Spinal Lasher

Spinal Lasher CR 8

XP 4,800
CE Medium undead
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 60 ft.; Perception +18

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 102 (12d8+48)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +12
Defensive Abilities undead traits; SR 18
Vulnerability positive energy

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft.; Fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee 4 tentacles +15 (1d4+6 plus spinal languish curse)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)
Special Attacks enervative breath, spinal languish curse
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th)

STATISTICS

Str 23, Dex 17, Con -, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 18
Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 28 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Fly-by Attack, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Disguise), Sow Terror, Stealthy, Wingover
Skills Disguise +25, Escape Artist +5, Fly +18, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcane) +19, Knowledge (religion) +19, Perception +19, Sense Motive +19, Stealth +22
SQ shadowless
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

SPECIAL TRAITS

Enervative Breath (Su)

Once per day, as a standard action, the spinal lasher can attempt to suck the breath out of all living creatures within a 30 ft. cone. Creatures that fail a DC 20 Fortitude save gain 1d4 negative levels, a successful save reduces the number of negative levels gained by half. The spinal lasher gains 5 temporary hp for every negative level bestowed with this ability. These negative levels never run the risk of becoming permanent and disappear after 24 hours have passed. The save DC is Charisma based.

Shadowless (Ex)

The spinal lasher casts no shadows and shows no reflection in a mirror.

Spinal Languish Curse (Su)

Whenever a creature touches or is touches by one or more of the spinal lasher’s tentacles they are affected by the spinal languish curse.

Tentacle – contact; save Will DC 20, frequency 1 day, effect healing spells and effects are half as effective on the bearer of this curse. The save DC is charisma based.

ECOLOGY

Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Treasure Standard

This nightmarishly gaunt creature crawls on two arms only to rise up, flying on its own volition, revealing a set of four vertebrae where its lower half used to be.

Although they seem to be just a torso with various spines coming out of their lower abdomen, spinal lashers are hideously formidable foes. Once clerics and other spellcasters devoted to gods of goodness, they fell before the eyes of their faith. Many were branded heretics and apostates and thus where killed. However, their manner of execution was boorish; they were hanged by the neck while heavy weighs hanged on their legs. After many days, this would cause the lower half of their bodies to be severed and plop unto the floor with a ghastly sound.

Be it the evil energies surrounding these nightmarish execution sites, or the dark powers cursing through the veins of these dead spellcasters, they return as spinal lashers to haunt, maim and kill any and all living creatures they come across.

If they sense the presence of a living creature near, the spinal lasher usually likes to hide and pretend to be just a corpse, sometimes sporting any valuables it has on the outside, hoping to coerce an unwitting adventurer into a surprise attack. Spinal lashers prefer to achieve their goals alone, thus they avoid contact with all creatures, even other undead. They do comprehend however, the benefit of hiding in areas where many undead roam, since these areas attract the living more often than not.

If it cannot surprise a creature, the spinal lasher will begin a combat encounter positioning itself so it can engulf as many living creatures it can within its enervating breath. Once the enervating breath is used up (or if the spinal lasher had already used it previously that day), it will try to inflict all its opponents with its spinal languish curse, and then proceed to move to a safe distance and hit all its enemies with its spell like ability, healing itself in the process. If at any moment there is a living creature within the spinal lasher’s tentacles it will opt to attack that creature and any others within range.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Monstrous Menagerie Vol. I, © 2015 ARMR Studios. Author Angel “ARMR” Miranda

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