TomPokenutter
2013-05-30, 03:43 PM
I'm working on a science fiction campaign right now, and these are some of the first monsters I've churned out for the setting. I'm confident in most of the fluff, but I'm certain that most of the crunch needs work, particularly in the area of CR and LA for the PC information. I know that this is a lot of information, but I do need help with it.
Frev
"Sera was a small colony world when I arrived. It had its share of problems, but for the most part, we survived. Colonists flew in from Centauri, Sirius, and even a few from the smoking remains of Earth for all kinds of reasons- jobs, adventure, escaping the mob... It was just your average untamed wilderness planet.
Then, the Frev arrived, and it all went straight to hell."
-Mandy Connor, one of eight survivors of the Battle of Sera
Out of all the hostile non-human races that have emerged since First Contact in 2140, the Frev are probably the most well-known, and the most feared. This serpentine race was first encountered during initial colonization efforts in 2206, and any planet they visited abruptly stopped sending transmissions. It was roughly fifty years before anyone managed to survive a Frev assault, and their news ended up being more disturbing than what was previously surmised- rather than simply slaughtering the inhabitants, the Frev had been converting the population into Frev, and blanking their minds.
As of 2572 (present day,) Frev attacks have become incredibly rare, and almost always take the populace by surprise. They rarely broadcast their presence before invading, and set up shop on planets that they conquer, making rescue efforts difficult. Furthermore, any humanoids not killed during the initial assault or who manage to land on the planet afterward are converted over several days into Frev soldiers, meaning that there is often very little incentive to land on a Frev-conquered planet.
Frev have a well-known aversion to fire and cold, but are otherwise difficult to fight, owing to increased strength and senses. All Frev speak Obis Sirak (God’s Tongue,) their own language. If it is necessary, they can learn others for the purpose of negotiating a surrender.
Sirak Akosen Blossom
Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8+20 (38 HP)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 0
Armor Class: 17 (-2 Size, +9 Natural,) Touch 8, Flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+21
Attack: Vine +9 (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 3 Vines +9 (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 15/50
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Swallow Whole, Stomach Acid, Pollinate
Special Qualities: Resist 5 Lightning, Vulnerable 20 Fire, Vulnerable 20 Cold, Immune Acid, Plant Traits
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 27, Int 30, Wis 10, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Heal +7, Hide +11, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +17, Knowledge (geography) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17, Knowledge (religion) +17, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11
Feats: Improved Natural Armor, Ability Focus
Environment: Jungles, humid Forests
Organization: Solitary or Grove (5 Blossoms)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure:None
Alignment: Always Neutral
“Sirak Akosen- the God Crafter. This black-and green bulb is life itself for us. Without it, our race could not exist.”
-Ils the Thunderclap, Frev military scientist
Frev life begins and ends with the Sirak Akosen blossom, a carnivorous plant whose spores mutate a victim into the lesser Blossom Frev.
Sirak Akosen begin their life as seeds that are spread from the corpses of Frev. The seeds themselves resemble large dandelion seeds, and are functionally immortal, existing in a dormant state until conditions are right to plant roots. In this state, the seeds can survive even in the vacuum of space. However, in spite of their nigh-indestructibility, it is estimated that less than 1% of all Sirak Akosen seeds will ever grow.
The plant grows rapidly after landing, reaching full size within a week. From this point onward, the Sirak Akosen will eat anything that comes within reach of its prehensile vines, which can be moved like tentacles.
Sirak Akosen possess an ancestral memory, having access to all knowledge that its Frev parent possessed, as well as the knowledge of the Sirak Akosen that infected said parent. This means that Sirak Akosen are potential wellsprings of knowledge. However, the fact that they refuse to speak any language besides their own makes accessing this knowledge difficult, and potentially deadly for any non-Frev that attempt to approach it.
As mentioned previously, a Sirak Akosen will eat anything that steps near enough to its vines, and its mouth is near-inescapable without outside aid. In the unlikely event that its prey manages to escape, the Sirak Akosen will scatter pollen around the escapee. This pollen reconfigures the victim into a Blossom Frev, and slowly gestates into seeds over many decades. When any Frev dies, be they Blossom or Soldier, their body releases as many seeds as have developed, and the cycle begins anew.
Combat
Improved Grab: When an enemy is hit by the Sirak Akosen’s Vine attack, the Sirak Akosen may make a Grapple attempt as a free action. If an enemy is grappled by the Sirak Akosen, it is immediately swallowed.
Swallow Whole: A Large or smaller enemy grappled by a Sirak Akosen is dragged into the center of the blossom, which functions as its mouth. The mouth can swallow one large, two medium, eight small, or thirty-two tiny or smaller creatures. A swallowed enemy must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude check or be knocked unconscious. A successful save instead paralyzes an enemy until they are removed from the blossom. While swallowed, an enemy creature takes 1d3 acid damage and 1d3 crushing damage. An enemy killed in this manner is instantly dissolved. In the event that a victim is killed by this attack, the Sirak Akosen stops moving completely, and enters a dormant state for 1d2 days. In this state, it can be reduced to 0 hit points, but cannot be killed without burning or freezing the flower.
An enemy can be freed from within the blossom by dealing 5 damage to the bulb with a slashing weapon. (AC 17.) In the event that a victim is cut out, the Sirak Akosen stops moving, pollinates, and then enters the state of dormancy described above.
Pollinate: In the event that an enemy is freed from the inside of the blossom, the Sirak Akosen will use this ability as a free action. If the freed enemy is conscious, it must make a DC 19 Fortitude save, or be infected with the pollen. An unconscious enemy automatically fails this save. Furthermore, the enemy’s rescuer must make a DC 12 Reflex save, or be infected with the pollen.
An infected creature will begin to regenerate lost hit points at a rate of 1d8 per hour. When they reach full hit points or at the end of one hour (whichever happens later,) they begin the transformation into a Blossom Frev, which lasts 1d3 hours. This transformation is irreversible once it completes (with the usual exception for Wish, Limited Wish, and Miracle), but can be negated before it reaches completion with the casting of Remove Disease or Heal. This must be cast once every hour for the next 24 hours, or it will start again where it left off. If this is accomplished, even if the character was seconds away from the change being irreversible, the damage will be undone completely.
A transformed Frev will never be attacked by a Sirak Akosen blossom.
Blossom Frev
“Now, I have nothing against Blossom Frev in general. To be completely honest, one of my best friends is a Blossom Frev. The problem comes in, however, once you realize that just as often as an innocent is converted into a Blossom Frev during an unfortunate run-in with a Sirak Akosen, there are also a fleet of Soldier Frev who are forcibly converting ten innocents into Blossom Frev, brainwashing them, and siccing them on their former friends and family members to keep the vicious cycle going. Bottom line, if you encounter a Blossom Frev, run the hell away.”
-Triana Emerson, Xenobiologist
“And the First Matriarch looked down upon herself, at the gift that the God Crafter had given her. She was strong, fast, and she could sense everything around her. This feeling was joy. It was bliss. It was perfection. The entire universe should be allowed to experience this.”
-Frev Holy Book, Chapter 1, Verse 21
The products of a Sirak Akosen’s pollen. Blossom Frev are the natural state of the race, and also represent its weakest members. They stand around five and a half feet tall, sport a cobra’s hood behind their hood, are all female, and are coated in scales that range in color from red to yellow to brown, and everything in between. The exact scale colors vary from individual to individual, but these physical traits are common to all Blossom Frev. Theories about their visual similarities to snakes vary between coincidence and the existence of a Progenitor Prokaryote with a finite number of DNA combinations.
It is believed that the first Blossom Frev were woodland creatures lucky enough to have accidental help in escaping the Sirak Akosen Blossom’s embrace. This eventually extended to sentient races, and culminated in the conversion of the First Matriarch, an enigmatic figure from Frev mythology who decided that this gift from the gods needed to be spread across all races, sentient or otherwise. When she failed to convince the majority of the populace to abandon their previous races, she began a crusade that eventually resulted in complete Frev dominance in their sector. At some point in the last five hundred years, the Frev began to expand outward, accessing illegal memory alteration technology to curb uprisings before they could occur.
Blossom Frev appear in two manners. The first is via infection from a Sirak Akosen’s pollen. The second, far more sinister way is not explicitly known to most civilized people, but it is known that it involves copious amounts painful surgery. The latter is the favored tactic of converter squads, groups of around twenty Blossom Frev led by two or three Soldier Frev assigned to transform unwilling non-Frev. The end result of this method is a mind-wipe, followed by the implantation of false memories.
Blossom Frev are considered expendable, but survival over at least two years is rewarded with genetic alteration (also illegal) that results in Soldier Frev, considered to be far, far more dangerous than their weaker cousins.
Blossom Frev can come with literally any combination of stats and equipment, but the following represents the typical loadout on a brainwashed Blossom Frev.
Medium Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 HP)
Initiative: +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40 ft, Swim 20 ft
Armor Class: 23 (+5 Dex, +6 Natural, +2 Leather Armor,) Touch 15, Flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+9
Attack: Kukri +11 (1d4+3/18-20 ) or Bite +11 (1d6+3 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 Kukris +11 (1d4+3/18-20) and Bite +11 (1d6+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Venom, Hypnotic Stare
Special Qualities: DR 5/-, resist 5 lightning, vulnerable 10 fire and cold, immune acid, plant traits, reptilian traits
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +8
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 4
Skills: +11 Spot, +11 Listen
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any humid planet
Organization: Solitary or Pair or Scouting Party (five to seven) or Converter Squad (twenty plus three Soldiers) or Platoon (fifteen to thirty plus five Soldiers) or Invasion Army (one hundred fifty to two hundred plus fifty Soldiers and one Matriarch)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: 50% chance of gold, 50% chance of mundane weapons, 10% chance of gems, 5% chance of magic items, 1% chance of art objects
Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil
“Please... Don’t, no! I’ve got a family at home! Please, my daughter expects me home tonight! I need to go to her! Please don’t-
(A sharp cry, and then a solid minute of silence)
“...Glory to the Matriarch.”
-Final words of Robert Jackson, first words of Giten Sunstreak
Combat
Poison: An enemy hit with the Bite attack must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d4 Constitution damage. Should they fail, they must succeed on a further DC 18 Fortitude save 1d3 rounds later or take 1d8 Constitution damage.
Hypnotic Stare: A Frev can lock an enemy in place with a glare. At any point as a full-round action, a Frev may immobilize one adjacent enemy. The glare must be sustained as a full-round action, or the effect instantly ends. If the Frev is attacked, they must succeed on a Concentration check with a DC of 10 plus half of the attacker’s level plus half of the target’s level. Should this check fail, the target cannot be affected by the same Frev’s Hypnotic Stare for 24 hours.
Blossom Frev as Characters
A PC may end up as a Blossom Frev as a result of either contact with the Sirak Akosen’s pollen, or via surgery. In the latter case, the character is functionally dead, and their character sheet is handed over to the DM. However, in the case of the former, the character is still playable.
Blossom Frev that are not aligned to the Frev cause typically end up as loners, due to society’s not-unjustified views on their race. A Blossom Frev seeking a party may encounter serious difficulties in getting the other party members to trust her unless they have someone to vouch for her character.
In the event of transformation, make the following changes to your character.
•The character’s gender is now female, if it wasn’t already.
•The character’s type is now Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
•The character loses all previous races and templates, and is listed as “Blossom Frev.”
•Replace ability modifiers with Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Wis -4, Cha-4. If the PCs Int was below 10, it raises to this number. If it was 10 or above before, it remains unchanged.
•Any racial HD are replaced with d8s, if applicable.
•Their size changes to Medium if applicable.
•They gain DR 5/-.
•They gain Vulnerable 10 cold and fire.
•They gain the Hypnotic Stare, Bite, and Poison attacks.
•Their base land speed is 40 feet. In addition, they gain a swim speed of 20.
•They automatically understand Obis Sirak, but speaking it requires the Speak Language skill.
•Their LA is +2.
Should a PC Blossom Frev undergo the process of becoming a Soldier Frev, their mind is wiped, and they are functionally dead.
Soldier Frev
“Glory for the Matriarch.”
-First words of every Soldier Frev, as well as all brainwashed Blossom Frev
“Okay, so it’s a tall, genetically-altered snake lady wearing a suit which is literally almost nothing but blades. We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
-Benjamin Simmons, Free Blossom Frev
Soldier Frev are augmented versions of Blossom Frev. They stand a foot and a half taller than their weaker cousins, and their scales are either a bloody red or pure black.
Soldier Frev represent the generals of the Frev armies. They began showing up around the time of Frev expansion, and have been synonymous with battlefield victory ever since. This is mostly due to the high number of augments each one has been granted.
On very rare occasions, the Frev have converted others into Soldier Frev, skipping the Blossom phase entirely. This only happens when they are remarkably short-staffed, and it is not uncommon for the converts to be programmed with the memories of recently dead Soldiers.
Soldier status is essentially a template for Blossom Frev.
Stat-wise, Soldier Frev have been given major upgrades to all of their abilities. Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are all modified by +4. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma are enhanced by +8. Their hit dice are doubled, as is their CR. They have reduced vulnerability to cold and fire (5 each.)
Probably the most deadly thing about Soldier Frev, however, are the number of biological augments that they have available to them. They may select as many of the following as they like, and for every two they take, their HD and CR each increase by 1. Each may only be selected once.
•Bone Blades: In addition to whatever weapons they may be carrying, the Soldier Frev now has the option to use blades of bone jutting out of her wrists. These deal 1d3+Str damage, crit on 16-20, and deal x4 damage on a crit.
•Breath Weapon: 40-foot line of acid. Deals 3d8 damage, Reflex 22 halves.
•Enhanced Hypnotic Gaze: Now affects all enemies in a 60-foot cone.
•Enhanced Poison: The enemy must make a DC 22 Fortitude save, or take 1d8 Con Damage. If they fail, they must make a DC 28 Fortitude Save, or take 2d6 Con damage. If they succeeded the first time, they must repeat the save 1d3 rounds later or they will take 1d8 Con, and be forced to make the second throw.
•Nematocysts: When striking with a natural attack, the enemy takes 1d3 damage. They must save on a DC 22 Fortitude save, or take an additional 1d3 damage each round until they fall unconscious, or are healed with a Cure Wounds spell.
•Spell Resistance: This Frev gains 20 SR.
•Tail: The Soldier Frev gains a long, prehensile tail in place of her legs which can be used as a weapon. It deals 1d8 damage, although it were Large. This tail can also be used for crushing a foe after they’ve been grappled, and deals 1d6 damage per round.
•Weakness Closing: The Soldier Frev no longer has to worry about either cold or fire dealing additional damage, but in return gains a 5 extra vulnerability to the other. Select either cold or fire damage- the Frev will lose vulnerability to that damage source. In turn, the opposite damage deals 5 extra damage.
Thel, Captain of the Excelsior
Medium Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
Hit Dice: 18d8+72 (153 HP)
Initiative: +11 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40, Swim 20
Armor Class: 28 (+8 Dex, +10 Natural, +1 Padded,) Touch 17, Flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+17
Attack: Longsword +17 (1d8+5, 17-20) or Bite +19 (1d6+5 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 Longswords +13 (1d8+5, 17-20,) Tail Slap +19 (1d8+5) and Bite +19 (1d6+5 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Enhanced Poison, Hypnotic Glare, Tail, Spell Resistance, Weakness Closing (cold)
Special Qualities: Immunity to Acid, resist 10 lightning, DR 10/-, vulnerable 5 fire, SR 20, plant traits, reptilian traits
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +24, Will +20
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 27, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills: Concentration +25, Hide +31, Intimidate +22, Listen +26, Move Silently +31, Spot +26
Feats: Improved Natural Armor, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Alertness, Improved Critical (Longsword,) Persuasive
Environment: Any humid
Organization: Solitary or Invasion Army ((one hundred fifty to two hundred Blossom Frev plus fifty other Soldiers and one Matriarch)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Lawful Evil
“I am Thel, captain of the Frev ship Excelsior. I am broadcasting this message planet-wide via any device that can receive radio signals. We have detected a number of Sirak Akosen blossoms on the surface of this planet. Where there are Sirak Akosen, our sisters thrive. These Frev are to be returned to the fold. You will all have three days to surrender them to us. If you do not, this world will know the joy of ascension. That is all.”
-Thel’s Declaration of War, hours before the Battle of Sera
Matriarchs
“Sorry, Triana. Were it up to me, I’d release as many of you as possible. But the problem still stands- I don’t know what the Matriarch would do to me. Oh, you thought Thel was in charge here? Hate to break it to you , but although she’s got quite a bit of control over us, even she answers to the Matriarch. If the Matriarch knew I set you free... Sirak, I don’t even want to think about it...”
-A sympathetic Frev guard
“The Matriarchs remain surrounded in mystery. From what I can gather, only thirty-two exist because of how risky the procedure of creating one is. It seems like they need a child to perform the process, and it involves DNA grafts from Frev and Sirak Akosen Blossoms. The result is a being that approaches godhood as Earth races understand it.”
-Triana Emerson, final transmission from aboard a Frev vessel.
Matriarchs are the rulers of Frev society. These beings control entire worlds from a hidden vault on each Frev-controlled planet, making decisions and giving orders. It is unknown at the present time whether they are working together, alone, or even towards any kind of goal. There is even some doubt as to whether or not they have the Frev species’ best interests at heart.
The Matriarch position wasn’t always held by an abomination of genetic engineering- at one time, the position simply fell to a priestess, or a powerful warrior. Around the time that the Frev began to experiment with genetic modification, one was created by accident. When the Frev began to search the crater that was left behind, they discovered the single most powerful being known to their species. They accepted her as a leader, and tried to make more, in an effort to evolve the species. After decades of failures and only thirty-two total successes, they finally backed away from the project.
As of right now, the combat capabilities of the Matriarchs are unknown. They appear as a still, silent Blossom Frev bathed in blinding light. The only clothes they arrear to wear are Sirak Akosen petals that seem to cocoon around them. They do not appear to speak, but can communicate via psychic projections of emotions.
Frev
"Sera was a small colony world when I arrived. It had its share of problems, but for the most part, we survived. Colonists flew in from Centauri, Sirius, and even a few from the smoking remains of Earth for all kinds of reasons- jobs, adventure, escaping the mob... It was just your average untamed wilderness planet.
Then, the Frev arrived, and it all went straight to hell."
-Mandy Connor, one of eight survivors of the Battle of Sera
Out of all the hostile non-human races that have emerged since First Contact in 2140, the Frev are probably the most well-known, and the most feared. This serpentine race was first encountered during initial colonization efforts in 2206, and any planet they visited abruptly stopped sending transmissions. It was roughly fifty years before anyone managed to survive a Frev assault, and their news ended up being more disturbing than what was previously surmised- rather than simply slaughtering the inhabitants, the Frev had been converting the population into Frev, and blanking their minds.
As of 2572 (present day,) Frev attacks have become incredibly rare, and almost always take the populace by surprise. They rarely broadcast their presence before invading, and set up shop on planets that they conquer, making rescue efforts difficult. Furthermore, any humanoids not killed during the initial assault or who manage to land on the planet afterward are converted over several days into Frev soldiers, meaning that there is often very little incentive to land on a Frev-conquered planet.
Frev have a well-known aversion to fire and cold, but are otherwise difficult to fight, owing to increased strength and senses. All Frev speak Obis Sirak (God’s Tongue,) their own language. If it is necessary, they can learn others for the purpose of negotiating a surrender.
Sirak Akosen Blossom
Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 4d8+20 (38 HP)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 0
Armor Class: 17 (-2 Size, +9 Natural,) Touch 8, Flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+21
Attack: Vine +9 (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 3 Vines +9 (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 15/50
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Swallow Whole, Stomach Acid, Pollinate
Special Qualities: Resist 5 Lightning, Vulnerable 20 Fire, Vulnerable 20 Cold, Immune Acid, Plant Traits
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 27, Int 30, Wis 10, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Heal +7, Hide +11, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +17, Knowledge (geography) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17, Knowledge (religion) +17, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11
Feats: Improved Natural Armor, Ability Focus
Environment: Jungles, humid Forests
Organization: Solitary or Grove (5 Blossoms)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure:None
Alignment: Always Neutral
“Sirak Akosen- the God Crafter. This black-and green bulb is life itself for us. Without it, our race could not exist.”
-Ils the Thunderclap, Frev military scientist
Frev life begins and ends with the Sirak Akosen blossom, a carnivorous plant whose spores mutate a victim into the lesser Blossom Frev.
Sirak Akosen begin their life as seeds that are spread from the corpses of Frev. The seeds themselves resemble large dandelion seeds, and are functionally immortal, existing in a dormant state until conditions are right to plant roots. In this state, the seeds can survive even in the vacuum of space. However, in spite of their nigh-indestructibility, it is estimated that less than 1% of all Sirak Akosen seeds will ever grow.
The plant grows rapidly after landing, reaching full size within a week. From this point onward, the Sirak Akosen will eat anything that comes within reach of its prehensile vines, which can be moved like tentacles.
Sirak Akosen possess an ancestral memory, having access to all knowledge that its Frev parent possessed, as well as the knowledge of the Sirak Akosen that infected said parent. This means that Sirak Akosen are potential wellsprings of knowledge. However, the fact that they refuse to speak any language besides their own makes accessing this knowledge difficult, and potentially deadly for any non-Frev that attempt to approach it.
As mentioned previously, a Sirak Akosen will eat anything that steps near enough to its vines, and its mouth is near-inescapable without outside aid. In the unlikely event that its prey manages to escape, the Sirak Akosen will scatter pollen around the escapee. This pollen reconfigures the victim into a Blossom Frev, and slowly gestates into seeds over many decades. When any Frev dies, be they Blossom or Soldier, their body releases as many seeds as have developed, and the cycle begins anew.
Combat
Improved Grab: When an enemy is hit by the Sirak Akosen’s Vine attack, the Sirak Akosen may make a Grapple attempt as a free action. If an enemy is grappled by the Sirak Akosen, it is immediately swallowed.
Swallow Whole: A Large or smaller enemy grappled by a Sirak Akosen is dragged into the center of the blossom, which functions as its mouth. The mouth can swallow one large, two medium, eight small, or thirty-two tiny or smaller creatures. A swallowed enemy must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude check or be knocked unconscious. A successful save instead paralyzes an enemy until they are removed from the blossom. While swallowed, an enemy creature takes 1d3 acid damage and 1d3 crushing damage. An enemy killed in this manner is instantly dissolved. In the event that a victim is killed by this attack, the Sirak Akosen stops moving completely, and enters a dormant state for 1d2 days. In this state, it can be reduced to 0 hit points, but cannot be killed without burning or freezing the flower.
An enemy can be freed from within the blossom by dealing 5 damage to the bulb with a slashing weapon. (AC 17.) In the event that a victim is cut out, the Sirak Akosen stops moving, pollinates, and then enters the state of dormancy described above.
Pollinate: In the event that an enemy is freed from the inside of the blossom, the Sirak Akosen will use this ability as a free action. If the freed enemy is conscious, it must make a DC 19 Fortitude save, or be infected with the pollen. An unconscious enemy automatically fails this save. Furthermore, the enemy’s rescuer must make a DC 12 Reflex save, or be infected with the pollen.
An infected creature will begin to regenerate lost hit points at a rate of 1d8 per hour. When they reach full hit points or at the end of one hour (whichever happens later,) they begin the transformation into a Blossom Frev, which lasts 1d3 hours. This transformation is irreversible once it completes (with the usual exception for Wish, Limited Wish, and Miracle), but can be negated before it reaches completion with the casting of Remove Disease or Heal. This must be cast once every hour for the next 24 hours, or it will start again where it left off. If this is accomplished, even if the character was seconds away from the change being irreversible, the damage will be undone completely.
A transformed Frev will never be attacked by a Sirak Akosen blossom.
Blossom Frev
“Now, I have nothing against Blossom Frev in general. To be completely honest, one of my best friends is a Blossom Frev. The problem comes in, however, once you realize that just as often as an innocent is converted into a Blossom Frev during an unfortunate run-in with a Sirak Akosen, there are also a fleet of Soldier Frev who are forcibly converting ten innocents into Blossom Frev, brainwashing them, and siccing them on their former friends and family members to keep the vicious cycle going. Bottom line, if you encounter a Blossom Frev, run the hell away.”
-Triana Emerson, Xenobiologist
“And the First Matriarch looked down upon herself, at the gift that the God Crafter had given her. She was strong, fast, and she could sense everything around her. This feeling was joy. It was bliss. It was perfection. The entire universe should be allowed to experience this.”
-Frev Holy Book, Chapter 1, Verse 21
The products of a Sirak Akosen’s pollen. Blossom Frev are the natural state of the race, and also represent its weakest members. They stand around five and a half feet tall, sport a cobra’s hood behind their hood, are all female, and are coated in scales that range in color from red to yellow to brown, and everything in between. The exact scale colors vary from individual to individual, but these physical traits are common to all Blossom Frev. Theories about their visual similarities to snakes vary between coincidence and the existence of a Progenitor Prokaryote with a finite number of DNA combinations.
It is believed that the first Blossom Frev were woodland creatures lucky enough to have accidental help in escaping the Sirak Akosen Blossom’s embrace. This eventually extended to sentient races, and culminated in the conversion of the First Matriarch, an enigmatic figure from Frev mythology who decided that this gift from the gods needed to be spread across all races, sentient or otherwise. When she failed to convince the majority of the populace to abandon their previous races, she began a crusade that eventually resulted in complete Frev dominance in their sector. At some point in the last five hundred years, the Frev began to expand outward, accessing illegal memory alteration technology to curb uprisings before they could occur.
Blossom Frev appear in two manners. The first is via infection from a Sirak Akosen’s pollen. The second, far more sinister way is not explicitly known to most civilized people, but it is known that it involves copious amounts painful surgery. The latter is the favored tactic of converter squads, groups of around twenty Blossom Frev led by two or three Soldier Frev assigned to transform unwilling non-Frev. The end result of this method is a mind-wipe, followed by the implantation of false memories.
Blossom Frev are considered expendable, but survival over at least two years is rewarded with genetic alteration (also illegal) that results in Soldier Frev, considered to be far, far more dangerous than their weaker cousins.
Blossom Frev can come with literally any combination of stats and equipment, but the following represents the typical loadout on a brainwashed Blossom Frev.
Medium Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 HP)
Initiative: +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40 ft, Swim 20 ft
Armor Class: 23 (+5 Dex, +6 Natural, +2 Leather Armor,) Touch 15, Flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+9
Attack: Kukri +11 (1d4+3/18-20 ) or Bite +11 (1d6+3 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 Kukris +11 (1d4+3/18-20) and Bite +11 (1d6+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Venom, Hypnotic Stare
Special Qualities: DR 5/-, resist 5 lightning, vulnerable 10 fire and cold, immune acid, plant traits, reptilian traits
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +8
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 4
Skills: +11 Spot, +11 Listen
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any humid planet
Organization: Solitary or Pair or Scouting Party (five to seven) or Converter Squad (twenty plus three Soldiers) or Platoon (fifteen to thirty plus five Soldiers) or Invasion Army (one hundred fifty to two hundred plus fifty Soldiers and one Matriarch)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: 50% chance of gold, 50% chance of mundane weapons, 10% chance of gems, 5% chance of magic items, 1% chance of art objects
Alignment: Usually Neutral Evil
“Please... Don’t, no! I’ve got a family at home! Please, my daughter expects me home tonight! I need to go to her! Please don’t-
(A sharp cry, and then a solid minute of silence)
“...Glory to the Matriarch.”
-Final words of Robert Jackson, first words of Giten Sunstreak
Combat
Poison: An enemy hit with the Bite attack must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d4 Constitution damage. Should they fail, they must succeed on a further DC 18 Fortitude save 1d3 rounds later or take 1d8 Constitution damage.
Hypnotic Stare: A Frev can lock an enemy in place with a glare. At any point as a full-round action, a Frev may immobilize one adjacent enemy. The glare must be sustained as a full-round action, or the effect instantly ends. If the Frev is attacked, they must succeed on a Concentration check with a DC of 10 plus half of the attacker’s level plus half of the target’s level. Should this check fail, the target cannot be affected by the same Frev’s Hypnotic Stare for 24 hours.
Blossom Frev as Characters
A PC may end up as a Blossom Frev as a result of either contact with the Sirak Akosen’s pollen, or via surgery. In the latter case, the character is functionally dead, and their character sheet is handed over to the DM. However, in the case of the former, the character is still playable.
Blossom Frev that are not aligned to the Frev cause typically end up as loners, due to society’s not-unjustified views on their race. A Blossom Frev seeking a party may encounter serious difficulties in getting the other party members to trust her unless they have someone to vouch for her character.
In the event of transformation, make the following changes to your character.
•The character’s gender is now female, if it wasn’t already.
•The character’s type is now Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
•The character loses all previous races and templates, and is listed as “Blossom Frev.”
•Replace ability modifiers with Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Wis -4, Cha-4. If the PCs Int was below 10, it raises to this number. If it was 10 or above before, it remains unchanged.
•Any racial HD are replaced with d8s, if applicable.
•Their size changes to Medium if applicable.
•They gain DR 5/-.
•They gain Vulnerable 10 cold and fire.
•They gain the Hypnotic Stare, Bite, and Poison attacks.
•Their base land speed is 40 feet. In addition, they gain a swim speed of 20.
•They automatically understand Obis Sirak, but speaking it requires the Speak Language skill.
•Their LA is +2.
Should a PC Blossom Frev undergo the process of becoming a Soldier Frev, their mind is wiped, and they are functionally dead.
Soldier Frev
“Glory for the Matriarch.”
-First words of every Soldier Frev, as well as all brainwashed Blossom Frev
“Okay, so it’s a tall, genetically-altered snake lady wearing a suit which is literally almost nothing but blades. We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
-Benjamin Simmons, Free Blossom Frev
Soldier Frev are augmented versions of Blossom Frev. They stand a foot and a half taller than their weaker cousins, and their scales are either a bloody red or pure black.
Soldier Frev represent the generals of the Frev armies. They began showing up around the time of Frev expansion, and have been synonymous with battlefield victory ever since. This is mostly due to the high number of augments each one has been granted.
On very rare occasions, the Frev have converted others into Soldier Frev, skipping the Blossom phase entirely. This only happens when they are remarkably short-staffed, and it is not uncommon for the converts to be programmed with the memories of recently dead Soldiers.
Soldier status is essentially a template for Blossom Frev.
Stat-wise, Soldier Frev have been given major upgrades to all of their abilities. Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are all modified by +4. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma are enhanced by +8. Their hit dice are doubled, as is their CR. They have reduced vulnerability to cold and fire (5 each.)
Probably the most deadly thing about Soldier Frev, however, are the number of biological augments that they have available to them. They may select as many of the following as they like, and for every two they take, their HD and CR each increase by 1. Each may only be selected once.
•Bone Blades: In addition to whatever weapons they may be carrying, the Soldier Frev now has the option to use blades of bone jutting out of her wrists. These deal 1d3+Str damage, crit on 16-20, and deal x4 damage on a crit.
•Breath Weapon: 40-foot line of acid. Deals 3d8 damage, Reflex 22 halves.
•Enhanced Hypnotic Gaze: Now affects all enemies in a 60-foot cone.
•Enhanced Poison: The enemy must make a DC 22 Fortitude save, or take 1d8 Con Damage. If they fail, they must make a DC 28 Fortitude Save, or take 2d6 Con damage. If they succeeded the first time, they must repeat the save 1d3 rounds later or they will take 1d8 Con, and be forced to make the second throw.
•Nematocysts: When striking with a natural attack, the enemy takes 1d3 damage. They must save on a DC 22 Fortitude save, or take an additional 1d3 damage each round until they fall unconscious, or are healed with a Cure Wounds spell.
•Spell Resistance: This Frev gains 20 SR.
•Tail: The Soldier Frev gains a long, prehensile tail in place of her legs which can be used as a weapon. It deals 1d8 damage, although it were Large. This tail can also be used for crushing a foe after they’ve been grappled, and deals 1d6 damage per round.
•Weakness Closing: The Soldier Frev no longer has to worry about either cold or fire dealing additional damage, but in return gains a 5 extra vulnerability to the other. Select either cold or fire damage- the Frev will lose vulnerability to that damage source. In turn, the opposite damage deals 5 extra damage.
Thel, Captain of the Excelsior
Medium Gestalt Humanoid (reptillian)/Plant
Hit Dice: 18d8+72 (153 HP)
Initiative: +11 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 40, Swim 20
Armor Class: 28 (+8 Dex, +10 Natural, +1 Padded,) Touch 17, Flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+17
Attack: Longsword +17 (1d8+5, 17-20) or Bite +19 (1d6+5 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 Longswords +13 (1d8+5, 17-20,) Tail Slap +19 (1d8+5) and Bite +19 (1d6+5 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Enhanced Poison, Hypnotic Glare, Tail, Spell Resistance, Weakness Closing (cold)
Special Qualities: Immunity to Acid, resist 10 lightning, DR 10/-, vulnerable 5 fire, SR 20, plant traits, reptilian traits
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +24, Will +20
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 27, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills: Concentration +25, Hide +31, Intimidate +22, Listen +26, Move Silently +31, Spot +26
Feats: Improved Natural Armor, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Alertness, Improved Critical (Longsword,) Persuasive
Environment: Any humid
Organization: Solitary or Invasion Army ((one hundred fifty to two hundred Blossom Frev plus fifty other Soldiers and one Matriarch)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Lawful Evil
“I am Thel, captain of the Frev ship Excelsior. I am broadcasting this message planet-wide via any device that can receive radio signals. We have detected a number of Sirak Akosen blossoms on the surface of this planet. Where there are Sirak Akosen, our sisters thrive. These Frev are to be returned to the fold. You will all have three days to surrender them to us. If you do not, this world will know the joy of ascension. That is all.”
-Thel’s Declaration of War, hours before the Battle of Sera
Matriarchs
“Sorry, Triana. Were it up to me, I’d release as many of you as possible. But the problem still stands- I don’t know what the Matriarch would do to me. Oh, you thought Thel was in charge here? Hate to break it to you , but although she’s got quite a bit of control over us, even she answers to the Matriarch. If the Matriarch knew I set you free... Sirak, I don’t even want to think about it...”
-A sympathetic Frev guard
“The Matriarchs remain surrounded in mystery. From what I can gather, only thirty-two exist because of how risky the procedure of creating one is. It seems like they need a child to perform the process, and it involves DNA grafts from Frev and Sirak Akosen Blossoms. The result is a being that approaches godhood as Earth races understand it.”
-Triana Emerson, final transmission from aboard a Frev vessel.
Matriarchs are the rulers of Frev society. These beings control entire worlds from a hidden vault on each Frev-controlled planet, making decisions and giving orders. It is unknown at the present time whether they are working together, alone, or even towards any kind of goal. There is even some doubt as to whether or not they have the Frev species’ best interests at heart.
The Matriarch position wasn’t always held by an abomination of genetic engineering- at one time, the position simply fell to a priestess, or a powerful warrior. Around the time that the Frev began to experiment with genetic modification, one was created by accident. When the Frev began to search the crater that was left behind, they discovered the single most powerful being known to their species. They accepted her as a leader, and tried to make more, in an effort to evolve the species. After decades of failures and only thirty-two total successes, they finally backed away from the project.
As of right now, the combat capabilities of the Matriarchs are unknown. They appear as a still, silent Blossom Frev bathed in blinding light. The only clothes they arrear to wear are Sirak Akosen petals that seem to cocoon around them. They do not appear to speak, but can communicate via psychic projections of emotions.