Brittleskin
"As the forests fell away, so did the innocence that once dwelled there."
The once lush forests of Gaul Do Shah were home to many varied creatures. As the Wastes crept through and all the verdant green died away, what was left was a harsh and unforgiving landscape dominated by sand and madness. The ruins that were left were filled with ancient magic and forgotten treasures, The guardians of the Elven treasures were once spirits of the wood, but with their link to both the Elves and the trees severed, they began to change and evolve in a desperate plea for survival. Their tasks never discharged and their freedom never granted, they remain tied to the places they were bound, changed forever and filled with anger.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Brittleskins were once intelligent tree spirits brought into being by Elven magic. Originally they resembled small myconid creatures, and they were known to grow into all shapes and colors, seldom gaining more than about four feet in height. As their shelter was lost and the culture that they served abandoned them, they withdrew, forced to hunt and hide to survive. Many died within the first twenty years, but the fast growing creatures, once known as Mycans, evolved quickly. the skin became thick and strong and their appendages grew longer and stronger. They appear as leathery skinned humanoids, but still somewhat retain their former fungal shape and only appear in shades of brown and tan. They have adopted the use of spears crafted from the remains that they are bound to and occasionally will use weapons found on the dead. . They two small visible eyes and a small mouth and due to their small stature, have take to using whatever they can find to further plate their bodies with armor, using bones and small scraps of metal or stone to add to their survivability by lacing it through the outer layers of flesh on their bodies.
Ecology and Habitats
The brittleskins have formed small and often interconnected communities within the Wastes. As the items they are charged with protecting are stolen or destroyed, the magic that binds them fades until they are released. The free Brittleskins use this to the advantage of the others by acting as go-betweens for the various locations they can be found.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Their diet consists mainly of insects and small rodents, but they require large amounts of moisture which has become increasingly more and more rare as the Wastes have taken over the lands. To supplement this they have discovered that the fluids carried by other organisms can be used to sate this need...both internal and carried.
The freed creatures roam the Wastes in bands of 5 to 10, hunting and gathering for themselves and the others and are not opposed to bringing down a humanoid if they can and draining it of all they can use.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They have sight (Darkvision 120'), and can hear, but communicate with one another via spore clouds.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
- Languages Gauldowhynna
- Small Aberration, Lawful Neutral
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 7(2d6)
- Speed 15'
- STR 8 (-1)
- DEX 10 (+0)
- CON 10 (+0)
- INT 8 (-1)
- WIS 11 (+0)
- CHA 5 (-3)
- Condition Immunities None
- Senses Darkvision 120'
- Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Abilities
- Distress Spores. When the Brittleskin takes damage, all other Brittleskins within 240' of it can sense its pain.
- Easy To Miss. If the creature so desires, it may choose to remain completely still in an attempt to avoid notice, causing all passive perception checks to be made at a disadvantage. Should the characters actively search the area, they still suffer a -2 penalty to find the creature.
- Rapport Spores. A 20-foot radius of spores extends from the brittleskin. These spores can go around corners and affect only other brittleskins. Affected creatures can communicate telepathically with one another while they are within 30 feet of each other. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
- Pacifying Spores (3/Day). The brittleskin ejects spores at one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Actions
- Short Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: Reach 5'/10', one target. Hit 5 (2d4 + 2 Poison)
Scientific Name
Aberration
Origin/Ancestry
Myconid
Average Height
3'
Average Weight
45 lb
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
Comments