Mimic, Failed-Apotheosis

Failed-Apotheosis Mimic CR 8

This awful parody of life is composed of aborted human-like limbs and melting faces crashing one over another like an endless wave of corpses.

XP 4,800
NE Huge aberration (shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21 (+13 natural, –2 size)
hp 126 (11d8+77)
Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +8
DR 5/—; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft., swim 10 ft.
Melee 2 slams +17 (1d12+10)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks adhesive, crush, horrific appearance

TACTICS

Before Combat Mimics disguise themselves and wait for the approach of their opponents while luring curious prey closer; they know they cannot chase down most creatures and do not move until their prey is well within reach.

During Combat The mimic uses its horrific appearance, then strikes out at opponents, grapples using its adhesive, and crushes the life from its foes while constantly shifting to better terrain with its indomitable movement.

Morale A failed-apotheosis mimic fights until slain.

STATISTICS

Str 30, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 10
Base Atk +8; CMB +20; CMD 30 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (slam), Skill Focus (Perception), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Climb +34, Disguise +11 (+31 when mimicking objects), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +14, Perception +21; Racial Modifiers +2 alchemical bonus to Climb, +20 Disguise when mimicking objects
Languages Common
SQ bioluminescence, gillfoot, hypersenses, mimic shape

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bioluminescence (Ex)

The failed-apotheosis mimic can choose to shed light from any part of its body, ranging in intensity from a soft glow like that of a candle (shadowy illumination in a 5-foot radius) to the full brightness of a torch (bright light in a 20-foot radius and shadowy illumination for an additional 20 feet). The failed-apotheosis mimic may duplicate any color of light it so desires, even creating multiple colors, and may cancel or resume use of this ability at will as a free action.

Crush (Ex)

A failed-apotheosis mimic deals 1d12+10 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Gillfoot (Ex)

The failed-apotheosis mimic has climb speed 10 and swim speed 10. The failed-apotheosis mimic may always take a 5-foot step in any combat round, even if difficult terrain or other factors reduce its speed. A failed-apotheosis mimic may take this 5-foot step whether it is on land, climbing, or swimming. It can breathe water as easily as air.

Horrific Appearance (Su)

A failed-apotheosis mimic’s natural form is a shifting weave of spurting tendrils, melting human visages, and tortured organs trapped within a web of alien light and slashing bones. This ability functions as a gaze attack; the creature may activate or suppress the ability as a free action. Any creature within 30 feet must save (Fortitude DC 15) or take 1d4 points of Strength drain, 1d4 points of Dexterity drain, and 1d4 points of Constitution drain; a successful save means a creature cannot be affected by the same failed-apotheosis mimic’s horrific appearance for 24 hours. The DC is Charisma-based. When using its horrific appearance, the failed-apotheosis mimic cannot use its mimic shape ability.

Hypersenses (Ex)

The failed-apotheosis mimic’s entire body is a primitive sensory organ. This gives it blindsense with a range of 30 feet, and it cannot be flanked.

Mimic Shape (Ex)

As a Huge creature, this failed-apotheosis mimic can assume the general shape of any object that fills roughly 1,200 cubic feet (10 feet by 10 feet by 12 feet), such as a treasure hoard, a stout cottage, or a vast doorway. The minimum size of any single dimension of a Huge mimic is 6 feet.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Of the vast multitude of mimic adaptations found throughout the world, the failed-apotheosis mimic deserves special mention. All mimics believe that they will someday transform into humans. Some elder mimics obsess over this and go to great lengths to truly understand humanity before they set their bodies into human shape. Mimics who attempt this final transformation instead realize only horror: they become awful parodies of life, composed of aborted human-like limbs and melting faces crashing one over another like an endless wave of corpses. Sages theorize that what the mimic understands in that moment of failure is its true, alien origin, as eternally divorced from humanity as any force or concept could be; this monstrous self-revelation is the only memory a mimic cannot wipe away, and madness consumes them utterly.

Not all failed-apotheosis mimics are former metamorphic scholars: some hunter mimics and lair-tyrants attempt the transformation, only to meet with the same fate.