NeoExodus Monsters of NeoExodus - Wyrms of Wrath.pdf - NeoExodus - sororita

monsters of neoexodus:

WYRMs OF WRAtH

LPJ9663

3.5 SYSTEM COMPATIBLE

BILECRAWLER

As we passed through the ten by ten corridor we

heard a rumbling sound like bone scraping upon

stone. Suddenly the walls to our right and left

exploded dislodging chunks of

masonry into the hall and

momentarily blinding us in

dust. Out from the fissures

a series of flesh tendrils

uncoiled like so many bloated

serpents. Each was as thick

around as pony. Attached

to the end of their slime-

covered trunks was a

nest of barbed spines.

At the center of

the peril, there

lay a pink, bile-

stinking orifice

lined with rows

of inward

tilted fangs.

Before

we could

act one

of them

caught

Suezarian

by the leg

and pulled

the young

apprentice

screaming

back down

the tunnel it

had sprung

from. The

lad’s tortured

calls echoed

back up to us even

as his lantern’s light

tumbled into the dark-

ness. As we backed away the

worms hissed and tumbled into

the corridor after us, coiling and

uncoiling, slithering like desert sidewinders

Monsters of NeoExodus: Wyrms of Wrath

over the debris; their heads and tiny, baleful eyes

canted toward us – their would-be feast.

A bilecrawler burrows using the bony spines mounted

on its front end, and its acidic digestive juices.

It absorbs nourishment from the organic matter

and mineral nutrients found in the soil eating as it

burrows. However a bilecrawler’s diet requires it to

eat copious amounts of protein as well, which the

creature acquires by preying on other subterranean

creatures – notably humanoids like dwarves, goblins,

and drow. A burrowing bilecrawler usually does not

make a usable tunnel, but it can construct a tunnel at

need or at the command of a cthonnon master ( see

cthonnon ). To do so it must burrow at half speed. This

species of wyrm often digs winding tunnels abutting

dungeon corridors, natural caves and mine shafts, so

as to be closer to its prey. Typical tunnels are 5 feet

tall and wide, and from 60 to 150 feet long ( [1d10 +

5] x10 ).

Bilecrawler - CR 3

Always Neutral Large Magical Beast ( Wyrm )

Initiative: +0; Senses: darkvision 60 ft, low-light

vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +3

Armor Class: 18 ( –1 size, +9 natural ), touch 9, flat-

footed 18

HP: 25 ( 3 HD )

Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +2

Speed: 30 ft. ( 6 squares ), burrow 20 ft.

Melee: Bite +7 melee ( 2d6+7 plus 1d4 acid )

Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.

Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12

Special Attacks: Improved grab, spit acid

Abilities: Str 21, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,

narrow build, tremorsense 60 ft.

Feats: Acrobatic, Alertness

Skills: Jump +7, Listen +6, Spot +3, Tumble +5

Environment: Underground

Organization: Solitary or bed ( 2–4 )

Treasure: None

Advancement: 4 HD ( Large ); 5–9 HD ( Huge )

Level Adjustment: —

The fleshy antenna, mounted above the bilecrawl-

er’s mouth, and banded chitin shell act as a motion

detector, picking up minute surface vibrations when

the creature is in contact with the earth. Vibrations

caused by passing prey are picked up by the creature’s

armor and transferred up to its antenna via vibratory

resonance. The wyrm can manage the same effect by

touching or burying its antenna in the ground.

COMBAt

A bilecrawler usually lies 5 to 10 feet below the

surface until its antennae detects the approach of prey.

It then burrows up to attack. ( Treat this as a charge,

even though the bilecrawler does not need to move 10

feet before attacking. ) The creature usually only fights

long enough to acquire a meal, grabbing a victim and

then escaping back down its tunnel. The more frus-

trated a bilecrawler the more likely it is to spit a gout

of bile.

The bilecrawler ( also know as a bile wyrm for the

gastrula stink it gives off ) makes its lair in caves and

dungeons, often burrowing into such places in search

of water or prey. This wyrm is the bane of most

subterranean humanoid races, being clever enough to

tunnel around heavily defended guard positions and

into living spaces and sleeping areas to feast upon the

surprised inhabitants ( most of whom are usually non-

combatants ). Many underground races have a number

of folk tales regarding these monsters, most involve

the wyrms having a taste for particularly unruly chil-

dren. Real bilecrawlers don’t particularly care whether

their meal has been naughty or nice.

Pods of bilecrawlers share the same territory but

do not cooperate, with one another unless directed

to by a cthonnon trainer. The wyrmlords often use

bilecrawlers as scouts, and sappers, when launching

an invasion of against their subterranean neighbors.

Likewise they use the beasts to construct new lairs.

Bilecrawlers make for excellent terror weapons

considering their predilections concerning food.

Bilecrawler’s appear much like stout segmented earth-

worms or slugs bred to enormous size. Their only

facial features are a gaping oral cavity rung round

with a collection of flexible barbed spines and a pair

of forward-pointed, lidded eyes mounted to either side

of its mouth. Their coloration ranges from dull pink

and gray to dark brown or glossy black. Typical speci-

mens grow to about 13 feet long and weigh around

900 pounds.

Improved Grab ( Ex ): To use this ability, a bilec-

rawler must hit a Medium or smaller creature with its

bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a

free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

If the bilecrawler succeeds in controlling the grapple,

it attempts to retreat backward down its tunnel at its

Page 2

Monsters of NeoExodus: Wyrms of Wrath

land speed ( not its burrow speed ), dragging the victim

with it.

Abilities: Str 25, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,

narrow build, tremorsense 60 ft.

Feats: Acrobatic, Alertness, Improved Grapple,

Improved Initiative

Skills: Jump +9, Listen +8, Spot +5, Tumble +9

Environment: Underground

Organization: Solitary or bed ( 2–4 )

Treasure: None

Level Adjustment: —

Narrow Build ( Ex ): A bilecrawler’s long narrow

physique is such that it can navigate areas that would

ordinarily be too small for a creature of it’s size cate-

gory without suffering many of the penalties associ-

ated with becoming squeezed ( see Tactical Movement

in the PH ). Bilecrawlers are treated as being one

size category smaller for purposes of moving around

corners or through tight enclosures. In areas where the

wyrm would ordinarily become squeezed, the wyrm

compresses to fit the area’s size, but suffers none of

the usual penalties associated with being squeezed

aside form being compressed to half it’s normal

tactical width

Spew Bile ( Ex ): A paragon bilecrawler’s stomach

acids are even more caustic than the standard variety.

Once every 1d4 rounds it can belch forth a 30-ft. line

of putrid yellow bile to soak its prey in ( 6d4 points of

acid damage, Reflex DC 18 for half ). The save DC is

Constitution-based.

For Example: When a Large bilecrawler ( which

normally takes up four squares ) squeezes into a space

that’s one square wide ( such as its own tunnel ), the

creature’s miniature figure occupies two squares,

centered on the line between the two squares. For a

bigger bilecrawler, center the creature likewise in the

area it squeezes into.

Paragon bilecrawlers, appear much like the more

common variety, but are a more confident breed less

likely to leave a fight until all its targeted prey have

fled or been incapacitated. Rarely are they found

untended in the “wild.” Almost all have been specifi-

cally bred and trained to be instruments of war by the

vermen, and rarely stray far from their owners’ sides.

A bilecrawler is still considered Large for all other

tactical considerations outside of the specific move-

ment mentioned above, including but not limited to:

grapple checks, skill checks, reach ( though it’s reach

will be shortened for it’s narrower profile ), etc….

A bilecrawler may not choose to squeeze past and

enemy.

The selective breeding process has, in addition to

making them heartier, also augmented the acidity

of the paragon bilecrawler’s stomach bile. The acid

of these augmented wyrms is so strong that older

paragon bilecrawlers often suffer near constant pain

from ulcers along their digestive tract. The result is

that paragon bilecrawlers must void their bile more

often and are therefore much freer using their acidic

spittle in enemies. Some scholars theorize that the

constant burning of their bile is the source of much of

this wyrm’s aggression.

Spew Bile ( Ex ): A bilecrawler’s stomach acids are

perilously caustic. Once every 2d4 rounds it can belch

forth a 30-ft. line of putrid yellow bile to soak its prey

in ( 4d4 points of acid damage, Reflex DC 14 for half ).

The save DC is Constitution-based.

Paragon Bilecrawler - CR 6

Always Neutral Large Magical Beast ( Wyrm )

Initiative: +5; Senses: darkvision 60 ft, low-light

vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +8, Spot +5

Armor Class: 21 ( –1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural ), touch

12, flat-footed 18

HP: 62 ( 6 HD )

Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +4

Speed: 30 ft. ( 6 squares ), burrow 20 ft.

Melee: Bite +12 melee ( 2d6+10 plus 1d4 acid )

Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.

Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+21

Special Attacks: Improved grab, spit acid

COMBAt

Bred to be bigger, tougher and more aggressive than

their fellows by the vermen. Paragon bilecrawlers are

less likely to retreat with one measly morsel caught

in their barbed mouth spines, and are more likely to

try and bring down as much prey as possible. After

a successful hunt the paragon bilecrawler removes

the bodies of its prey back to their tunnels to dine on

in peace. Only if the wyrm is severely injured does

it break off combat dragging whatever edibles it can

with it.

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Monsters of NeoExodus: Wyrms of Wrath

CtHONNON

The ground beneath your feet gives way revealing

a hideous, chattering, circle of articulated spines

surrounding a lamprey-like maw filled with rows

of serrated fangs. The fiendish orifice is attached to

a glistening four-foot-long slug with tiny atrophied

fore limbs horribly reminiscent of a newborn’s but

ending in palsied hands and black talon-like claws.

The abomination supports it self on a pair of stunted

reptilian legs from which twisted toes stick out at

seemingly random lengths. A fleshy tendril protrudes

from above its mouth at the top of what most would

call its eyeless head. The antenna takes a taste of the

air and then bruise-colored thing gives a loud hissing

screech in your general direction. There is a another

rumble from deep below. Something is coming.

Something large.

Cthonnons and their wyrms rise from their alien

labyrinths and make war on the world above. Popular

conjecture says it is plunder the surface of valuables,

slaves or food. Some say that the Cthonnon are acting

out of some primitive instinct and that they are as

bestial as the monsters they tend. The truth though lies

somewhere between. Every hundred years conditions

near the center of world become so inhospitable as to

drive the Cthonnon from the their homes for several

decades during which time they clash with various

subterranean, and terrestrial species over resources. As

a side note rampaging armies of undead are a much

less common threat during these periods.

Cthonnon lairs are little more than damp muddy

burrows that stink of clay. Most communities center

around some strange geologic feature such as crys-

talline cavern, purple worm fossil, or thermal vent.

Alternatively closer to the surface vermin often lair

in borrows, cemeteries, sewers and the lairs of other

monsters that have either moved on or been evicted by

the vermin. The worm folk have little need for equip-

ment and few even bother with clothing except when

dealing with humanoids. When dealing with more

conventional humanoids they wrap themselves in dark

hooded cloaks so as to conceal their disconcerting

appearance.

A Cthonnon ( singular or plural ) looks like nothing so

much as a slouching, land-bound, armored lamprey.

They have stubby, segmented, serpentine bodies with

short lizard-like legs and feet. Their tiny, almost atro-

phied arms end in three hooked claws. Their heads,

a near featureless extension of their sinuous necks,

end in a hole-shaped mouth filled with rows of tiny

inward slanting spines, capped off by a fleshy antenna

that serves as their primary olfactory organ. Cthonnon

show no hint of ever having developed eyes, but yet

can perceive their environs through a battery of other

senses including vibrations. Typical Cthonnon stand

about 4 feet tall and weigh about 110 pounds. Like

certain real wyrms they reproduce asexually through a

process similar to mitosis. When a Cthonnon reaches

a certain age and size it develops a second set of atro-

phied bodily features (i ncluding limbs, antenna and

mouth ), at its next molt the creature sheds into two

distinct beings both fully grown and possessing all the

knowledge of the original.

Cthonnon do make use of an ancient form of earth

rune magic that predates that of giants or dwarves,

and rumor persist about powerful rune wizards who

dwell in vast unnatural cathedrals of stone and mud,

hidden away in the deepest depths of the earth. Here

Cthonnon olmen ( the title given to Cthonnon’s most

accomplished bards ) murmur haunting hymns that stir

the very bones of the world. Given enough olmen of

sufficient talent the musical ritual magic of the worm-

lords is enough to cause volcanoes to awaken, fault

lines to shift and given time can move whole land-

masses, though the latter can take years and succes-

sions of singers to accomplish.

No less disconcerting is their taste for undead.

Cthonnon often raid the graveyards of other beings

when given the chance, but are most fond of eating

still moving animated dead having a sweet tooth for

whatever taste there is to necromantic magic. Beyond

the dead, Cthonnon can eat any sort of decaying

organic matter, be it from plants or animals.

Cthonnons speak Terran and Undercommon, though

most humanoids find their clicking spiky teeth to be

distracting.

Cthonnon - CR 3

Usually Lawful Evil Small Outsider ( Native, Earth )

Initiative: +0; Senses: All-around vision, Darkvision

60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +8

Languages: Terran, Common

Armor Class: 23, touch 11, flat-footed 23 ( +1 size,

+12 natural )

HP: 22 ( 3 HD )

Cthonnon also known as wyrmlords or even worm-

folk, are an ancient subterranean race with a special

affinity for tending to and training the wyrms of

wrath. They are rumored to live in deepest bowels

of the earth deeper than even the drow, duergar or

svirfneblin. It is said that every few millennia the

Page 4

Monsters of NeoExodus: Wyrms of Wrath

Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3

Speed: 20 ft. ( 4 squares ), burrow 20 ft.

Melee: Bite +6 melee ( 2d8+2 ) and 2 claws +4 melee

( 1d3+1 )

Space: 5 ft; Reach: 5 ft.

Base Atk: +3; Grp: +5

Special Attacks: —

Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha

Special Qualities: All-around vision, earth glide,

damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft.,

immunity to cold and necromancy, outsider traits,

resistance to electricity 10, tremorsense 60 ft.

Feats: Improved Grapple B, Multiattack, Toughness

Skills: Handle Animal +0 ( +8 to handle wyrms ), Hide

+10, Intimidate +3, Knowledge ( dungeoneering ) +6,

Listen +6, Move Silently +3, Search +6, Spot +8,

Survival +6 ( +8 following tracks or underground )

Environment: Underground

Organization: Solitary, pair, or convocation ( 3–5 plus

1–4 wyrms of wrath )

Treasure: None

Advancement: 4–6 HD ( Small ), 7-9 HD ( Medium ) or

by class levels

Level Adjustment: —

always choose to take 10 on a Handle Animal check

involving a wyrm, even if distracted or endangered.

COMBAt

Cthonnons rarely engage in direct combat with surface

dwellers instead relying on their monstrous wyrms to

do most of the fighting. If forced to fight, a typical

Cthonnon’s first instinct is to grapple its opponent and

use it’s powerful lamprey-like bite.

Cthonnon often strike from ambush, burrowing just

beneath the surface and then erupting from below

when they sense a foe within reach.

CtHONNON

CHARACtERS

Most Cthonnon revere Nergal the All-Comsuming

Worm as a god plagues, death, and the Underworld.

Nergal’s doctorine states that the Cthonnons will one

day inherit the world after all life other life has been

reduced to compost. Cthonnon clerics who follow

Nergal’s path may choose two of the following

domains: Darkness, Death, Destruction, and Earth.

Cthonnon clerics are often accompanied by fleshy

undead such as zombies who make tasty walking

treats for their master.

All-Around Vision ( Ex ): Though seemingly eyeless,

the Cthonnon’s skin functions as a primitive sensory

organ allowing it to “see” in all directions, providing

a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. A

Cthonnon can’t be flanked.

Advanced Cthonnon often take levels in support or

stealth classes such as necromancers, sorcerers, bards

or rogues. Cthonnon bards known as gullas ( singular

gulla ) in particular are renowned for their ability to

bolster their wyrm allies and shatter enemy defenses

with their hypnotic murmuring and destructive use of

magical harmonics. In large groups gullas can enact

ritual chants that can with time reshape entire regions.

A Cthonnon’s favored class is bard.

Earth Glide ( Ex ): A Cthonnon can glide through

stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except

metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its

burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor

does it create any ripple or other signs of its pres-

ence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a

burrowing Cthonnon flings the vermin back 30 feet,

stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on

a DC 15 Fortitude save.

Cthonnon Paragon

Asexual Cthonnon Paragon 3

Usually Lawful Evil Small Outsider ( Native, Earth )

Initiative: -1; Senses: All-around vision, Darkvision

60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +6, Spot +8

Languages: Terran, Common, Goblin, Undercommon

Armor Class: 24, touch 10, flat-footed 24, ( +1 size,

-1 Dex, +13 natural, +1 amulet )

HP: 60 ( 6 HD )

Saves: Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +8

Speed: 20 ft. ( 4 squares ), burrow 20 ft.

Melee: Bite +8 melee ( 2d8+2 ) and 2 claws +6 melee

( 1d3+1 )

Immunity to Necromancy ( Ex ): A Cthonnon

is immune to spells or spell-like abilities of the

Necromancy school that allow spell resistance. This

however does not preclude them from using the

Necromancy school magic.

Wyrm Mastery: The Cthonnon get their moniker,

wyrmlord, from their affinity for wyrms. A Cthonnon

receives a +8 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks

involving creatures of the wyrm subtype. It can

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NeoExodus Monsters of NeoExodus - Wyrms of Wrath.pdf

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