Cepholathe (3.5e Monster)

= Cepholathe =

''Even the illithids fear this hunter, who makes no distinction between the brains of the lesser races and illithids themselves. All must be eaten to maintain its insatiable hunger.''

Illithids who feed on their own soon become poisoned by their own ichor. The result is madness, and over time, changes in the body. Growing stronger and warped, their face vanishes, overtaken by their giant mouth, and their limbs elongate and warp. Spikes of bone ripple out from it's back, and it is driven by bloodlust and hunger. Insane as they are, they are still intelligent and in rare moments where they can plan, they do so with brutal efficiency. Cepholathes are unusually cruel and sadistic, seeming to enjoy the act of torment. They are always starving and look the part, but have been known to survive without food for over a year.

Cepholathes do not speak and it's questionable if they still understand language, but since they seem to be able to communicate with other cepholathes, a language must exist. More disturbing is when they devour a brain, and begin speaking to others in the voice of the dead victim, even going so far as using the personality of the creature consumed.

Combat
Cepholathe's prefer surprise and ambush. Though they are not capable of their Mind Blast ability as an illithid, they use other abilities to confuse and grapple enemies, then drag them away, often to a trap, net or other place where they can be dealt with. Traps are a large part of their plans, usually traps which remove one from a group to render them helpless. In the rare event that two Cepholathe's team up (rare, as madness often makes them incomprehensible to each other), they can and do plan with clever tactics in mind. Thanks to their Darkstalker feat, opponents must make spot or listen checks against their hide and move silently, even if they have extrasensory abilities such as blindsight, scent, or mindsight.

 : Those attacking the cepholathe in melee with non-reach weapons are splashed with its acidic blood, dealing 1d6 acid damage for every successful attack made. Bludgeoning weapons do not provoke this ability.

 : A cepholathe can project a bolt of acidic spit as a standard action out to 60 feet. On a successful touch attack it deals 5d6 acid damage.

 : A cepholathe can breathe underwater as well as they could breath air.

 : Instead of Mind Blast, cepholathe's gain the ability to cause confusion as per the spell within a 30 ft. radius of the cepholathe, 3/day (DC 20). The saving throw is Intelligence based.

 : With a successful Reflex save against an attack that allows a Reflex save for half damage, a cepholathe takes no damage.

 : At will, the arms of the cepholathe can stretch, granting an extra 5 ft. beyond their normal range. The extra range is not obvious until the cepholathe attacks.

 : When a successful grapple with its tentacles has been made against an opponent, the subject takes 5d6 acid damage per round they are held. If by the end of 3 rounds the grapple has not been broken, the cepholathe has successfully drilled through the face and reached the brain, killing them instantly. The cepholathe immediately drinks the liquified brains, gaining 5 temporary hit points per HD of the creature and the effect of haste for 8 hours.

In addition they gain the ability to speak in the mental voice of the victim, who always attempts to suggest that their friends should join it and become a meal too. Anyone who hears a recognizable voice must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be shaken for the rest of the encounter. A successful save renders you immune for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

 : To use this ability, a cepholathe must hit with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. It can use this on opponents up to its size category.

 :A Cepholathe is hopelessly insane. The racial insanity renders the cepholathe immune to mind-affecting effects.

 PS undefined: 1/day- adapt body, energy adaptation, entangling ectoplasm, hustle, inflict pain (DC 17). The saving throws are Intelligence based.

 : A cepholathe can climb on any surface as easily as walking, including smooth flat surfaces such as a wall of force. Because of their climb speed (and not that they need it) they get a +8 racial bonus to climb checks.