Several (3d4) large seed pods float in the ocean here, and might be seen (1 in 6 chance) by a vessel passing through this hex. The pods are about 6 feet long and consist of a very thick, green hide (Armor Class 18). The pods should be treated as having 20 hit points. They are vulnerable to fire, but immune to cold.
Within the pod, there is a strange, gelatinous life form that, through its mental powers, can understand and duplicate any sentient humanoid. Each pod jelly picks a single humanoid to make its own, using its ESP to choose a likely candidate, and each day absorbs a portion of their being (i.e. 1d6 points of constitution damage) while turning itself into a clone or replica of that person. The pod must be within 30 feet of its victim to do this, and victim receives a Will saving throw each day to resist the effect. When the original’s constitution is reduced to zero, the clone bursts forth from the pod and the original’s body disintegrates.
The pod jellies duplicate the original’s body (i.e. hit dice and physical ability scores) and mind (intelligence and charisma scores, though wisdom is never higher than 6) perfectly, knowing all they knew and having the same general special abilities. They cannot, however, exhibit emotion or faith, and emotion based powers (such as a berserk rage or a cleric’s divine powers), are duplicated and therefore they are not possessed.
POD JELLY
Medium Ooze, Chaotic (NE), Average Intelligence; Invasion (3d6)
HD 2
AC 16
ATK Touch (1d4 acid)
MV 20
SV F15 R15 W15
XP 200 (CL 3)
These are the abilities of a pod jelly in its native form, outside the protection of its pod-like shell and before it has taken on the form of a humanoid. In humanoid form, it loses its resistance to acid, though it retains its ESP ability and can still utter a psychic scream (i.e. psionic blast) once per day, though this takes the form of an actual shrill scream as well as a mental effect.
Special Abilities: Resistance to acid
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—Detect thoughts (ESP); 3/day—Psionic blast
I suppose I need to include them in ACTION X.
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| What's more frightening, the psionic blast or that damn perm? |
How does the Pod Jelly "pick" a target? Does it need to come into physical contact with the person it duplicates, or just some kind of telepathic contact? Is there any way to interrupt the process of absorption once it starts, aside from destroying the pod?
ReplyDeleteThat would have been useful information, huh?
ReplyDeleteOkay - first, the pods can choose whoever they like, and pick a victim through their ESP ability.
Second, their ability has a range of 30 feet. They need to be close to work.
Third, there should be a saving throw each day for the chosen victim - in this case, a Will save (or save vs. magic).
To interrupt, one must get a person away from the pod, or destroy the pod.