Temotei
2014-03-13, 04:41 AM
Quagmire Stalker
Medium Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), swim 40 ft.
Initiative: +4
Armor Class 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple +4/+8
Attack Bite +8 melee (1d6+4 plus poison)
Full-Attack Bite +8 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Marsh haunting, poison, silent exhalation
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., formless, low-light vision, natural invisibility
Saves Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities Str 19, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 7
Skills Concentration +10, Hide +6, Listen +10, Move Silently +22*, Spot +10, Survival +14*, Swim +18
Feats Power Attack, Skill Focus (Move Silently), Stealthy, TrackB
Environment Warm marsh
Organization Solitary, pair, knot (3-8)
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement 7-18 HD (Medium); 19-30 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment —
Fear is the greatest enemy. Get a hold of yourself...every time I take a step I swear I see something out of the corner of my eye moving in the water, but when I look, nothing is there and the water is still. I have to get out of this damnable marsh, but...for some reason, this heat just won't let up. I won't survive for much longer without cooling off, and I don't think I'll get out before that happens. I dread going toward the water, but it seems I have no option. - Adventurer's Journal
A quagmire stalker is the silent death of the marsh, borne from the side effects of black magic and witchery. Evil drives this being, its main desire to kill anything that wanders too close to its home--a body of water deep in marshland, which it never leaves. Because of this, life around a quagmire stalker's home is basically nonexistent, creating an unsettling silent atmosphere.
A character particularly attuned to nature may be able to make a Knowledge (nature) or Survival check to notice how lifeless it is surrounding a body of water containing a quagmire stalker. The Survival check's DC should probably be 15 (or 17 if you use the 10 + 1/2 HD + Int modifier formula as above for the Spot check in silent exhalation), while the Knowledge (nature) check should probably be around DC 20 (or, again, 17 if you use the 10 + 1/2 HD + Int modifier formula).
Upon killing a creature, a quagmire stalker makes a cursory check for various measures of wealth and often uses these coins and items as further bait for greedy wanderers if it cannot force them to enter its abode.
Spells such as see invisibility and even true seeing reveal only an outline of a shape of a twisted and bent humanoid, though it weaves and sways as if its entire form is moving with a blowing wind. However, its eyes are clear to the observer--pitch black, six in number, and locked on to its prey. These are the only parts of its body that don't move.
A quagmire stalker has a height between 3 and 6 feet tall, varying moment to moment, but is completely weightless regardless of its height.
Combat
Formless (Ex)
A quagmire stalker has no real form, and spells such as see invisibility and even true seeing reveal only an amorphous outline. Any attacks against the quagmire stalker still have a 20% miss chance even when it is seen in this manner.
Marsh Haunting (Su)
As a standard action, a quagmire stalker can designate a single creature within 100 feet to become extremely uncomfortable in the marsh heat. The designated creature must make a DC 17 Will save or be compelled to take off any armor or clothing it is wearing and attempt to cool off in the quagmire stalker's resident body of water for 1 minute (or more, if the character wills it). Creatures affected by the endure elements spell gain a +4 bonus on their saving throw against this effect, while those immune to feeling heat or fire altogether are immune. A successful Will save simply makes the target feel uneasy--perhaps even a little paranoid--though it is immune to future compulsions from the quagmire stalker for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Intelligence-based.
Natural Invisibility (Su)
This ability is constant, allowing a quagmire stalker to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell.
Poison (Ex)
Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Silent Exhalation (Su)
As a full-round action, a quagmire stalker slowly lets the target's breath out, beginning to drown a creature that has entered the same body of water it resides in, though the creature doesn't know it is drowning; rather, it feels relaxed and cool, finally getting a nice reprieve from the harsh heat of the marsh. A quagmire stalker must maintain concentration on drowning the creature as a standard action each round, and therefore cannot drown more than a single target at once. Onlookers don't notice anything out of the ordinary until the target creature falls unconscious. When this happens, each witness may make a DC 17 Spot check each round until the creature dies to notice the creature hasn't simply fallen asleep sitting upright (this is an exception to the rule of creatures going prone upon becoming unconscious). When the target drowns, onlookers realize the creature is dead without Spot checks.
Skills
A quagmire stalker has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *A quagmire stalker gains a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Survival checks when in the water.
Adventure Hooks
Patrols in a nearby marshland town have been disappearing more and more frequently.
A witch hunter is going out on a hunt in the hot marsh less than a day's walk from here. She invites you to join her if you're up to the task of facing forbidden magics. She says that the locals believe the swamp is cursed with something far worse than witches.
You find an explorer's journal half-buried in the peat of a marsh. It details the explorer's descent into paranoia and madness as he was unable to find a way out and continually felt the need to bathe in the marsh waters.
Medium Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), swim 40 ft.
Initiative: +4
Armor Class 17 (+4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple +4/+8
Attack Bite +8 melee (1d6+4 plus poison)
Full-Attack Bite +8 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Marsh haunting, poison, silent exhalation
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., formless, low-light vision, natural invisibility
Saves Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities Str 19, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 7
Skills Concentration +10, Hide +6, Listen +10, Move Silently +22*, Spot +10, Survival +14*, Swim +18
Feats Power Attack, Skill Focus (Move Silently), Stealthy, TrackB
Environment Warm marsh
Organization Solitary, pair, knot (3-8)
Challenge Rating 5
Treasure Half standard
Alignment Always chaotic evil
Advancement 7-18 HD (Medium); 19-30 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment —
Fear is the greatest enemy. Get a hold of yourself...every time I take a step I swear I see something out of the corner of my eye moving in the water, but when I look, nothing is there and the water is still. I have to get out of this damnable marsh, but...for some reason, this heat just won't let up. I won't survive for much longer without cooling off, and I don't think I'll get out before that happens. I dread going toward the water, but it seems I have no option. - Adventurer's Journal
A quagmire stalker is the silent death of the marsh, borne from the side effects of black magic and witchery. Evil drives this being, its main desire to kill anything that wanders too close to its home--a body of water deep in marshland, which it never leaves. Because of this, life around a quagmire stalker's home is basically nonexistent, creating an unsettling silent atmosphere.
A character particularly attuned to nature may be able to make a Knowledge (nature) or Survival check to notice how lifeless it is surrounding a body of water containing a quagmire stalker. The Survival check's DC should probably be 15 (or 17 if you use the 10 + 1/2 HD + Int modifier formula as above for the Spot check in silent exhalation), while the Knowledge (nature) check should probably be around DC 20 (or, again, 17 if you use the 10 + 1/2 HD + Int modifier formula).
Upon killing a creature, a quagmire stalker makes a cursory check for various measures of wealth and often uses these coins and items as further bait for greedy wanderers if it cannot force them to enter its abode.
Spells such as see invisibility and even true seeing reveal only an outline of a shape of a twisted and bent humanoid, though it weaves and sways as if its entire form is moving with a blowing wind. However, its eyes are clear to the observer--pitch black, six in number, and locked on to its prey. These are the only parts of its body that don't move.
A quagmire stalker has a height between 3 and 6 feet tall, varying moment to moment, but is completely weightless regardless of its height.
Combat
Formless (Ex)
A quagmire stalker has no real form, and spells such as see invisibility and even true seeing reveal only an amorphous outline. Any attacks against the quagmire stalker still have a 20% miss chance even when it is seen in this manner.
Marsh Haunting (Su)
As a standard action, a quagmire stalker can designate a single creature within 100 feet to become extremely uncomfortable in the marsh heat. The designated creature must make a DC 17 Will save or be compelled to take off any armor or clothing it is wearing and attempt to cool off in the quagmire stalker's resident body of water for 1 minute (or more, if the character wills it). Creatures affected by the endure elements spell gain a +4 bonus on their saving throw against this effect, while those immune to feeling heat or fire altogether are immune. A successful Will save simply makes the target feel uneasy--perhaps even a little paranoid--though it is immune to future compulsions from the quagmire stalker for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Intelligence-based.
Natural Invisibility (Su)
This ability is constant, allowing a quagmire stalker to remain invisible even when attacking. This ability is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell.
Poison (Ex)
Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Silent Exhalation (Su)
As a full-round action, a quagmire stalker slowly lets the target's breath out, beginning to drown a creature that has entered the same body of water it resides in, though the creature doesn't know it is drowning; rather, it feels relaxed and cool, finally getting a nice reprieve from the harsh heat of the marsh. A quagmire stalker must maintain concentration on drowning the creature as a standard action each round, and therefore cannot drown more than a single target at once. Onlookers don't notice anything out of the ordinary until the target creature falls unconscious. When this happens, each witness may make a DC 17 Spot check each round until the creature dies to notice the creature hasn't simply fallen asleep sitting upright (this is an exception to the rule of creatures going prone upon becoming unconscious). When the target drowns, onlookers realize the creature is dead without Spot checks.
Skills
A quagmire stalker has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. *A quagmire stalker gains a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Survival checks when in the water.
Adventure Hooks
Patrols in a nearby marshland town have been disappearing more and more frequently.
A witch hunter is going out on a hunt in the hot marsh less than a day's walk from here. She invites you to join her if you're up to the task of facing forbidden magics. She says that the locals believe the swamp is cursed with something far worse than witches.
You find an explorer's journal half-buried in the peat of a marsh. It details the explorer's descent into paranoia and madness as he was unable to find a way out and continually felt the need to bathe in the marsh waters.