GEHRELETH aka DEMODAND

from Fiend Folio

The prison plane of Carceri is home to many sorts of creatures. Its petitioners plot endlessly to find an escape from their hellish existence, but watchful eyes see to it that such plots never succeed. The demodands are the self-appointed keepers of the Carcerian population. They are the jailers and wardens, although they themselves are mostly prisoners of the plane as surely as the petitioners they try to watch.

Of course, the number of petitioners on Carceri makes the demodands' task an impossible one, but this doesn't trouble them. After their exile from some other plane many millennia ago, for a reason long forgotten (although the kelubars and shators both agree it was the fault of the farastus), the demodands were exiled to the Tarterian Depths of Carceri to serve a penance. Once there, they took it upon themselves to set up an order, of sorts. Other subraces of demodands live on Carceri, and perhaps on other planes as well, but the farastus, kelubars, and shators are the most common.

The demodands don't restrict their activities exclusively to Carceri. They are sometimes encountered on other planes acting as bounty hunters in pursuit of those who have escaped the Tarterian Depths. Such demodands still know their fate is to return to Carceri.

COMBAT

Demodands don't seek trouble with visitors to Carceri. The problem, however is that they do nor distinguish between visitors and regular petitioners, if a creature is on Carceri, the demodands think it belongs there, and thus they see that keeping it there is their duty,

Summon Demodand (Sp): Demodands can summon others of their kind as though casting a summon monster spell, but they have only a limited chance of success. Roll d% and compare the result to the die range given in the demodand's specific description: On a failure, no demodands answer the summons. Summoned creatures remain for 1 hour, then return to their home on Carceri. A demodand that is itself summoned cannot use its own summon demodand ability for 1 hour.

Demodand Traits

Freedom of Movement (Su): All demodands gain the benefit of continuous freedom of movement, as the spell cast by a 10th-level spellcaster.

Poison Immunity (Ex): All demodands are immune to poison.

Outsider Traits: A demodand has darkvision (60-foot range, or 120-foot range for shators). It cannot be raised or resurrected.

FARASTU

Medium-Size Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar) Hit Dice: lld8+22 (71 hp)

Initiative: +5

Speed: 40 ft.

AC; 25 (+1 Dex, +14 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 24

Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+23

Attack: Claw +15 melee

Full Attack: 2 claws +15 melee and bite +10 melee

Damage: Claw 1d4+4, bite ld6+2

Face/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.

Special Attacks: Adhesive slime, improved grab, rage, spell-like abilities, summon demodand

Special Qualities: Acid immunity, cold resistance 10, DR 10/+1, outsider traits, poison immunity, fire resistance
10, scent, SR 23

Saves: Fort +9, Ref+3, Will +8

Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 16

Skills: Climb +22, Concentration +13, Diplomacy +6, Hide + 12, Intimidate +16, listen +14, Move Silently +12, Search +10, Sense Motive+12, Spot + 14, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks)

Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground (Carceri)

Organization: Solitary, team (2-4), or squad (6-10)

Challenge Rating: 11

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Often neutral evil

Advancement: 12-22 HD (Large); 23-33 HD (Huge)

 

The farastus are the most common type of demodand. They draw the most menial tasks under orders from the kelubars and shators. Blamed for their race's long-forgotten transgression, which resulted in their banishment to Carceri, the farastus are barely tolerated by other demodands.

Farastus stand roughly 7 feet high and weigh about 220 pounds. They have long arms and legs, and large, oblong heads. Their bodies continually ooze a thick, black, tarlike substance that slowly trickles down the creatures' emaciated frames.

Farastus are arrogant and cruel when not around kelubars or shators. As occupants of the lowest rung of demodand society, they enjoy flexing their muscles with weaker creatures they know they can push around.

Farastus speak the language of demodands and Abyssal.

Combat

Farastus enjoy it when a petitioner in their "care" tries to escape because it allows them to vent their copious frustrations on the unfortunate soul. They typically fly into a rage in the first round of combat and then try to disarm an opponent of any weapons before wading in with their sharp claws and large, tooth-filled mouths. If they manage to disarm an opponent of a powerful weapon, they don't hesitate to wield it themselves.

Farastus can be summoned using a summon monster IX spell.

Adhesive Slime (Ex): The thick, tarlike slime that farastus secrete acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast creatures or items that touch it. Farastus have a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks and disarm checks due to their adhesive slime. A farastu frequently chooses to grapple its foes and then maul its enemies with natural attacks.

A weapon that strikes a farastu is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 17). Prying off a stuck weapon requires a Strength check (DC 17).

Lantern oil or some other flammable oil (such as alchemist's fire) dissolves the farasru's adhesive slime; the creature requires 10 minutes to renew its adhesive coating if doused with oil. A farastu can dissolve its adhesive slime at will, and the substance breaks down 1 minute after the creature dies.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a farastu hits an opponent with a claw attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +23, or +25 when raging, including the bonus for adhesive slime). Farastu do not have any special ability to damage grappled opponents other than their natural attacks, but their adhesive slime makes them very dangerous in a grapple.

Rage (Ex): Three times per day a farastu can fly into a frenzy, raging like a barbarian. The farastu gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The following changes are in effect as long as the rage lasts; HD lld8+44 (93 hp); AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 22; Base Arrack/Grapple + 13/+25; Full Attack 2 claws +17 melee and bite +12 melee; Damage claw ld4+6, bite ld6+4; SV Fort +11, Will +10; Str 23, Con 18; Climb +24, The rage lasts for 7 rounds, but the farastu can end it earlier if desired. The creature is not fatigued at the end of its rage.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will-detect magic, clairaudience/clairvoyance, fear, invisibility, tongues; 3/day-fog cloud, ray of enfeeblement; 2/day-dispel magic. Caster level 11th; save DC 13 + Spell level.

Summon Demodand (Sp): Once per day, a farastu can attempt to summon ld4 farastus with a 30% chance of success (result of 71-100 on d%).

Scent (Ex): A farastu can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Skills: A farastu's adhesive slime gives it a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks.

KELUBAR

Medium-Size Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)

Hit Dice: 13d8+39 (97 hp)

Initiative: +5

Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)

AC: 27 (+1 Dex, +16 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 27

Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+18

Attack: Claw +18 melee

Full Attack: 2 claws +18 melee and bite +16 melee

Damage: 2 claws 1d4+5 plus acid; bite ld6+2 plus acid

Face/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.

Special Attacks: Acidic slime, sneak attack +4d6, spell-like abilities, stench, summon demodand

Special Qualities: Acid immunity, cold immunity, DR 15/+2, outsider traits, poison immunity, evasion, fire immunity, SR 25, uncanny dodge

Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +10

Abilities: Str 20, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha I8

Skills: Bluff +24, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +28, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Gather Information +6, Hide +9, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (local) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Listen +18, Move Silently +9, Sense Motive +22, Spot + 18, Survival +2 (+4 on other planes)

Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Multiattack, Spring Attack

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground (Carceri)

Organisation: Solitary, team (2-4), or squad (6-10)

Challenge Rating: 13

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Often neutral evil

Advancement: 13-22 HD (Large); 23-39 HD (Huge)

 

Kelubars are the bureaucrats of demodand society. They act as intermediaries between the shators and the farastus, as well as supervisors of farastu squads. The slime that coats their skin is a perfect match for their odorous personalities.

Kelubars are obese, partly because of the fairly sedentary lives they lead. They weigh close to 500 pounds, stand about 8 feet tall, and have batlike wings with a span of almost I5 feet. Their skin is knobbed, rough, and leathery, and coated completely by a pale green slime that gives their dark skin a grotesque hue.

Like all demodands, kelubars revel in the subservience of others. While they prefer exchanging words to fighting, they won't hesitate to engage in battle should the need arise.

Kelubars speak the language of demodands, as well as Abyssal and Common.

Combat

If caught by surprise, kelubars try to negotiate their way into a superior position, at the very least delaying opponents with the appearance of diplomacy while they look for weaknesses in potential foes. In a fight, they first try to summon reinforcements before resorting to spell-like abilities and then melee, in that order.

Acidic Slime (Ex): The slime secreted by a kelubars adds +ld6 points of acid damage to each of its melee attacks. On a successful critical hit, this burst of acid deals +ldl0 points of acid damage.

Sneak Attack (Ex): Anytime a kelubars target is denied a Dexterity bonus, or when a target is flanked by a kelubar, the kelubar deals an additional 4d6 points of damage on a successful melee attack.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will-detect magic, clairaudience/clairvoyance, fear, invisibility, Melf's acid arrow, spider climb, tongues; 3/day-fog cloud, ray of enfeeblement; 2/day-acid fog, dispel magic. Caster level 15th; save DC 14 + spell level.

Stench (Ex): A kelubar's slime reeks of filth and decay. All creatures (except other demodands) within 30 feet of a kelubar must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 19) or be overcome with nausea. This condition lasts as long as the creature remains within the area, and for 10 rounds after the creature leaves. A successful save means the creature is immune to that kelubar's stench for 1 day (but not the stench of other kelubars).

Summon Demodand (Sp): Once per day, a kelubar can attempt to summon ld2 kelubars with a 40% chance of success (result of 61-100 on d%), or 1d4 farastu with a 60% chance of success (result of 41-100 on d%).

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A kelubar retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even when flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker, and it cannot be flanked except by a rogue of 11th level or higher. It can flank characters that also have uncanny dodge as if it were a 7th-level rogue.

Skills: Kelubars have a +4 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks.

SHATOR

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)

Hit Dice: 15d8+60 (127 hp)

Initiative: +2

Speed: 30 ft., fly 70 ft. (poor)

AC: 28 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +13 natural, +4 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 26

Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+25

Attack: Huge +2 guisarme +22 melee, or claw +20 melee

Full Attack: Huge +2 guisarme +22 melee, or 2 claws +20 melee and bite +18 melee

Damage: Huge +2 guisarme 2d6+11; claw ld6+6; bite 2d6+3

Face/Reach: 10 ft./l0 ft (20 ft. with guisarme)

Special Attacks: Paralyzing slime, spell-like abilities, spells, summon demodand

Special Qualities: Acid immunity, cold immunity, dark-vision 120 ft., DR 20/+3, outsider traits, poison immunity, fire immunity, immunity to mind-affecting effects, scent, see invisibility, SR 30

Saves: Fort +13, Ref+11, Will +12

Abilities: Str23, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 16, Cna 21

Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +24, Disguise +20 (+22 acting), Gather Information +7, Hide +17, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (local) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Listen +20, Move Silently +17, Search +17, Sense Motive +21, Spot +20, Survival +3 (+5 following tracks or on other planes)

Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Expertise, Improved Trip, Multiattack, Spell Penetration

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground (Carceri)

Organization: Solitary, team (2-4), or clique (2-4 plus 6-10 farastus and 4-6 kelubars)

Challenge Rating: 16

Treasure: Double standard

Alignment: Often neutral evil

Advancement: 16-22 HD (Large); 23-30 HD (Huge); 31-45 HD (Gargantuan)

 

The shators reside at the top of demodand society. If the farastus are the prison guards of Carceri, the shators are the wardens. Unusually cruel, shators secretly hope those that are bound to the plane will attempt to escape, just so they can hunt the escapees down.

Shators are obese and disgusting. They stand 10 feet tall and weigh nearly 700 pounds. Large, batlike wings sprout from their backs, and pale slime drips from the corners of their froglike, fanged mouths, as well as from their skin.

Shators make all the decisions about whether to pursue Carcerian fugitives, using their innate planeshifting ability to send demodands out as bounty hunters to bring escapees back. They constantly plot against other Carcerian factions, hoping to extend the demodands' influence. Shators rarely trust one another, preferring to work through their lackey contingents of farastus and kelubars, but several will band together if a common obstacle presents itself.

Shators speak the language of demodands, as well as Abyssal, Infernal, and Common.

Combat

Shators are usually accompanied by groups of farastu and kelubar toadies. This retinue often enables a shator to stay out of combat if it desires. Shators prefer to use their spells and spell-like abilities from a distance, and can spit their paralyzing slime as a ranged attack. If forced into melee, a shator uses its Huge +2 guisarme to trip an opponent from 10 feet away, before following up with a free attack thanks to its Improved Trip feat. A shator may use this tactic on several opponents in the same round due to its Combat Reflexes feat.

Paralyzing Slime (Ex): A shator's slime acts as a nerve toxin. Creatures struck in melee by a shator's claw or bite attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 21) or be paralyzed for 3d6 rounds. The shator can choose to spit a globule of slime as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 feet, with the same effect.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - detect magic, clairaudience/clairvoyance, fear, invisibility, spider climb, tongues; 3/day- cloudkill, fog cloud, ray of enfeeblement, stinking cloud; 2/day - dispel magic; 1/day-mass charm. Caster level 15th; save DC 15 + spell level.

Spells: A shator can cast arcane spells as an 8th-level sorcerer (spells/day 6/8/7/6/4; spells known 8/5/3/2/1; save DC 15 + spell level}. A typical spells known list: 0 - dancing lights, daze, flare, gust of wind, read magic, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost; 1st-enlarge, mage armor, magic missile, obscuring mist, true strike; 2nd - bull's strength, detect thought's, Tasha's hideous laughter; 3rd - blink, fireball, 4th-confusion.

Summon Demodand (Sp): Once per day, a shator can attempt to summon ld2 shators with a 30% chance of success (result of 71-100 on d%) or either ld4 kelubars or ld6 farastus (shator's choice) with a 70% chance of success (result of 31-100 on d%).

Immunity to Mind-Affecting Effects (Ex): A shator is immune to all spells and effects with the mind-affecting descriptor.

Scent (Ex): A shator can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and crack by sense of smell.

See Invisibility (Su): This ability functions like a sec invisibility spell, except that it is always active and its range extends to the limit of the shator's vision.