monsters should come with skill challenges (normal monsters aren't worth the trouble).

-The PC's should be able to learn about the skill challenge by listening to the DM's description of the monster, or by rolling a high DC on their Knowledge checks to identify the creature. Ideally, both methods of learning about the challenge should be available.

-You should include enough different skills for every party member to be able to contribute. You should also make sure that succeeding on the skill challenge is worth all those actions; make the monster pay dearly for their success.

-To use some skills, the PC must be adjacent to the monster. To use others, there should be a maximum distance of 5 or 10 squares. Use your judgment.

-The skill challenge can only be attempted once.


Variations

-Using a Primary skill only requires a minor action, but failure provokes an Opportunity Attack from the monster.

-Instead of penalizing the monster, succeeding at the skill challenge inflicts a massive amount of damage on it. For instance, climbing onto a dragon's back and stabbing it in the head (Athletics, Acrobatics, and Bluff checks required) might cause the beast to lose one quarter of its maximum hit points.

-The skill challenge can be attempted multiple times, but the DC's increase each time.

-Failing the skill challenge makes the monster stronger or heals it.

-Normal, non-elite or solo monsters can have skill challenges associated with them. Beating the skill challenge kills the monster outright.

Thoon (part one)

Here's another Monster Manual 5 gem that was never updated to 4E. The concept behind Thoon was another take on mind flayers, having them be mad scientists who create biomechanical horrors and use them to harvest natural resources at the expense of everyone else. A bit too science fictiony for the average DnD campaign, but for a Lovecraftian horror campaign I could see it working beautifully.

Here are the Thoon cyborgs and constructs. I left it ambiguous as to whether or not Thoon has anything to do with the mind flayers; it could be mind flayer artificery, or it could be a completely unrelated aberrant threat. Have fun.

...

Something stirs among the shadows at the edge of the map. An eye above the clouds, watching the lands of the civilized races with an appraising hunger. An arm from the deep caverns underfoot reaching into the minds and bodies of hapless men and women and leaving...something...behind. The mysterious entity known as Thoon is as elusive and secretive as it is malevolent.

Thoon's origins and true nature are unclear. It could have slipped into the natural world from the Far Realms, it could be the creation of a deranged mortal artificer, or it could be the agent of some other aberrant race (the mind flayers being the most likely culprits). What is known is that deadly creatures made partly of flesh and partly of alien machinery answer to the name of Thoon, and they work ceaselessly toward some unknowable goal, destroying anything that gets in their way. Thoon creatures appear to be acting under the orders of a guiding intelligence, but that intelligence could be anything; a unique aberration hiding under the earth, a cabal of maladjusted individuals, an alien god, or perhaps just a distributed hive mind.

Whatever the case, tackling the Thoon menace is not for the faint of heart or the slow of mind. Or the weak of stomach...


Lore (Dungeoneering, Arcana)

DC 20: Somewhere in the world, there is an army of creatures with strange clockwork and alchemy worked into their bodies, so that they are neither construct nor living being. These entities are said to capture natural creatures and resources and reduce them to their base elements, so that they can build more of themselves.

DC 25: Thoon's motives are less clear than the simple desire to spread and conquer. These mysterious creatures seem to choose their targets arbitrarily, as if searching for something only they know how to look for. Their usual modus operandi is to set up a hidden base somewhere in the area that has caught their interest and begin abducting specific people, animals, and materials from the surroundings. Sometimes, they might want gold. Other times timber. Other times children. Once they've met their quota, they pack up their bases and dissapear.

DC 30: Thoon's greatest power is its ability to process life force. By assimilating living creatures, the Thoon hive mind can consume great amounts of mystical power which can then be put to various uses. Many Thoon creatures can spend a portion of their life force to use special abilities, at the cost of weakening themselves. Worse still, Thoon's symbiotic nature allows it to infiltrate humanoid societies by implanting mind-controlling devices in the bodies of innocent people, enslaving them to its will and giving them disturbing powers.


Thoon Pawn; Level 11 Minion Soldier (150 XP)
Medium aberrant humanoid
____________
Initiative +11 Perception +4
HP 1 (a minion is never damaged by an attack that misses)
AC 27 Fortitude 24 Reflex 23 Will 23
Speed 6
Skills Endurance +15
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
____________
Standard Actions
basic melee attack Claw (at will):
+16 vs. AC; 12 damage and one adjacent ally gains a +1 bonus to attack that target until the end of its next turn.
-
close burst Explode (encounter):
The pawn dies and makes the following attack; close burst 1; +15 vs. Reflex; 12 damage. No traces are left of the pawn after its life force detonates.
Miss: 6 damage.
____________
Minor Actions

Overdrive (minor; encounter):
The thoon pawn gains resist 12 to all damage and a +2 to speed, damage, and attack rolls. On a recharge roll of 5 or 6, the pawn uses Explode as an immediate action.
____________
Alignment unaligned
Languages Common
Str 20 (+10) Con 20 (+10) Dex 18 (+9) Int 10 (+5) Wis 6 (+3) Cha 18 (+9)


This humanoid commoner has had invasive devices forcefully placed beneath its skin. These poor souls live in constant pain and misery, as Thoon allows them to go about their daily lives knowing that they cannot resist its telepathic orders should it choose to give them any. When Thoon chooses to give them commands, their skin becomes pale and unhealthy-looking, and veins of black metal become visible under the flesh of their faces and arms.

Thoon pawns are used as manual labor, espionage, and disposable cannon fodder. When it drives them into battle, they scream for help and mercy even as their bodies make the motions of combat against those they are crying to.


Tactics

Thoon pawns are seen as absolutely worthless by their mysterious controller. It throws them at the enemy almost haphazardly, seeking to overwhelm the opposition through sheer numbers. They will not hesitate to use Overdrive to catch up to a fleeing enemy, or to use Explode if there are no allies within the blast radius.

Most often, they are lead by a Thoon Infiltrator. In such cases, they will use the tactics described in the Infiltrator's entry.


Thoon Infiltrator; Level 13 Elite Controller (leader) (1,600 XP)
Medium aberrant animate
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Initiative +12 Perception +11
HP 208 Bloodied 104
AC 28 Fortitude 27 Reflex 25 Will 27
Speed 6
Skills +17 Bluff, +15 Arcana, +16 Endurance, +15 Dungeoneering
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
Saves +2
Action Points 1
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Electrified Claw (at will):
+18 vs. AC; 2d8+8 damage and ongoing 10 lightning damage (save ends).
-
basic melee attack Electrified Tentacle (at will):
reach 2; +17 vs. Reflex; 1d10+8 lightning damage and target slides one square.
-
melee Thoon Frenzy (at will):
Make one Electrified Claw and one Electrified Tentacle attack against different targets.
-
melee Implant (standard; at will):
Target must be below 0 hit points; +18 vs. Fortitude; ongoing 10 disease damage (save ends); if the target is killed while under this effect, it becomes an allied thoon pawn and acts on the infiltrator‘s initiative.
____________
Minor Actions
-
Assimilate (minor; once per round, at will):
One adjacent thoon pawn dies; the infiltrator heals 15 hp and gains an action point. The pawn's body crumples to dust, its life force completely sucked away.
-
Regenerate (minor; once per round, at will):
A dead thoon pawn in an adjacent square returns to life with one hit point and acts on its old initiative. This ability does not work on pawns that were killed by Assimilate or Explode.
____________
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Common, Thoon
Str 22 (+12) Con 20 (+11) Dex 18 (+10) Int 14 (+8) Wis 20 (+11) Cha 22 (+12)


A more advanced means of infiltrating other societies, Thoon's infiltrators are small, sentient constructs that are placed inside the bodies of living creatures. Unlike the Thoon Pawns, who are simply enslaved by Thoon, the Infiltrator parasite takes complete control of its host, dictating every movement, breath, word, and facial expression with flawless acting. For all intents and purposes, the host is dead.

The parasite itself looks like a small octopus or starfish made out of metal discs and wires. The main body is buried in the back of the host's neck, where it creates a visible bulge (the infiltrator usually hides this by wearing high-collared or hooded clothing). The metallic tentacles extend through every part of the host's body, and can emerge from the skin to attack during battle.

Thoon infiltrators live among the host's society, where they gather data, manipulate local politics, and command the many Pawns installed around it: the Infiltrator can also create more Pawns by implanting a small piece of itself into a helpless victim.

The Infiltrator parasite itself can only be created by a Madcrafter of Thoon, and is very costly to produce. Thus, each Thoon base will only have a small number of them. If a Thoon Infiltrator is killed, other Thoon creatures may be able to recover the parasite - with all its memories and intelligence intact - and install it in a new host. Thus, an adventurer who fights Thoon should either cut out and break the metallic parasite, or burn the entire body; Infiltrators are known to hold grudges against people who have killed their previous hosts.


Tactics

Thoon Infiltrators are highly intelligent and canny beings, and fight with considerable tactical skill. They use their Electrified Tentacle attacks to drag enemies into squares where it can flank them with its Pawns, using Electrified Claw on those that it already has Combat Advantage over. If too many of its Pawns have been killed, it will use Electrified Tentacle to push any adjacent enemies away and then walk over to the Pawns' corpses to Regenerate one or two of them.

The Infiltrator always tries to keep a Pawn or two within easy reach of itself, both to provide flanking and so it can Assimilate them if it gets low on hit points. Generally, the Infiltrator will only use Assimilate if it is bloodied. If a particular opponent is doing a lot of damage to the Infiltrator, it will push it away and then order its minions to surround the offender and keep it away. If the battle turns too badly against it, the Infiltrator will order all of its remaining Pawns to charge the enemy and Explode before the Infiltrator flees.


Thoondercloud; Level 14 Skirmisher (1,000 XP)
Medium aberrant animate
____________
Initiative +15 Perception +17 (blindsight 6)
HP 108 Bloodied 54
AC 28 Fortitude 26 Reflex 27 Will 26
Speed 7 (hover); fly 4 (hover)
Skills +17 Insight, +18 Stealth
Immune nonlethal damage, sleep
____________
Standard Actions
-
basic melee attack Bladed Tendril (at will):
Reach 2; +19 vs. AC; 3d6+5 damage.
-
charge Evicerating Charge (charge; at will):
When the thoondercloud charges, it makes two melee basic attacks instead of one. If both attacks hit the same target, the target takes an extra 3d6 lightning damage.
-
melee Whirling Blades (recharge 4, 5, 6):
Move 7 squares and make a melee basic attack against every target within reach with a -2 penalty to attack and damage.
-
ranged Thoonderbolt (recharge 6):
line 6; +17 vs. Reflex; 4d10+6 lightning damage and target is dazed (save ends). The thoondercloud takes 27 damage.
____________
Alignment chaotic evil
Languages Thoon
Str 20 (+12) Con 18 (+11) Dex 22 (+13) Int 6 (+4) Wis 20 (+12) Cha 12 (+8)


Unlike the Thoon parasites, which are implanted into natural creatures, some Thoon creatures are created completely by the Madcrafters, their flesh grown in vats of alchemical fluid and placed in metal exoskeletons. The Thoondercloud is one of these. These hovering, synthetic phantoms prowl the wilderness and dungeons surrounding the Thoon bases, finding intruders and slicing them into bite-sized chunks. Like the Infiltrator, they can use their stolen life force to create electricity, but in significantly higher quantities.

A thoondercloud resembles a black, metallic blimp, about three feet long, with a single, glowing red organic eyeball in a socket at the anterior tip. A dozen metallic tentacles hang down beneath the hovering creature, each ending in a razor sharp blade or pincer. Inside the body is a mess of fleshy organs and nerves surrounded by metal and ceramic coatings, all flooded with a mysterious, vinegar-smelling fluid. Many of the organs appear to have been surgically removed from people or animals, while others are vat grown. The thoonderclouds can hover along very quickly a few feet above the ground, but slows down significantly if it has to fly higher.

Though somewhat intelligent, the thoondercloud can only communicate with other Thoon creatures.


Combat

The Thoondercloud is a security guard. That means it knows how to do only three things: find intruders, report intruders, and kill intruders. Other Thoon units are then sent to pick up the pieces and bring them home for processing.

If it starts its turn more than two squares from the nearest enemy, the thoondercloud will use Eviscerating Charge, hoping to hit with both tentacles and create an electrocuting circuit. It will then fight furiously in melee until Whirling Blades recharges, at which point it will use this attack to move back to charging distance and hopefully mangle some enemies in the process.

If the battle gets desperate, or if several of the enemies are lined up just right for it, a Thoonderbolt will be unleashed, the thoondercloud spending a significant part of its life to launch a crackling bolt of lightning. Occasionally, the thoondercloud will fly out of reach and launch a Thoonderbolt before Eviscerating Charging back to ground level.

...


This post is already way too long. Tune in tomorrow, when we see the rest of the Thoon bestiary, including the hideous Madcrafters that give birth to all the others.