Sarrukh (Progenitor Race) (CR 21)
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Listen +6, and Spot +21
Languages: Sarrukhar
AC: 30 (+2 Dex, +18 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 28
Hit Dice: 14d8+70 (133 hp)
Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +13
Speed: 30 ft.
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +14; Grapple +20
Attack: +3 trident +23 melee
Full Attack: +3 trident +23/+18/+13 melee and bite +15 melee or 2 claws +20 melee and bite +15 melee
Damage: +3 trident 1d8+12, bite 1d6+3 plus poison, claw 1d8+6
Special Attacks/Actions: Fear aura, poison, manipulate form, spell-like abilities
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 30, Wis 18, Cha 18
Special Qualities: immunity to fire, SR 20
Feats: Alertness; Combat Expertise; Improved Initiative; Persuasive; Power Attack
Skills: Appraise +27, Bluff +23; Concentration +22, Decipher Script +27, Diplomacy +23, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Heal +21, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana) +27, Knowledge (history) +27, Knowledge (religion) +27, Listen +6, Move Silently +19, and Spot +21
Advancement: By character class
Climate/Terrain: Warm deserts
Organization: Single, pair, or group (3-8)
Treasure/Possessions: Triple standard
Source:
Serpent Kingdoms
Fear Aura (Su): As a free action, a sarrukh can create an aura of fear in a 10-foot radius. This effect is otherwise identical to the fear spell (caster level 14th; save DC 21). A creature that succeeds on the save cannot be affected again by that sarrukh's fear aura for 24 hours. Other sarrukh are immune to this aura. The DC is Charisma-based.
Poison (Ex): Bite, injury, Fortitude DC 22, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con.
Manipulate Form (Su): At will, a sarrukh can modify the form of any Scaled One native to Toril, except for aquatic and undead creatures. With a successful touch attack, it can cause one alteration of its choice in the target creature's body. The target falls unconscious for 2d4 rounds due to the shock of changing form. A successful DC 22 Fortitude save negates both the change and the unconsciousness. Sarrukh are immune to this effect. A sarrukh may use this ability to change a minor aspect of the target creature, such as the shape of its head or the color of its scales. It may also choose to make a much more significant alteration, such as converting limbs into tentacles, changing overall body shape (snake to humanoid, for example), or adding or removing an appendage. Any ability score may be decreased to a minimum of 1 or increased to a maximum equal to the sarrukh's corresponding score. A sarrukh may also grant the target an extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like ability or remove one from it.
The change bestowed takes effect immediately and is permanent. Furthermore, the alterations are automatically passed on to all the creature's offspring when it breeds with another of its unmodified kind.
Typical physical alterations that sarrukh often bestow with this ability include the following.
- Arm. The touched creature sprouts a humanlike arm that ends in a viciously clawed hand. The sarrukh may, at its option, change an already existing appendage (such as a tentacle) into an arm, or cause a new arm to sprout from a spot of its choice. The creature can manipulate small items and wield weapons with the new appendage as effectively as a normal human can with a hand. The creature also gains a claw attack as a natural attack (base damage 1d8 for a Medium creature). The claw is a secondary attack if the subject already has a different primary attack, or primary otherwise.
- Leg: The touched creature sprouts a humanlike leg. The sarrukh may, at its option, change an already existing appendage (such as a tentacle) into a leg, or cause a new leg to sprout from a spot of its choice. A pair of such legs gives the creature the ability to walk upright, and four legs give it the ability to move like a quadruped. The creature loses any ability it previously had to constrict with its lower body. Its speed remains the same as it was before the alteration unless it now has more than two legs. In that case, it moves at a speed typical for a quadruped of its size category.
- Tentacles: The touched creature sprouts a tentacle. The sarrukh may, at its option, change an already existing appendage (such as an arm) into a tentacle, or cause a new tentacle to sprout from a spot of its choice. The subject can now wield a melee weapon in each tentacle acquired. Furthermore, the creature gains a slam attack as a natural attack (base damage 1d8 for a Medium creature). The tentacle is a secondary attack if the subject already has a different primary attack, or primary otherwise. The subject also acquires the improved grab special attack if it didn't already have it.
- Humanoid Torso. A humanoid torso replaces the subject's previous torso. The subject loses any special attack or special quality dependent on its previous torso (such as constrict or improved grab).
- Snake Torso. A snake torso replaces the subject's previous torso, granting it the constrict and improved grab special attacks if it didn't already have them. Its speed remains the same as it was before the alteration.
- Wings: The subject sprouts feathery wings from its back. These appendages grant it the ability to fly at its previous land speed with average maneuverability.
- Omnidirectional Eyes: The subject can move its eyes independently from one another and visually process all the information so acquired. The creature gains a +4 bonus on Spot cheeks but takes a -2 penalty to Charisma.
- Increase or Decrease Size: The subject's size category changes by one step. All the usual bonuses or penalties for such a change apply normally.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day- disrupt undead, identify, invisibility, knock, magic missile, misdirection (DC 16), see invisibility, sleep (DC 15); 2/day- confusion (DC 18), fireball (DC 17), lightning bolt (DC 17), polymorph; 1/day- teleport (DC 19), wall of force. Caster level 14th.
Because of their slowly shrinking numbers, the sarrukh believe that the survival of each individual is absolutely essential. This outlook causes them to avoid combat at all costs and surround themselves with other scaled creatures that can fight for them. Since not a single sarrukh is expendable, any creature that kills one makes enemies of them all.
When fighting is unavoidable, a sarrukh's primary focus is always escape rather than victory. It typically begins combat with a spell-like ability that deals damage to a number of combatants simultaneously - fireball if the area is relatively open, or lightning bolt if its opponents are approaching from a hallway or some other confining area. It follows with a wall of force to prevent opponents from reaching it, then attempts to teleport away as soon as possible thereafter. If teleport isn't an option, a sarrukh may use polymorph to change into a small animal and scurry away from the battle. Sarrukh enter melee combat only if death appears to be unavoidable.