LOTRfan
2013-03-10, 09:45 PM
Alp-luachra
Diminutive Magical Beast (Aquatic, Spirit)
Hit Dice: 1/2d10 (2 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), Swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 17, flatfooted 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-15
Attack: Spine +8 ranged (1 plus daze)
Full Attack: Spine +8 ranged (1 plus daze)
Special Attacks: Spikes, Flesh-Burrow
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Immunity to Acid, Amphibious
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 13
Skills: Hide +22, Move Silently +10, Spot +6, Swim +8*
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Temperate Forests
Organization: Solitary, or with host
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 1-2 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: -----
In the darkness, a small newt-like creature crawls out from the riverside and skitters towards the campfire. It quickly bites a sleeping dwarf and phases into the man. The Dwarf scratches the area the newt entered a bit, still fast asleep.
Alp-luachras are tiny magical beasts often associated with rivers inhabited by Fey. Alp-luachras closely resemble common newts, though they are a dull purple in color and are covered in small spines. Alp-luachras are very resilient little creatures, but they are not infamous for any sort of combat ability; indeed, a quick stomp would be enough to fell one of them. Instead, their infamy comes from their method of attaining sustenance.
Alp-luachras, also called joint-eaters, are parasitic amphibians that “phase” into other creatures and eat the food that they consume. Alp-luachras usually eat half of whatever the host consumes, leaving just enough so that the host can remain more or less healthy. Some become extremely greedy, however, eventually starving and killing their hosts. One story tells of a man who outsmarted an alp-luachra by eating only salty foods and refusing to drink water. Becoming extremely thirsty, the alp-luachra fled from the man’s stomach and returned to the river from whence it came.
Combat
Alp-luachras avoid combat at all costs. Most wait until their desired targets are asleep, at which point they stealthily burrow into their bodies and take up residence in their stomach.
Amphibious: Alp-luachras breath both air and water, though they rarely go far from the rivers they call home without first entering a host.
Flesh-Burrow (Su): By succeeding on an unarmed touch attack, an alp-luachra can enter a host’s body using a method similar to phasing. The joint-eater “slips” into the target, making it’s way into the host’s stomach. Once there, an alp-luachra remains for months or even years if nothing is done to remove it. A host of an alp-luachra may not even notice that the creature is within him, but he soon has a desire to eat and drink twice the amount necessary to sustain an average member of his race. Those who do not fulfill this compulsion each day awaken fatigued the following morning. A joint-eater can take this “punishment” for not eating a step further if it chooses, forcing the creature to eat double the amount of food necessary to survive or undergo the effects of starvation. A remove disease or cure poison spell forces an alp-luachra to make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + the caster level of the spell), or be forced out of the creature. This ability can only be used against non-Fey between Small and Large size that have a metabolism. If the host is killed while the alp-luachra remains inside, the creature must make a DC 15 Fortitude save, or die as well. A surviving alp-luachra flees from dead hosts as soon as it can.
Spikes (Ex): A joint-eater’s backside is covered in small spikes. Those who attack an alp-luachra unarmed suffer one point of damage. Additionally, once every 1d3 rounds, an alp-luachra can sling a single spike at an enemy within 15 ft as a ranged natural weapon. Anyone taking damage from the attack must make a Will save (DC 11), or be dazed (as the spell) for one round. Save DC is Charisma-based.
Skills: An alp-luachra has a +8 bonus on any Swim checks to perform special actions or avoid hazards. It can always take 10 on a Swim check, even when distracted or endangered. Ut can use the run action when swimming, assuming it is done in a straight line. A joint-eater uses Dexterity rather than Strength for Swim checks.
Alp-Luachras as Familiars
An Alp-luachra can be selected as a familiar by those who take the Improved Familiar feat. Spellcasters that have Alp-luachras as familiars gain a +1 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks involving fey.
Diminutive Magical Beast (Aquatic, Spirit)
Hit Dice: 1/2d10 (2 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), Swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 17, flatfooted 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-15
Attack: Spine +8 ranged (1 plus daze)
Full Attack: Spine +8 ranged (1 plus daze)
Special Attacks: Spikes, Flesh-Burrow
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Immunity to Acid, Amphibious
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 13
Skills: Hide +22, Move Silently +10, Spot +6, Swim +8*
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Temperate Forests
Organization: Solitary, or with host
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Often Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 1-2 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: -----
In the darkness, a small newt-like creature crawls out from the riverside and skitters towards the campfire. It quickly bites a sleeping dwarf and phases into the man. The Dwarf scratches the area the newt entered a bit, still fast asleep.
Alp-luachras are tiny magical beasts often associated with rivers inhabited by Fey. Alp-luachras closely resemble common newts, though they are a dull purple in color and are covered in small spines. Alp-luachras are very resilient little creatures, but they are not infamous for any sort of combat ability; indeed, a quick stomp would be enough to fell one of them. Instead, their infamy comes from their method of attaining sustenance.
Alp-luachras, also called joint-eaters, are parasitic amphibians that “phase” into other creatures and eat the food that they consume. Alp-luachras usually eat half of whatever the host consumes, leaving just enough so that the host can remain more or less healthy. Some become extremely greedy, however, eventually starving and killing their hosts. One story tells of a man who outsmarted an alp-luachra by eating only salty foods and refusing to drink water. Becoming extremely thirsty, the alp-luachra fled from the man’s stomach and returned to the river from whence it came.
Combat
Alp-luachras avoid combat at all costs. Most wait until their desired targets are asleep, at which point they stealthily burrow into their bodies and take up residence in their stomach.
Amphibious: Alp-luachras breath both air and water, though they rarely go far from the rivers they call home without first entering a host.
Flesh-Burrow (Su): By succeeding on an unarmed touch attack, an alp-luachra can enter a host’s body using a method similar to phasing. The joint-eater “slips” into the target, making it’s way into the host’s stomach. Once there, an alp-luachra remains for months or even years if nothing is done to remove it. A host of an alp-luachra may not even notice that the creature is within him, but he soon has a desire to eat and drink twice the amount necessary to sustain an average member of his race. Those who do not fulfill this compulsion each day awaken fatigued the following morning. A joint-eater can take this “punishment” for not eating a step further if it chooses, forcing the creature to eat double the amount of food necessary to survive or undergo the effects of starvation. A remove disease or cure poison spell forces an alp-luachra to make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + the caster level of the spell), or be forced out of the creature. This ability can only be used against non-Fey between Small and Large size that have a metabolism. If the host is killed while the alp-luachra remains inside, the creature must make a DC 15 Fortitude save, or die as well. A surviving alp-luachra flees from dead hosts as soon as it can.
Spikes (Ex): A joint-eater’s backside is covered in small spikes. Those who attack an alp-luachra unarmed suffer one point of damage. Additionally, once every 1d3 rounds, an alp-luachra can sling a single spike at an enemy within 15 ft as a ranged natural weapon. Anyone taking damage from the attack must make a Will save (DC 11), or be dazed (as the spell) for one round. Save DC is Charisma-based.
Skills: An alp-luachra has a +8 bonus on any Swim checks to perform special actions or avoid hazards. It can always take 10 on a Swim check, even when distracted or endangered. Ut can use the run action when swimming, assuming it is done in a straight line. A joint-eater uses Dexterity rather than Strength for Swim checks.
Alp-Luachras as Familiars
An Alp-luachra can be selected as a familiar by those who take the Improved Familiar feat. Spellcasters that have Alp-luachras as familiars gain a +1 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks involving fey.