Occasionally aberrations mate with other races to observe the outcome or to carry out bizarre and inhuman experiments to learn or simply amuse themselves. This template is the result of this terrible act.

New Monster: Stricken Aberrant [template]

It had once been a dragon—that much was certain. Its bone white flanks towered above us like an ice wall. It had wings, of a sort, although they were more like an insect’s than a dragon’s, and they were bent at odd angles to the ghastly creature’s vast arched back. It had no eyes, but sniffed hungrily at the air as though it could sense us.

It was clearly at war with its own biology: huge cysts hung from its flanks, cancerous growths that erupted in foul smelling puss that actually sizzled as it hit the snow beneath our feet. These sores clung to the creature, making it a pale leper suffering its own skin.

Size and Type aberration

HD d8

AC as base creature

Abilities as base creature

Skills as base creature

Feats as base creature

Environment as base creature

Organization solitary, pair, or madness (3-12)

Treasure usually none

Alignment usually neutral

CR as base creature +2

Special Abilities (a stricken aberrant creature retains all its special abilities and gains those described here)

Appalling Parentage (Ex) The stricken aberrant creature comes in many forms but, generally, conforms to one of four types. Each stricken aberrant possesses alien infestation, caustic body, horrible biology, or insectoid kith.

Alien Infestation (Ex) The creature’s appearance changes drastically. It retains its basic form (allowing attacks with arms, or stings, or the like), but it is a seething mass of insectoid legs, tentacles, and fleshy mouths. Occasionally, the creature grows huge amorphous spheres or is formed at the centre of twisted bones that bend back on themselves impossibly. Fighting such a creature is difficult; it cannot be flanked and is not subject to critical hits. Furthermore, each round viewing the abhorrence, an opponent must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier) or be affected by a lesser confusion spell.

Caustic Body (Ex) The skin of this creature is a caustic slime; the slime and the creature’s blood are highly corrosive. Such a stricken aberrant’s touch delivers 1 extra acid damage per HD. Intelligent stricken aberrations often coat their weapons with such acids. If the creature is the subject of a critical hit or reduced to 0 hp by an attack, all characters within the creature’s reach must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier) or suffer 1d4 acid damage per HD of the creature as caustic blood seethes from the terrible wound; a successful save halves the damage.

Horrible Biology (Ex) The creature has slimy elasticity; its reach doubles. Furthermore, its appendages are covered in erupting sores, which ooze a paralytic secretion. Anyone touched by this secretion must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Constitution modifier) or be paralyzed for 6 rounds.

Insectoid Kith (Ex) This creature not only has a bizarrely insectoid appearance, but it gains a +6 natural armor bonus due to its chitinous skin. Furthermore, this unsettling abhorrence is able to release a cloud of choking acid in a 10-ft. cone. Those within the cone must succeed a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Constitution modifier) or take 1d4 acid damage per HD of the creature; a successful save halves the damage.

Blindsight (Ex) The stricken aberrant has no eyes, but it uses its hearing to ascertain all foes within 100 ft. as a sighted creature would.

Immunities (Ex) Due to their blindness, stricken aberrants have immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Unnatural Anatomy (Ex) Such is the broken nature of the creature that those who see it must make an immediate Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier) or suffer the effects of confusion (CL 7th); creatures succeeding their save are immune to the individual creature’s unnatural anatomy for 24 hours.

Sample Stricken Aberrant Creature

No one knows who would have created such a demented creature or why they ever thought it was a good idea. Abandoned in the frozen tundra, all it has ever known is the torment of its own biology. It wanders unceasingly, lashing out at phantoms and terrorizing all in it path.

The One that Howls as It is Unmade by the Storm, a Stricken Aberrant Ancient White Dragon (CR 20)

NE Huge aberration (cold)

Init +0; Senses blindsense 100 ft., darkvision 120 ft., keen senses; Listen +35, Spot 35

DEFENSE

AC 37, touch 8, flat-footed 37

(+0 Dex, +29 natural, -2 size)

hp 315 (30d8+180)

Fort +23, Ref +17, Will +19

OFFENSE

Spd 60ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60ft.

Melee bite +39 (2d8+11plus 30 acid damage) and

2 claws +34 (2d6+5 plus 30 acid damage) and

2 wings +34 (1d8+5 plus 30 acid damage) and

tail slap +34 (2d6+16 plus 30 acid damage)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks breath weapon, caustic body, frightful presence

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th)

3/day—fog cloud, freezing fog, gust of wind, wall of ice

STATISTICS

Str 33, Dex 10, Con 23, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14

Base Atk +30; Grapple +49

Feats: Aberrant Perverted, Aberrant Twisted, Alertness, Blind-Fight, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Sunder, Multi-Attack, Power Attack, Snatch, Unnatural

Skills: Concentration +44, Diplomacy +35, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (local) +35, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Listen +35, Search +35, Sense Motive +35, Spot +35

ECOLOGY

Environment cold mountains

Organization solitary

Treasure triple standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon (Su) The creature has a breath of cold: cone of cold (50 ft., 10d6 cold damage).

Caustic Body (Ex) The skin of the creature is a caustic slime, which, like the blood in its veins, is highly corrosive. The creature’s touch delivers 30 acid damage (this is in addition to any further damage from such attacks). If the creature is the subject of a critical hit or reduced to 0 hp by an attack, all characters within 10 ft. must make a Reflex save (DC 27) or suffer 30d4 points of acid damage (half if the save is successful).

Freezing Fog (Sp) The creature can use this ability three times per day. It is similar to a solid fog spell but also causes a rime of slippery ice to form on any surface the fog touches, creating the effect of a grease spell. The dragon is immune to the grease effect because of its icewalking ability. This ability is the equivalent of a 5th-level spell.

Frightful Presence (Ex) Creatures within 300 ft. are subject to this effect if they have fewer than 30 HD. A creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 29) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence. On a failure, creatures with 4 HD or less become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons.

Ice Walking (Ex) This ability works like the spider climb spell, but the surfaces the dragon climbs must be icy. It is always in effect.

Unnatural Anatomy (Ex) Such is the broken nature of the creature that when first seen, those who see it must make an immediate Will save (DC 27) or suffer the effects of confusion (CL 7th).

(Open Game License)

______

How much can a mind take! Pett’s relentless assault is certainly taking its toll. Any last words before they take you away? Scrawl them below.