Maw

Description

Floating effortlessly in mid air is a hideous creature consisting of little more than a massive, fang-lined maw. This gaping mouth emits an unwholesome stench, and trails of drool continually drip down the edges. Black tendrils around the sides quiver in anticipation of another meal.

The maw is a voracious creature that exists only to consume food. It can fly slowly, gliding silently about in a search of fresh meat. The body of this strange monstrosity is partly enclosed in an extra-dimensional pocket that is shaped as the interior of a shell. Only the mouth of the creature projects out of this pocket, completely surrounding its own dimensional portal and providing a gateway through which sustenance is passed. Food and water are drawn through this mouth, and the refuse is later passed pack out in an explosive vomit of acidic waste.

The mouth has a horrific appearance, consisting of a large, gaping jaw floating in mid-air. The exterior is covered in a black, scaly hide with many slender tactile tendrils about the rim of the mouth. The creature is completely blind, but these tendrils are exquisitely sensitive to scent and vibrations, allowing the creature to hunt in total darkness.

The mouth of this beast is lined with row upon row of triangular fangs dripping with a yellow-hued saliva that constantly drools along the ground. (In spite of the fact that the maw can fly, it can still be tracked due to this drool.) The throat at the center of the mouth is surrounded by a multitude of twitching tongues which can grasp morsels of food and draw them through to the gullet located in the extra-planar pocket.

Combat

The maw attacks with its bite, seeking to engulf its target and swallow a creature whole. It is an almost mindless eating machine, and will attack without thought for tactics. Against creatures too large to swallow, the maw will spew a mass of acidic waste and then seek to escape.

Planar Return (Ex): If forced back to its native extra-dimensional pocket as a result of a banishment or other effect, the flying mouth-piece of the maw can return to a known location in the last plane it occupied as a move action.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a maw must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow the foe the following round.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A maw can attempt to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 1d8+5 points of damage plus 4 points of acid damage per round from the maw's gizzard. A swallowed creature can inflict damage by using a light slashing or piercing melee weapon (AC 15). However escape is only possible by crawling out through the mouth once the maw is slain. A Maw's interior can hold 4 Medium, 16 Small, 64 Tiny, or 256 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Spew (Ex): Once per day the maw can spew a mass of acidic waste against a single opponent within 15 feet. This attack deals 3d8 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 18 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Blindsight (Ex): The maw's body is a sensory organ that can ascertain prey by scent and vibration within 60 feet. Beyond that range they treat all targets as having total concealment. Immobilizing a maw will reduce this ability to normal Blind-Fight (as the feat). If both hearing and smell are also negated, the maw is effectively blinded.

Flight (Ex): A maw's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Extra-Dimensional Pocket (Sp): Most of the body of the maw is in an extra-dimensional pocket plane. (This is equivalent to a 4th-level spell.) The opening is large enough for a Medium creature to pass through without difficulty.

If the maw is ever slain, within 2d6 rounds the contents of the dimensional pocket slough out through the opening in a disgusting pile of slimy flesh. The portal will then remain open for 1d4 hours before winking out of existence.

The pocket dimension can be made permanent through the use of a permanency spell (caster level 12th, 2,000 XP) although it can only moved about by using spells of type Force. The pocket dimension can hold 800 cu. ft. of goods.

Immunities: Maw's are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Skills: A maw has a +4 racial bonus on Listen checks.

Advanced Benefits

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

• The save DC of the spew attack is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.
• 12–17 HD ― Spew every 1d4 rounds, twice per day.
• 14–20 HD ― Blindsight 90 feet.
• 15–19 HD ― Maws have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
• 16+ HD ― The flight speed improves to 30 feet. A Maw's interior can hold 4 Large, 16 Medium, 64 Small, or 256 Tiny or smaller opponents.
• 18–23 HD ― Spew every 1d4 rounds, three times per day.
• 19+ HD ― Spew attacks deals 4d8 points of damage (Reflex half).
• 20+ HD ― Maws have a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
• 21+ HD ― Blindsight 120 feet.
• 24 HD ― Spew every 1d4 rounds, four times per day.

Also in this section of the source

Mekanoid

Author: Robert J. Hall.

A mekanoid is a metallic automaton that has been constructed in the likeness of a living creature. This device is powered by magic, but operates primarily through mechanical artifice. The power source consists of a set of magical crystals placed in a protected location within the body. These in turn drive the elaborate gears, drive shafts, pistons, cables, and other mechanisms that control the movements of the mekanoid. The automaton is controlled by a rudimentary command system that is capable of following simple instructions or reacting to changes. However the intelligence is mostly instinctive in nature, and is based on magic.

The mekanoid is normally build to operate in a particular environment. If the base creature had a swimming speed, the mekanoid will also operate normally in water and is designed not to corrode due to leaks. The mekanoids that can fly do so in the same manner as the model creature, but will need to operate its wings much more rapidly in order to stay aloft.

If the base creature is able to emit a substance for a special purpose, the mekanoid can perform the same action. However the mekanoid must be specifically designed to supply this substance. It may have special ports where the special alchemical substances are restocked, or a magical mechanism that performs the same action.

Sample Mekanoid

What appears to be a mechanical bronze gadget in the shape of a serpent is moving in a disturbingly life-like and all too menacing manner. Its crystalline eyes regard the surroundings with a penetrating gaze, following anything that moves.

This example uses a size medium viper snake as the base creature.