| Azothath |
Gigas Spumans Pyrgomorphidae, worker (aka reus rudeabaddgie, giant foaming hopper)
NN Sml vermin CR 2 XP 600
Init +3; Senses drkvis 30ft; Perception -2
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+4 natl armrʳ, +3 Dex, +1 size)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +0
DefQ: Lsr Hunger Aura 15ft r×r Will 12
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft, Fly 30 ft (poor), Jump (30ft base, +12)
Melee Natl: bite +6 (1d3 c20 *2)BPS {primary, AoO}, leg rasp(2) +4, +4 (1d3 c20 *2)S & poi exposure {secondary, inflict poi once per round}
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. grasshopper(6 leg, unusual) H 2 ft L 3-4 ft wingspan 4ft, Wt 35-50 lbs.
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 16(+3), Con 14(+2), Int 1(-5), Wis 8(-2), Cha 12(+1)
BAB(0.75) +2, Str +0, sz +/-1; CMB +1; CMD +13 (17 vs trip, cannot be tripped while flying)
Feats Weapon Finesseᴮ, Multiattack(secondary @ -2).
Skills(3) Acro +4/Jump +12 (1){0/+8, Spd 30ft}, Clmbᶜ +6(1){+2}, Flyᶜ +9(1){+2}, Prcp -2.
Languages none.
MIBS Unusual(armor, belt, eyes, ring{antennae}(2)).
Racial Modifiersʳ +4 natl armr, Climber, Flight, Hopper.
Climberʳ Climb class skill with size bonus as Fly (sml +2), creatures of tiny size or less may use Dex for Str. Lesser form of Climb movement.
Poison (Ex) poi asteraceae hemolymph toxin: Vector: injury/injection/consumption (touch); Onset: immediate; Cure: 2 total; Frequency: 1 per 2 rnd up to 6 times(11r); Effect: 1d2+1 nonlethal dmg Fort 13 (=10 +⌊HD/2⌋ + Con bonus, Con based) for no dmg else 1d4[1-2:1 Dex dmg, 3-4:1 Con dmg] and -2 comp vs hunger aura for 1 hr or until magical healing and loss of taste for 1d3 days (successive failures add 1 day towards the maximum of 3 days), vermin(insect) type creatures receive -2 penalty to their save and spumans are immune to the toxin (but not a refined alchemical version); Uses[3](=⌊Con/4⌋, min 1), toxin gland generates 2 use per day, Cost: harvest 1 toxin gland Dex Chk 14 then Crft Alchemy 22 creates use[1] cost 25gp, Price: glass philter Hrd:5, HP:0, BrkDC:12, wt:1-4oz [1-4 uses] 1@50gp. Secondary exposures simply increase the Fort DC by +2 and restart the frequency, secondary poison save failures raise the competence penalty by -1 for 1 hour. A creature that bites, swallows, blood drains, or similar biting/natural attack against a spumans is automatically exposed to the toxin and the spumans must expend one use per round even if the attacker is exposed by multiple attacks on the spumans in that round.
Flightʳ (Ex) wings(natural) 30ft (poor, -4), Fly class skill & +4 bonus.
Hopperʳ (Ex) speed +10 ft for jumping (move actn) and jump specifically gains +8 total bonus for height and/or distance and need not move before jumping (no penalty for standing jump). Lesser form of Jumper (Ex) and Jump movement.
Lesser Hunger (emotional) Aura (Sp) once attacked or overly excited the creature becomes defensive(exude poison) and emit an aura of hunger effecting living creatures within 15ft while excited (to 10 min per day) in 1 minute increments or until dead. This causes 3 effects; 1) at the start of each round a Will 12 (=10 +⌊HD/2⌋ + Cha bonus, Cha based) check must be made to act normally or a creature is staggered as it attempts to eat available materials or rations that round, 2) Spell casting and spell-like abilities with [emotion, fear] descriptors must succeed on a Conc Chk 12 to successfully cast/elicit a spell/spell-like ability, 3) any spells with an [emotion, fear] descriptors on targets inside the aura the caster must succeed at the Conc Chk 12 or the spell fails to affect targets within the aura. Creatures that emit an emotion aura are immune to the effect from similar creatures or spells with similar effects. As a spell-like ability it can be suppressed by an antimagic aura.
Orthoptera Friend (Ex) spumans, grasshoppers(locusts), crickets, stick bugs, katydids normally tolerate and do not attack other living members, thus swarms and individuals of each can occupy the same area. Preying mantis and most birds are recognized as predators. Some fey hold sway over locusts and similar vermin.
Swarming (Ex) up to 4 tiny or 2 small creatures may occupy the same 5ft square at the same time without incurring penalties( such as squeezing or interfering in the other’s coordinated movements and attacks). Swarming creatures in the same square that (natural, mfd weapon, touch, & IUS but not ranged, thrown, or ranged touch) attack the same target in their or an adjacent square on the same turn are considered to be flanking that target. The first foe/target (with/without swarming) in their square does not count towards their swarming limit but additional foes/targets that are squeezing into the square do (incorporeal targets do not occupy corporeal physical space for swarming/squeezing). Swarming creatures can pass through friendly squares but must squeeze or take penalties if the number of creatures exceeds the usual swarming limit by more than 1. Swarming creatures gain +4 circumstance bonus to AC vs AoO caused by movement through a square with other friendly swarming creatures.
Torpid (Ex) the creature can enter a state of non-activity similar to sleep or hibernation. It takes a full round for a creature to enter or exit the torpid state. While torpid creatures are staggered, considered prone for attack and AC, stable(but not unconscious), any movement rate drops to 5 ft and they cannot run or take a 5ft step, gain a -5 comp to Prcp, do not suffer more than one check for hostile environments, may hold their breath and not eat or drink for up to (5*HD +Con) days. If a creature is torpid for more than Con days or re-enters the torpid state without eating it exits the torpid state fatigued.
Variants: sml worker 3HD CR2 {this description} bite (1d3) leg rasp (1d3); sml king 4HD CR3 Str:14 Con:16 Cha:16 bite (1d6) leg rasp (1d4), poi[4] Fort 15, aura Will 15; sml warrior 5HD CR3 Str:16 Con:16 bite (2d3){primary} leg rasp (1d6){primary}, poi[4] Fort 15, aura Will 13; sml queen 6HD CR3 Str:12 Con:18 Cha:16 bite (1d6) leg rasp (1d4), poi[4] Fort 17, aura Will 16; sml old queen(second year) 7HD CR4 Cha:17 {as queen}. Most workers and a queen can lay eggs.
ECOLOGY
Environment any grasslands, transitional woody areas, near desert or temperate climate. Guards for mite, tyrant jelly, unseelie fey, vermin druid, or rot warden.
Organization pest 1-2; hazard 1d3+2; throng 1d4+4 workers & 2 warriors & 1 king & locust swarm; tumult 1d4+4 workers and 1d4+4 warriors and 2 kings; swarm 3d4+20 workers & 1d4+6 warriors & 1d3+3 kings & 1 queen.
Treasure (per swarm) jewelry or coins worth $(1d4*10) in queen’s nest.
This family of vermin grow to an enormous size for grasshoppers and it is presumed they eat fey milkweed, asters, tansies, or tumba as larvae or caterpillars thus eradicating noxious fey is seen as practical prevention. Spumans or foaming hoppers are very colorful(aposematic) with contrasting group of colors from; bright red, orange, yellow, or yellow-green, then with highlights from; dark violet, ultramarine, indigo, blue, cerulean, turquoise, neon green, chartreuse, cardinal, amaranth, all on a body of mostly black or dark green chitin. When threatened they exude a thick milky white to pale yellow foam about their lower body which is toxic and use it as a defense to avoid predation or attempt to inflict it on their foes via rasping barbs along their legs.
As a giant pest spumans can eat nearly their body weight in toxic plants, crops, orchards, leafy plants, organic garbage and dead animals daily making them voracious opportunists and concerning threat for farmers and gatherers.
Tactics Eat convenient nutritious plants, organic matter and material until sparse or gone and then move onto the next meal. Attack & swarm enemies in pursuit or defense of food. Protect queen & king and mate.
==== Azothath ====
Monster: Barkgator NN Med animal (reptile) CR:1 (aka tree gator, trunk caiman, forest snapper) (crocodillia latrarémorsu) {note the natural coloration}
Monster: Cladium Tumba Mother NN Med plant (grass) CR 3 (aka grave-sedge, widow’s needles, numbs-nails) & link to regular grave-sedge CR:0.25.
Monster: Helminth Swarm NN Fine vermin(swarm) CR:3 (aka undead cleanup)
Monster: Worm that Inhabits (Worm that Walks template) CR:15