Palu Devil The Palu Devil is a creature found in the Palu Palo desert in the land of Or. During the extensive dry periods they exist in an egg-like cyst form, that the local Ketwari people call kularu-goru, or "devil's eggs". When they get wet, however, they burst into life, transforming in less than a second into a creature like a spider drawn by a disturbed child. They are a tangle of long hairy limbs, some of which end in bony barbs, with no discernable body except for a nucleus where all the limbs meet. This small bundle contains the mouth and vital organs of a palu devil. Even a drop of water is enough to bring a palu devil cyst to life. Their natural instincts are to first kill and eat anything nearby that isn't a palu devil, then to mate with another palu devil (they appear to be hermaphrodite), then to eat other palu devils. Luckily, they revert to a cyst form within a day if they do not encounter any water, a common situation in their natural habitat. In cyst form they are easily destroyed, but even the moisture from a human hand can be enough to awaken them. Palu Devil Small Vermin Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft. Armor Class: 17 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Claw +3 (1d4+1, crit. 19-20) Full Attack 4 Claws +3 (1d4+1, crit. 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: None Special Qualities: Tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1 Abilities: Str 12 (+1), Dex 19 (+4), Con 12 (+1), Int -, Wis 12 (+1), Cha 10 (10) Skills: Climb +12 Feats: Improved Initiative Environment: Sandy desert Organization: Solitary, pair, cluster (3-12) or swarm (100-200) Challenge Rating: 1 Advancement: 3-6 HD (Small) Combat: Palu devils attack relentlessly. They often grapple with targets, entangling them in their legs whilst continuing to attack with their slashing and piercing claws. Encystment: A dry palu devil enters a hibernative state in the form of a small hard egg-like cyst. In this form they can easily be killed. The cyst has a hardness of 2 and the same hit points as the palu devil has when in active form. Certain dehydrating magics may induce this effect artificially, according to the gamesmaster's decision. Skills (Ex): A palu devil has a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks and may always Take 10. It uses its Dexterity bonus instead of Strength. A palu devil also has a+4 racial bonus to grapple. When grappling, it may make a full attack against a grappled opponent. Palu Horror The palu horror is a palu devil that has been warped by the magical pollutant known as matra, the left-overs of Ocrisian alchemy. A palu horror is larger and more dangerous than a palu devil, but otherwise has a similar life cycle including becoming a cyst during the dry periods. They have the same semblance to a bundle of spidery legs as the palu devil, but are larger with a distinctive midnight blue colouration. Palu Horror Medium Magical Beast (Matra) Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft. Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+12 Attack: Claw +9 (1d6+3, crit. 19-20) Full Attack 4 Claws +9 (1d6+3, crit. 19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Poison Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, resistance cold/fire 5, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits; Spell Resistance 10 Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2 Abilities: Str 16 (+3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Int 5 (-3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 10 (10) Skills: Climb +12, Spot +5, Listen +5 Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Environment: Sandy desert Organization: Solitary, pair or cluster (3-12) Challenge Rating: 4 Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium), 11-15 HD (Large) Combat: Palu horrors are almost as single-minded as their natural cousins, but posssess a greater level of cunning. They will withdraw from more powerful opponents, particularly if they have already poisoned them. Encystment: A dry palu horror enters a hibernative state in the form of a small hard egg-like cyst. In this form they can easily be killed. The cyst has a hardness of 5 and the same hit points as the palu horror in active form. Certain dehydrating magics may induce this effect artificially, according to the gamesmaster's decision. Poison: Injury (claw), Fortitude DC 14, Initial effect 2d6 Dexterity damage, Secondary effect paralysis. Palu horror poison is a matra poison and will not affect anyone immune to, or protected against, matra effects. Skills (Ex): A palu horror has a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks and may always Take 10. It uses its Dexterity bonus instead of Strength. A palu horror also has a+4 racial bonus to grapple. When grappling, it may make a full attack against a grappled opponent. Palu Devil Scenarios Using a palu devil or palu horror cyst is a sneaky but dramatic way of attacking somebody, and might be employed by a group such as the Black River Society. A palu devil cyst is smuggled into the target's possession, perhaps buried within a pot plant or hidden inside a goblet or decanter (any item that will, at some point, come into contact with liquid). Once activated the palu devil then attacks anything nearby. Even if the target isn't killed the experience should provide a shock and a powerful warning. An interesting adventure opening is to have this happen to a friend or ally of the player characters whilst they are present. They may then proceed to track down who sent this "surprise" to their colleague. For a more wide-spread and nefarious plot, somebody is planning on unleashing a plague of palu devils by dumping a large number of cysts into the water supply of a large city (perhaps the canals and waterways of Llaza). Encounters with a few palu devils that have hatched too early will provide a clue and a hook, other details are dependent upon the gamesmaster's campaign. (c) 2010 The Creative Conclave. Contact us.

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