#chyth queen

[thecreaturecodex]

Chyth Queen

“Khython Slaymaster” © Wizards of the Coast, by Lars Grant West. Accessed at the Book of Vile Darkness Art Gallery here

[This piece of art never made it into the finished product, because it was the result of miscommunication between the art director and the artist. As written, the kython slaymaster has four arms and a snake-like body, but somehow the arms got lost in translation here. This also explains why the art for the slaughterking is somewhat sloppy, and didn’t make it into the art gallery--it was a rush job to replace this piece. But I like the grub-like slaymaster design, and that made it perfect for conversion into a queen termite-like monster.

From a design note, I’ve increased the size from Large to Huge, again, to fill the queen termite role. Since it has no arms, it can’t use chyth weaponry, so I gave it a few abilities that mimic those powers. And both the slaymaster and slaughterking have two different auras, a defensive and an offensive one. I’ve split them up, so the queen has the defense and the king the offense.]

Chyth Queen CR 11 NE Aberration This scaly creature looks something like a cross between a grub and a snake. It has an eyeless beaked head and a two-pronged stinger on its tail.

A chyth queen is the anchor of a chyth colony. Without her, the chyth cannot reproduce and spread, and thus the members of a colony defend their queen to the death. She is truly capable of defending herself as well, but when in dire straits escapes using magic, ideally with a handful of workers, in order to start the colony anew.

Chyth queens are limbless, and thus cannot use modular weaponry, but have a bone shard launcher growing from their tail. The stings they fire from it are coated in a more virulent version of the poison carried by broodlings. A chyth queen can refocus her senses into a form of occult shield, protecting not only herself but all chyth close by. Once enemies are softened up, a chyth queen enjoys grabbing them to crush in her coils and tear apart in her jaws.

A chyth queen’s duties to the hive primarily entail laying eggs and coordinating the actions of the hive. Based on reports given to her by her workers, she plans strategies for attack, commands median workers to prepare specific modular weapons, and decides if the colony should attempt to move, fortify itself, or even reproduce. A chyth queen can spawn a virgin queen if she so desires. This virgin queen is treated as a chyth broodling with the mental ability scores and spell-like abilities of a queen. She takes several workers with her when she forms a new colony, and forces them to fight to the death for the right to become the king of the new hive.

Chyth Queen            CR 11 XP 12,800 NE Huge aberration (chyth) Init +7; Senses blind, blindsight 60 ft., Perception +22 Aura defensive (30 ft.) Defense AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +13 natural) hp 142 (15d8+75) Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +13 Immune acid, cold, gaze attacks, visual spells and effects; Resist electricity 10, fire 10 Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee bite +16 (3d6+7 plus grab), sting +16 (2d8+7 plus poison) Ranged bone shard +12/+7/+2 (2d8/19-20x2 plus poison) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks constrict (2d6+10) Spell-like Abilities CL 15th, concentration +19 1/day—etherealness, greater teleport Statistics Str 25, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 19 Base Atk +11; CMB +20 (+24 grapple); CMD 34 (cannot be tripped) Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Spring Attack, Stealthy (B), Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +21, Climb +25, Escape Artist +27, Intimidate +22, Perception +22, Sense Motive +22, Stealth +19, Survival +22 Languages Abyssal, Chyth, Infernal, Undercommon SQ birth weaponry Ecology Environment any land and underground Organization solitary or colony (1 plus 3-20 chyth broodlings, 3-20 minor workers, 3-20 median workers, 1-12 major workers and 0-1 chyth kings) Treasure standard Special Abilities Birth Weaponry (Ex) As a full round action once per day, a chyth queen may lay 1d4+1 eggs, each of which contains a random chyth modular weapon. On a roll of 8, the egg contains twins—two of the same type of weapon (roll again, reroll 8s). Bone Shards (Ex) A chyth queen may fire bone shards from her tail as if it were a Huge light repeating crossbow with unlimited ammunition. Each shard is automatically covered in chyth queen poison. Defensive Aura (Su) As a move action, a chyth queen can reduce the radius of her blindsight by 30 feet in order to create a defensive aura. The chyth queen, and all chyth in the radius, gain a +4 deflection bonus to AC and CMD, and spell resistance 21. A chyth queen may end this ability as a move action. Poison (Ex) Sting or bone shard—injury; save Fort DC 22; duration 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 saves. The save DC is Constitution based.