Medium-Size Plant

Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)

Initiative: +0

Speed: 20 ft

AC: 14 (+4 natural)

Attacks: Slam +2 melee or tongue +2 melee, spit +1 ranged

Damage: Slam 1d6+1, spit 1d8

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. (30 ft with tongue)

Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d8+1, favored enemy, disease

Special Qualities: Plant, blindsight

Saves: Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0

Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10

Skills: Hide +5*, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Sense Motive +4, Spot +6

Feats: Alertness

Organization:Solitary (1), Pair (2), Party (3 -9) or Tribe (10-100)

Challenge Rating: 3

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Usually lawful evil

Advancement: By character class

Aartuk live for war, and prefer strong opponents in times of battle. They have been known to let captured opponents go if they discover a more worthy adversary. Aartuk warriors slain in battle are cremated and their ashes kept as a reminder of the brave warriors that fought for the aartuk way of life.

An aartuk stands about 6 feet tall and has a star-shaped body covered in flexible bark that has the texture of leather. It uses three of its five appendages for locomotion. A snake-like tongue protrudes from its central stump.

COMBAT

An aartuk attacks an opponent by shooting rock-like pellets from its head stalk or lashing out with its tongue.

   Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the aartuk must hit an opponent of up to Medium-size with its tongue attack. If it gets a hold, it pulls its opponent 10 feet closer each round and constricts when the opponent is reeled in to its body.

   An opponent can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 12) or Strength check (DC 12). A single attack with a slashing weapon that deals at least 10 points of damage severs the tongue (AC 20).

   Constrict (Ex): An opponent reeled in to an aartuk’s mouth takes 1d8+1 points of crushing damage each round the hold is maintained.

   Favored Enemy (Ex): Similar to the ranger’s favored enemy skill, the aartuk is the sworn enemy of beholders. They gain a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when used against beholders. They also gain this bonus to damage rolls against beholders. For every 5 HD or class levels, this bonus increases by +1.

   Disease (Ex): By grasping an opponent with its tongue for three consecutive rounds, the aartuk can infect the creature with the aartuk virus (Fortitude save DC 11; incubation period 1 day; damage 1d6 temporary Constitution [when damaged creature must make another Fortitude save or lose 1 point permanently]; at Con 0, the creature’s body turns into a jelly-like mass and one month later, a fully grown aartuk emerges from the embryo). A remove disease spell cast before a creature dies halts the infection. If successful, the creature must immediately succeed at another Fortitude save (DC 11) or die.

   This virus is the method used by the aartuk race for reproduction.

   Plant: Immune to mind-influencing affects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing.  Not subject to critical hits.

   Blindsight (Ex): Aartuks can ascertain all foes within 30 feet using sound, vibration, and scent.

   Skills: Aartuk receive skills as though they were monstrous humanoids. *They receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks made in forested areas.

   Feats: Aartuks receive feats as though they were monstrous humanoids.

Aartuk Characters

The favored class of an aartuk is Fighter. Only aartuk clerics can advance to become Elder Aartuk, however. Aartuk clerics have access to two of the following domains: Destruction, Plant, and War. Arcane magic is extremely rare among the aartuks, but wizards and sorcerers are not unheard of.