Perilous Gateways
The Winding Serpent
By James Wyatt
Ti-Khana
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 60 ft.
AC: 21 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural)
Attacks: Rake +7 melee, 2 claws +5 melee, bite +5 melee
Damage: Rake 2d6+4, claw 1d3+2, bite 2d4+2 plus poison
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Psionics, poison
Special Qualities: Scent, SR 16
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +9, Jump +14, Listen +11, Spot +11, Survival +11. A ti-khana receives a +8 racial bonus to Hide, Jump, Listen, Spot, and Survival checks.
Feats: Multiattack
Climate/Terrain: Warm forest
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large)
A twisted result of yuan-ti experimentation and cross-breeding, the ti-khana is a variation on the basic stock of the deinonychus dinosaur. These creatures resemble their ancestors: lizard-like reptiles that walk on their hind legs. Their bodies are slightly longer than that of a deinonychus, reaching about 14 feet in length, while they stand about 8 feet tall and weigh around 900 pounds. Thick, colorful scales cover their skin, and two long fangs jut out from among their tearing teeth.
Combat
A ti-khana leaps at prey like a deinonychus, tearing with its back claws (counting as a single rake attack), grasping with its forearms, and biting with its terrible jaws -- adding a toxic venom to the deinonychus's already fearsome attack routine.
Psionics (Sp): A ti-khana can produce the following effects at will.
Detect Poison: As the spell cast by a 6th-level sorcerer.
Alternate Form: The ti-khana can assume the form of a Tiny to Large viper (see the Snake entry in Appendix 1: Animals of the Monster Manual). This ability is similar to a shapechange spell cast by a 19th-level sorcerer but allows only viper forms. The ti-khana uses its own or the viper's poison, whichever is more potent.
Aversion: The ti-khanas creates a compulsion effect targeting one creature within 30 feet. The subject must succeed at a Will save (DC 12) or gain an aversion to snakes for 10 minutes. Affected subjects must stay at least 20 feet from any snake, yuan-ti, or ti-khanas, alive or dead; if already within 20 feet, they move away. A subject can overcome the compulsion by succeeding at another DC 12 Will save, but still suffers deep anxiety. This causes a -4 reduction to Dexterity until the effect wears off or the subject is no longer within 20 feet of a snake or yuan-ti. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as cast by a 16th-level sorcerer. Ti-khanas are treated as yuan-ti for purposes of the Aversion ability.
Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 15); initial and secondary damage 1d6 temporary Constitution.