Beer Lurker (3.5e Monster)

"It's become a damn sad day when a man has to check his beer for worms Bert. Damn sad."

It's assumed Beer Lurkers are yet another project by an insane Wizard, as their evolving naturally just seems too darned unlikely. Beer Lurkers appear as blind, squat worms a few inches long with a mouth full of teeth and 2 small fins they use for swimming and pulling themselves along midway through their body. They can only reproduce inside a host, and cannot survive long outside of water/liquid. If not inside a host they must find an aquatic environment quickly or perish.

Which brings us to beer. Beer Lurkers are usually the exact same color as the local beer of choice, making it difficult to believe they occurred naturally. If anyone has any idea as to the origins of this critter please contact the Guild of Suffocating Vengeance. We eagerly await your news.

Combat
Beer Lurkers are not combatants. If they aren't swallowed they pretty much leave the party alone. Otherwise they are content to simply live in their gut for a long while. At 1 point of Con damage per day, they will never cause their victim to really die, unless something else does Con damage, or until the Lurker spawns. Being able to reproduce by parthenogenesis the Lurker needs no mate, and after absorbing 10 points of Con it can lay eggs within it's host, which take 2d4 days to hatch. The spawn leave the host after 1d4 days, but in the process they do an additional point of Constitution damage each day until they leave.

Parasite: Each day the Beer Lurker spends inside a host it does 1 point of temporary Constitution damage. Symptoms include feeling ill the first day, and then passing blood the next. Anyone with Knowledge (Nature) or Healing can make a DC 20 Check to determine the cause of the problem, and it takes a DC 25 roll to remove the parasite via surgery without also harming the patient (2d6 damage per failed roll). Spells that cure or remove parasites/disease will also cure the individual, but the Lurker does 1d10 damage in it's death throes. Miracle or Wish removes it with no problem. Should the host die, the Lurker must find an appropriate host or an aquatic environment within 1d4 hours or perish. It's not truly amphibious, but it can live that long without water (whether or not it breathes is unknown). Since the Lurker is willing to kill it's host after reproducing, it is not truly a parasite but a parasitoid, and given it's short lifespan without a host (and it's abilities to camouflage itself in drinks) most assume it's an artificially created life form used for assassinations or spreading terror in communities.

Camouflage: Beer Lurkers have a +8 Circumstance Bonus to Hide checks inside Beer, muddy water, or similarly colored liquids. Anyone drinking a Beer inhabited by a Beer Lurker must make an Opposed Spot vs Hide check or accidentally drink it (at which point bad times are comin'). Once drunk the Lurker parasitizes it's host (see above).

Blindsense: While in water (or other liquid) the Beer Lurker can sense all other beings within 10 ft. It may only use this ability when submerged in liquid.

Skills: Beer Lurkers get a +8 Racial Bonus to all Swim Checks, and can Always Take 10 on a Swim check. They can use the Run Action while swimming in a straight line.