The material below is Open Game Content
Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary
| Author | Chris Aylott et al |
| Publisher | Atlas Games |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| OGL Section 15 | fantasy-bestiary |
The material below is Open Game Content
Acanaster
Diminutive Vermin
Hit Dice 1d8+4 (8 hp)
Initiative –2 (Dex)
Speed Burrow 1/2 ft.
AC 12 (–2 Dex, +4 size) or host’s AC if higher
Attacks Projectile +2 ranged
Damage Projectile 1 point plus Implant Egg
Face/Reach 1 ft. x 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks Ability Damage, Charm, Implant Egg
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., Immunities, Inhibit Pain
Saves Fort +6, Ref –2, Will –4
Abilities Str 1, Dex 6, Con 18, Int —, Wis 3, Cha 9
Skills Hide +12, Listen +0, Spot +0
Climate/Terrain Any land and underground
Organization Solitary
Challenge Rating 1
Treasure None
Alignment Always neutral
Advancement 2–4 HD (Diminutive); add 1 HD per size class of host above Medium-sized
Implant Egg (Ex) The acanaster can make a projectile attack up to 30 feet. When its projectile attack hits, the egg expelled by the attack immediately attaches to its new host, and burrows under the skin within one round. If the host is not a magically-active creature such as a dragon, magical beast, or spellcaster, it dies within one day. Otherwise, after a week it hatches, and the new acanaster pierces the host’s skin with its sensory spikes. The spikes are flexible enough that they can fold back under armor, and are used to detect potential hosts for its offspring. The largest, central, spike fires the acanaster’s eggs. A burrowing egg or adult acanaster can be extracted with a remove disease or heal spell. Attempting to cut free an adult acanster causes the host 3 points of damage for every point of damage the acanster takes, and a dying acanster can lay a spore into its host with no attack roll necessary. Use the stats here for the egg, minus the projectile attack.
Charm (Sp) Once inside the body for more than an hour, the acanster affects the patterns of its host’s thoughts. The host hides his condition, cares for the acanaster, avoids exposure to spells that might harm the creature, and seeks out places where hosts can be found for the parasite’s offspring. A Will save protects the host from the acanster’s charm (DC 15).
Ability Damage (Ex) The acanaster drains 1 point of its host’s Constitution per Hit Die of the host’s size once it has entered its body. There is no save against this effect, and it is permanent as long as the acanaster remains in his body. The host returns to full health one day after the acanaster is removed.
Inhibit Pain (Ex) The acanaster manipulates the nervous system of its host to make it more durable. The host of an acanaster suffers no ill effects for falling below 0 hit points, until it hits –10 hit points, at which time it dies.
Skills Acanasters get a +12 size bonus to Hide checks. This is worked into the skills, above.
Vermin Vermin have no Intelligence scores and are immune to all mind-inf luencing effects. Vermin have Darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
