Jaspers

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Damp and Bright

The "spores" appear to grow without water, mass or observable nutritional intake - giving credence to their origins being extra dimensional. Jaspers also seem resilient to high heat, vacuum, radiation or extreme forces: piercing, cutting or grinding. They appear as a mass of tube-like structures with outer membranes made of gelatin reaching out towards the adro center for ionizing radiation; like mycelial threads.

These threads are capable of emitting two bolts of photons extracted from chemical bonds, dealing 6d6+8 damage per targeted PC per turn.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Carnivorous

During the skeleton war, Maṛaiyar somehow cajoled the Jasperate into serving him. It is speculated that the penaga set up an automated mechanism for feeding unicellular organisms into Adro.

Should anything enter Adro, they are grappled by the jaspers, ½" thick (AC: 20, hp: 10) that requires a DC 21 STR save to break free. On a fail, the jaspers tighten which causes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and prevents another save for 24 hours.
When grappled, the target permanently loses 1 INT point every 24 hours, so long as the jasper do nothing else. This continues on until their INT score reaches 2, where after they are ejected from Adro.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Siege Attack Platform

During Maṛaiyar's reign, the jaspers of Adro served as a singularly powerful artillery piece capable of targeting any front in the multi-dimensional skeleton war.
When threatened, the jaspers tap into a non-Einsteinian realm of power that emerges from an aperture built into Adro and travels through Manidweepa for a time, before entering a second portal leading to the jasperate's target.

Firing Sequence

1. After 3 rounds from the decision to fire, a 120ft diameter wormhole opens 600ft from one end of the Adro to the target location.
2. The target(s) take 60d6 damage per level and are permanently blinded. Targets take a Fortitude save for half damage and being dazzled, instead of blinded, for 1 round per level on a fail. A successful save halves that damage and negates the blindness completely.
3. Objects take twice as much damage as does any form of barrier. If the barrier is not breached, the beam continues through.
4. The line of damage lasts for 1 round and applies its damage to any target that passes through or ends their turn within the area of effect. Damage is applied only once each round, no matter how many times they pass through the area or end their turn.
5. Over the course of 5 rounds, an area on a planet is dug up to 1000ft radius and 60ft deep, and subjected to dealing 20d6 fire and 20d6 bludgeoning damage with a reflex save for half.

Average Intelligence

Swarm Intelligence

Jaspers are mysterious organisms with the characteristics of plants, animals and fungi. Yet, display skills in external memory, internal communication and learning; despite not having brains. They aggregate into a mass and move as a single unit; literally becoming one entity contorting to its container. The jaspers' seem to have a unique ability to derive knowledge of their surroundings without the need for direct interaction.
They rarely interact with members outside their species, instead dedicating their time to continual growth (though never exceed Adro) and thinking through what they learned. This ability's reach is immense and seems to be without limit. Communications between the jasperate and the current penaga has revealed near omniscient knowledge on contemporary happenings and scientific inquiries, which has been a useful resource to the Crescent.

As a result:

Add the INT modifier to AC

Immune to being charmed, stunned or frightened

Cannot be surprised and has advantage on attacks of opportunity

Advantage on all knowledge checks and cannot be less than 10

Also, add double the proficiency bonus to any knowledge rolls

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Jasperate

The jasperate is an association between the jaspers, adro and possibly other unseen organisms that cycles resources throughout itself. Its purpose is to shift through its acquired knowledge; apparently just for the sake of it. This information was only inferred via conversation between the jaspers and Nikit Mathur.

Within 60ft, at the end of another target's turn, make a DC18 WIS save or take 4d6 damage. A failure by 5 or more causes deafness for d12 rounds.

Average Technological Level

Adro

A 3,300 ft long cylindrical satellite of unknown origins with its outer shell composed of a complex interplay of vapourous carbon and silicon components.
The jaspers can move this satellite via mysterious means; though usually content to just drift through battlespace. They can travel quickly when desired. Additionally, it is impossible to sneakily approach the satellite's length except by flight.

Although, with a ship sized 1km or smaller, it and any missiles may be deflected. If the jasperate does this, damage is reduced by d10+10 . If the damage is reduced to 0, the projectiles are thrown back for 2d10+8 bludgeoning damage. In addition, the target must succeed a STR check or be rendered prone.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Penaga

For reasons known only to the jasperate, the jaspers only care to 'talk' with whoever is the penaga.

Anyone else attempting to gleam information must succeed a DC 21 INT save or be stunned for d8 rounds.
They may attempt another save at the end of each turn to negate this. If they succeed by 5 or more, they gain +1 INT.

Lifespan

Centuries

Conservation Status

Content to remain within the self-created Adro

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Luminous Green with Black Veins and Sickly Yellow Nodes

Discovered by

Maddox Blackford

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
27 (+8)	16 (+3)	19 (+4)	26 (+8)	24 (+7)	10 (+0)