Blazing Terror

Description

This sleek, feline creature has a flawless white fur coat, lean body, powerful legs with wide, splayed paws, and a stunted, fuzzy tail. Instead of a jaw, it has a long, serrated beak. Blue flames dance up from its body, producing a pale radiance.

These snow-white creatures appear very similar to a giant lynx, but with a long serrated beak. It has a sleek, muscular body, strong legs, and unusually wide paws that allow it to move readily across loose snow. The tail of a blazing terror is short and covered in a fuzz of crystalline spines. Its eyes are pale with just a hint of light blue, and it has a triangular iris. Otherwise this creature is free of markings, and blends effortlessly into a snow or glacial background.

Combat

The blazing terror prefers a rugged icy environment where it can stealthily approach its prey. It can easily withstand extremely cold temperatures and is unaffected by wind chill. It can communicate simple messages with its own kind in a harsh bark, and hungry groups of blazing terrors occasionally hunt cooperatively to attack small herds. However, they generally prefer solitary nocturnal hunting when plentiful small game becomes available.

In contrast with many denizens of the cold elemental planes, the blazing terror moves with startling speed. It is a ferocious hunter that will relentlessly pursue its prey. However, the blazing terror prefers to leap on its prey from ambush, relying on speed and surprise.

Unlike the great cats, the blazing terror does not use its padded feet in combat. Instead it relies on a razor-sharp beak that is capable of cutting through armor or bone.

A blazing terror cannot consume flesh that is not frozen and so will not generally hunt warm-blooded creatures for food. However, for reasons not fully understood, a blazing terror hates any being from an ice-free environment. Thus it will attack any warm-blooded creatures that are not native to the region, even though it has no desire to consume their flesh.

Screech (Su): Once every 1d3 rounds a blazing terror can emit a stunning screech. All creatures within 15 feet must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d3 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Cold (Ex): The shiny flesh of a blazing terror appears to constantly emit faint blue flames. Merely touching or being touched by a blazing terror automatically deals 2d6 cold damage.

Rage (Ex): The only thing that a blazing terror truly fears is to be trapped with no escape. Such a situation will send it into a berserk rage, and it will attack the nearest opponent until it is no longer trapped, and for 2d6 rounds thereafter. During its rage, it gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and -2 to AC. A blazing terror cannot voluntarily end its rage.

Skills: The leaping ability of a blazing terror gives it a +8 racial bonus to Jump checks. *Their natural coloration grants them a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in snow and ice.

Advanced Benefits

In addition to the standard changes due to Hit Dice advancement, blazing terrors also gain the following special benefits.

• The save DC of the screech is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Charisma modifier.
• 5+ HD ― Improved Jump (Ex): A blazing terror need only move 10 feet in a straight line to get a running start before attempting a jump. If it does not get a running start, the DC for the jump is doubled. A blazing terror can always choose to take 10 on Jump checks, even if distracted or endangered.
• 6–8 HD ― Darkvision range improves to 90 feet.
• 8+ HD ― Ferocity (Ex): A blazing terror is such a tenacious opponent that it continues to fight without penalty even when disabled or dying.
• 9 HD ― Darkvision range improves to 120 feet.