Acantha

Description

This is a tall, spindly creature with tubular limbs and a cylindrical body, rather like a type of desert cactus. The green hide is fluted in parallel rows that run up the length of its form, and is covered in many short spines. It has several dark, circular eyes and an odd pore on its scalp. At the end of each limb is a reddish, flower-like organ.

Acantha are large, mobile plants that resemble a saguaro cactus with a dark olive hue and flutings that run the length of the body . It stands over 9 feet in height, with a long slender body, two to four limbs, and a bundle of gray, root-like tendrils at the base. The acantha has five small, dark eyes spaced around their upper trunk, and a depression on the very top that allows it to speak. At the tip of each limb is a red, flower-like structure that is able to hold and manipulate objects.

The flower-like hands of the acantha can secrete an unusual substance that is highly intoxicating and makes a victim more susceptible to suggestion. It readily uses this nectar to control its underlings, or any beings that it plans to use in its devious schemes.

Combat

Acantha find little pleasure in combat, and they will do all in their power to place an opponent at a disadvantage prior to closing for the fight. They often employ their spell-like abilities to cause nearby plant growths to aid them in a fight.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will―speak with plants. 3/day―entangle (typical save DC 13), spike growth (typical save DC 15). 1/day―command plants (typical save DC 16), commune with nature. Caster level equals the Hit Dice. Save DCs are Charisma-based and include a +4 racial modifier.

Nectar (Sp): Three times per day an acantha can squirt a spray of liquid nectar from its flower hands at a target within 15 feet. The effect is identical with the suggestion spell (caster level 9th).

The sweet-smelling nectar can also be secreted into a container for consumption as a potion. However a dose of the nectar must be consumed within 24 hours or it will lose its potency.

Each time a dose of nectar is consumed, the resolve of a creature to resist its influence declines. During any one year period, whenever a living creature fails its Will save against the nectar, each additional save will receive a cumulative -1 penalty.

This secretion has no effect on creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects.

All-Around Vision (Ex): The many eyes of an acantha give them a +2 racial bonus on Spot checks, and they can't be flanked.

Fast Recovery (Ex): An acantha can recovery from fatigue or exhaustion in half the normal time while resting their roots in dry soil or sandy ground under daylight lighting conditions.

Root Vulnerability (Ex): Once per day an acantha must rest its roots in dry soil or sandy earth for a period of four hours, or lose 1 point of Con. In order to recover a point of Constitution, an acantha must rest its roots in dry soil or sandy earth for a full day.

Acantha Society

An acantha is an intelligent creature with a selfish nature and a deep, abiding hatred of most vermin and herbivores. They can cooperate with other acantha and intelligent creatures toward a common end, but they will almost always have a hidden agenda. Acantha are skilled liars, devious planners, manipulative associates, and utterly ruthless opponents. While they possess a dry, subtle sense of humor, they are prickly by nature and easy to insult.

The acantha were banished to Gaol after a lengthy war of genocide against their arch enemies. The prison plane has proven a brutal home for the surviving anantha, lacking as it does any significant plant growths and bright sunlight. Nevertheless the acantha have prospered, primarily due to their devious and cunning natures.

Communities consisting primarily of acantha are fairly rare. These creatures prefer to lay low and manipulate others from behind the scenes. They adapt to the local customs and seek to fit in, despite their bizarre appearance. They are very patient about waiting for their plans to come to fruition, and have been known to form plots that required decades to unfold.

Due to their nectar secretions, acantha have proven to be highly effective slavers. They control much of the slave trade on Gaol, and there is an intense rivalry between the various acantha for possession of the largest herd of laborers. They have also translated this business into other illicit endeavors, and often work as smugglers working both sides of many conflicts.

The acantha still long for a return to their native world, and the dwellings of wealthier acantha often include a brightly illuminated sand chamber where they can relax. They rely heavily on their drugged slave labor to support a comparatively lavish lifestyle. Many of their slaves have highly useful skills, sometimes including magical abilities or combat training. A wealthy acantha possesses a potent assemblage of underlings to do its bidding.

Acantha possess a deep love of the desert and a certain joy in the growth of wild plants. They dislike dark, underground places away from daylight.

Acantha as Characters

Acantha leaders tend to be rogues or ranger/rogues. Acantha clerics worship Sind. An acantha cleric has access to two of the following domains: Air, Evil, and Trickery. Most acantha spellcasters are druids. Acantha druids favor spells that harm or hinder enemies.

Acantha characters possess the following racial traits.

• +6 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma (minimum 3).
• Large size. -1 penalty on Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
• Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.
• An acantha's base land speed is 30 feet. It also has a climb speed of 20 feet.
• Low-light vision.
• Racial Hit Dice: An acantha begins with nine levels of plant, which provide 9d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +6, Ref +3, and Will +3.
• Racial Skills: An acantha's plant levels give it skill points equal to 12 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Climb, Bluff, Concentration, Heal, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival.
• Racial Feats: An acantha's plant levels give it four feats. It gains Endurance as a bonus feat.
• Weapon Proficiency: An acantha is proficient with all simple weapons.
• +6 natural armor bonus.
• Natural Weapons: 2 slams (1d6).
• Special Attacks (see above): Spell-like abilities, nectar.
• Special Qualities (see above): All-around vision, resistance to fire 5 and cold 5, fast recovery, root vulnerability, plant traits.
• Automatic Languages: Common.
• Favored Class: Rogue.
• Level Adjustment +6.