Ogatsu

Description

This formidable-looking insectoid is segmented into two parts, with of a large, bullet-shaped head and a long, arched back covered with heavy spikes. It has four short, thick legs covered in barbs. The hard exoskeleton is a black, glossy shell.

This insect-like monstrosity was created by an alien race to hunt and destroy any creatures it encounters. It is able to exist quite comfortably in a pure vacuum while exposed to harsh radiation, but is uncomfortable within a breathable atmosphere. The body is highly efficient about recycling ingested materials, and it has very few actual nutritional requirements. It can exist for years without eating or drinking water, and acquires most of its energy by basking in direct sunlight.

When it acquires sufficient nutrients from devouring life forms, the ogatsu will reproduce itself by wrapping its body in a glassy cocoon it spins with its mouthpiece. Within this cocoon the ogatsu gradually splits apart into two separate creatures. When the separation is complete the two ogatsu break out of the cocoon and go their separate ways.

The body of the ogatsu is segmented into two main portions, each protected by a thick, glossy black carapace. At the front is a bullet-shaped, armored head that is attached by a retractable neck to the thorax. This head is a nightmare of spikes, fangs, mandibles, horns, and flickering tendrils. It has five eye-like sensory organs, but they are small in proportion to the size of the head and all are recessed into protective pits within the carapace. The long, segmented neck allows the ogatsu to strike targets up to five feet away, then quickly withdraw the head back to the protection of the armored body. The thorax segment is longer than it is wide, with an arched shape across the back. The crest of the carapace is protected by a curving row of gray horns. The sides of the thorax are glossy black in hue, but are decorated by a splattering of purple spots concentrated along the belly. Whenever the ogatsu becomes agitated these spots become swollen and turn a light violet color.

The thorax segment has four short but powerful legs, each with a pair of thick, hooked digits that bend in toward each other, plus a thorn-shaped spur on the back of the leg. The legs are also protected by a barbed exoskeleton that allows the ogatsu to readily grasp almost any rough surface. At the back of the thorax is a pair of flexible, whip-like tails with a barbed digit at the end.

If it is wounded, the violet-hued blood leaking from the body of the ogatsu will rapidly dry and turn into a cotton-like patch. The blood has an acrid odor and a vile taste, but is otherwise relatively inert. The body of an ogatsu provides no nutritional to most life forms including humans.

Combat

The primary attack form of the ogatsu is its extensible, spiked head, which rams into the body of the target then proceeds to tear of a chunk of flesh. It can also attack with its flexible tail whips. Each of these whips has a barb that will break off in the body of a target they strike, infecting the victim with a potent range of toxins and deadly biological agents designed to affect a wide range of life forms.

Augmented Critical (Ex): The sensory tendrils on the face allow it to target vulnerable locations more effectively, providing a 19–20 critical with its bite attack.

Biotoxins (Ex): When a tail barb inflicts damage to target, it breaks off and simultaneously injects a deadly poison and alien disease, as described below. A new tail barb grows back after 1d6 weeks, and can not inflict damage until it has fully emerged.

Poison (Ex): injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Fire Pox (Ex): alien disease―barb, Fortitude DC 17, incubation period 1 hour; damage 1d4 Str and 1d4 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Tremorsense (Ex): Ogatsu can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 40 feet that is in contact with the ground.

Limited Senses (Ex): The ogatsu is unable to hear or smell, and can not perform a Listen or Move Silently skill check. It is immune to any attack forms that rely on hearing or scent, but can be harmed by sonic attacks.

Skills: An ogatsu has a +4 racial bonus on Climb and Spot checks.

Also in this section of the source

Overseer

Author: Robert J. Hall.

A glowing, pulsing field of energy radiates a bright orange light at the core. It is a shapeless form that appears partly transparent, particularly along the wispy edges.

The overseers are a powerful, immortal race that long ago evolved beyond the need for a corporeal existence. Their body is a highly complex energy field, utilizing advanced metaphasic technology to make themselves virtually invulnerable to physical threats. They can use their abilities to form physical bodies and function like a normal being, but only do so for the occasional interaction with less advanced races.

Combat

Overseers rarely have a need for personal combat, and their innate metaphasic abilities are more than a match for most threats. Their plasma form can inflict a nasty burn, although an overseer will usually avoid personal contact to prevent such an incident. They have immensely advanced powers and technology available that is vastly more potent than their personal abilities, but all overseers are duty-bound to employ these powers only if a major threat to galactic stability arises.

Plasma Body (Ex): In its native form the body of an overseer is an intensely hot plasma that works like the gaseous form spell, but allows a fly movement of 60 feet. This ability is inherent and can only be suppressed by a shape change.

Merely touching or being touched by a overseer in plasma form automatically deals 6d6 fire damage.

The plasma body radiates also light energy as a daylight spell. This ability is constant, but the overseer can suppress or resume it as a free action. When suppressed, the body radiates light energy as a light spell.

Metaphasic Powers (Su): At will―animate objects, detect thoughts (DC 19), heal, greater scrying (DC 24), greater teleport, major creation, mind blank (DC 25), sending, telekinesis, tongues; 3/day―disintegrate, dominate monster (DC 26), grasping hand, meteor swarm (DC 26), polymorph any object, reverse gravity, wall of force; 1/day―crushing hand, power word kill, teleportation circle, temporal stasis (DC 25), time stop. Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Shapechange (Sp): An overseer can suppress its plasma body and assume the form of any corporeal creature like the shapechange spell. An overseer can remain in its current form until it chooses to assume a new one. In their altered form they lose their plasma body but retain their spell-like abilities. A change in form can not be dispelled, but the form dissipates when an overseer is killed. A true seeing spell or ability reveals its natural form.

True Seeing (Sp): Due to their highly evolved senses, overseers have a continuous true seeing ability as the spell (caster level 20th).

Regeneration (Ex): Cold deals normal damage to an overseer.

Overseer Culture

This ancient race long ago merged into a single, psionic-linked community that is able to contemplate matters that are beyond the comprehension of most intelligent creatures. The overseers have evolved far beyond the capabilities of ordinary life forms, and have incomprehensible powers and abilities at their disposal.

The race has been assigned the duty of overseer by an even more advanced elder race. Their task is to prevent the rise of a power that would exterminate all other intelligent life forms in the galaxy. They are to prevent by all means the construction of weapons capable of destroying planets or star systems. They will also intervene to prevent genocidal wars, employing potent technology so utterly advanced that its effects will appear magical even to highly advanced civilizations. Although they intensely dislike tampering with primitive cultures, they will not hesitate use all the immense powers at their disposal to fulfill their ancient duty.

Phage Zombie

Author: Robert J. Hall.

Born of a top secret bio-weapons laboratory, the phage plague was a mutant virus intended to slay enemy forces and turn their corpses into relentless killing machines. The resulting necrotic creatures would spread havoc among the enemy forces, relentlessly spreading the disease and forming a mob of mindless monsters. Unfortunately the disease escaped the lab and set off a chain reaction of killing and horror.

A phage zombie is a creature that was killed as a result of the phage plague. This disease establishes a pseudo-metabolism in the corpse, allowing the cadaver to continue to perform physical activities, albeit much more slowly than while still alive. The dead being possesses only a limited portion of its former intellect, with the more primitive parts of the mind being the dominant.

This monstrosity suffers from an insatiable craving for specific types of nutrients that are needed to redress a chemical imbalance in their brain. This craving can only be satisfied by consuming still-living neural tissue, preferably in large quantities. As a result the phage zombie is instinctively driven to seek out living creatures with large brain structures, such as humans.

Due to its necrotic state, a phage zombie can survive an inordinate amount of damage before the body is finally unable to function. They are insensible of pain and suffering, and possess a raw, brute strength that can be utilized without exhaustion. A phage zombie has the physical appearance of a corpse, often with considerable damage to various parts of their body due to the various wounds it has received or has self-inflicted. Phage zombies are relentless in the attack and often travel in large packs. Due to their abnormal metabolism, however, they move much more slowly than living beings, allowing some to escape by running away.

Being infected by a phage virus will often prove fatal to a victim as the disease begins to ravage their body and starts to convert the metabolism into its necrotic form. The few who survive this illness will require many weeks of rest and care to recover, and the horror of their experience will live with them for many years afterward.

Sample Phage Zombie

A sickly-looking human advances clumsily across the ground, its pale flesh covered in seeping black sores and its hair unkempt and dirty. The eyes of this person appear dull and bloodshot, and there is a lackluster expression on its face.

This example uses a 1st-level human commoner as the base creature.