Carrion Crawler

Carrion crawlers are noxious creatures that lurk in caverns, sewers, and junk heaps. They prefer to scavenge for rotting flesh, but will not hesitate to attack live prey if the opportunity presents itself. They are feared for their ability to paralyze their prey with the sticky substance that coats their eight lashing tentacles (though they can only bring four to bear at once).

It is a little known fact that carrion crawlers are actually the overgrown larval form of the saltor, a primitive relative of the mind flayer, much like how neothelids develop from larval flayers that do not undergo ceremorphosis. Unlike illithids, however, saltors are strangely incapable of undergoing ceremorphosis outside their aberrant native environment, and as such are rarely seen outside of illithid communities; and unlike neothelids, which grow into vast, hyperintelligent masterminds, carrion crawlers remain base scavengers throughout their life cycles.

Carrion crawlers are a common sight in every corner of the Darklands, but lurk in most major cities as well. Absalom in particular is infested with carrion crawlers in some portions of its sewer system.





CARRION CRAWLER

CR: 4

XP: 1,200

N Large aberration

Init: +2; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +10

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AC: 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural)

hp: 55 (7 HD)

Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +7

Immune: Disease

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Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee: Bite +8 (2d8+6), 4 tentacles +7 (paralysis)

Space: 10 ft.; Reach: 5 ft.

Special Attacks: Paralysis (2d4 rounds, DC 18)

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Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 15, Cha 6

Base Atk: +5; CMB: +10; CMD: 22 (can’t be tripped)

Feats: Ability Focus (paralysis), Combat Reflexes, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (tentacles)

Skills: Climb +12, Perception +10, Survival +9; Racial Modifiers: +2 Perception

SQ: Powerful bite

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Environment: Any urban or underground

Organization: Solitary, pair, or cluster (3-5)

Treasure: None

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Powerful Bite (Ex): A carrion crawler applies 1-½ its Strength modifier to bite damage.