PLAGUE SPEWER
Source: 3.5e Monster Manual 3.
Very few creatures can cause devastation over a huge, widespread area even long after they are dead. Unfortunately for natural creatures, plague spewers, with their ability to spread plague, are an exception. Indeed, the appearance of spew plague often precedes the arrival of a plague spewer by months or years, as does a massive increase in the native rat population.
A plague spewer appears to be a gigantic humanoid composed of rotting flesh. Boils and pustules pockmark its body, and rats, flies and other vermin accompany it everywhere. A constant stream of vomit and bile drools from its gaping mouth. Lumps beneath its rancid skin squirm and move.
A typical encounter with a plague spewer might begin with the monster and a single plague vermin swarm, but by the end of it the monster will have two more swarm allies due to its vomit plague vermin swarm ability.
The Dangers of Disease: The plague spewer, while a powerful opponent, is most dangerous due to its ability to spread disease far and wide. Entire cities have died of the festering sicknesses spread by the plague spewer and its vermin, and there are empty continents covered in sparse ruins whose former inhabitants all perished. Indeed, when such a crisis occurs, the plague devastating the land spreads quickly as refugees flee the cities, taking it with them to other lands, islands and communities. Because spew plague is highly communicable even before its symptoms manifest, its spread is extremely difficult to prevent, and fully curing it is likewise extraordinarily difficult. In addition to the disease itself, a plague spewer also spreads panic, potentially over a huge area. Thus, a plague spewer poses a threat far greater than the physical damage it can cause.
Vermin Everywhere: A plague spewer brings with it hordes of rats, roaches, flies, fleas and other vermin, some of which stay behind wherever it goes, spreading spew plague. Although a great increase in the number of vermin in an area can be an indicator of the coming of a plague spewer, there is rarely much that can be done about it. Exterminating all the vermin in a town or village is virtually impossible.
Plague Spewer Level 25 Elite Brute
Huge shadow humanoid (undead) XP 14,000
HP 580; Bloodied 290 Initiative +19
AC 37; Fortitude 39; Reflex 37; Will 35 Perception +17
Speed 7 Darkvision
Immune disease, poison
Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1
TRAITS
Inexorable Plague * Aura 4
A creature with immunity to disease that is exposed to spew plague while in the aura must make a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If it fails, it loses immunity to disease and contracts spew plague (stage 1). When its spew plague is cured, it regains immunity to disease if it would normally have it.
Burn it Out
When the plague spewer takes fire or radiant damage, its aura is suppressed until the start of its next turn.
Growth of Disease
When the plague spewer takes necrotic damage, each creature within 4 squares of it must make a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If it fails, it contracts spew plague (stage 1).
STANDARD ACTIONS
(mbasic) Diseased Slam (disease) * At Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +30 vs. AC.
Hit: 4d12+17 damage, and the target must make a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If it fails, it contracts spew plague (stage 1).
Double Slam * At Will
Effect: The plague spewer makes two diseased slam attacks.
TRIGGERED ACTIONS
Vomit Plague Swarm * Recharge when the plague spewer is first bloodied
Trigger: The plague spewer takes damage.
Effect: A plague vermin swarm appears adjacent to the plague spewer. It rolls for initiative immediately and takes its turn normally. The plague vermin swarm adds xp to the encounter normally.
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Skills Endurance +30
Str 25 Dex 24 Wis 20
Con 30 Int 6 Cha 16
Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common
Plague Vermin Swarm Level 25 Skirmisher
Large natural beast (swarm) XP 7,000
A plague vermin swarm is composed of a mix of vermin including rats, fleas, bedbugs, ticks, flies, cockroaches and more.
HP 231; Bloodied 115 Initiative +23
AC 39; Fortitude 37; Reflex 39; Will 35 Perception +17
Speed 6, climb 4, swim 6 Low-light vision
Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable 15 to close and area attacks
TRAITS
Diseased Swarm Attack (disease) * Aura 1
Any enemy that ends its turn in the swarm takes 10 damage and must make a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If it fails, it contracts spew plague (stage 1).
Swarm
The swarm can occupy the same space as another creature, and an enemy can enter its space, which is difficult terrain. The swarm cannot be pulled, pushed or slid by melee or ranged attacks. It can squeeze through any opening that is large enough for at least one of the creatures it comprises.
STANDARD ACTIONS
(mbasic) Filthy Vermin (disease) * At Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +30 vs. AC.
Hit: 4d6+19 damage and the target must make a saving throw at the end of the encounter. If it fails, it contracts spew plague (stage 1).
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Str 12 Dex 28 Wis 21
Con 23 Int 1 Cha 7
Alignment unaligned Languages -
Spew Plague Level 25 Disease
Individuals unfortunate enough to show the signs of spew plague vomit prolifically and have trouble keeping food down. Fever grips it and it is overcome with head and body aches.
Stage 0: The target recovers from the disease.
Stage 1: The target shows no signs of the disease. Each creature that the target becomes adjacent to must make a saving throw after five minutes or catch stage 1 of spew plague.
Stage 2: The target is feverish, achy and nauseous. It suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, skill checks, initiative and defenses. A tiny target loses 1d4 ounces in weight, a small target loses 1d2 lbs, a medium target loses 1d4 lbs, a large target loses 1d8 lbs, a huge target loses 2d6 lbs or a gargantuan target loses 3d8 lbs.
Stage 3: The target vomits and retches frequently, especially when moving quickly or exerting itself. It retains the -2 penalty from stage 2; additionally, at the start of each turn in combat or similar circumstances, the target must make a saving throw or spend a move action vomiting. A tiny target loses 2d3 ounces in weight, a small target loses 1d4 lbs, a medium target loses 2d4 lbs, a large target loses 2d6 lbs, a huge target loses 3d8 lbs or a gargantuan target loses 6d6 lbs.
Stage 4: The target dies.
Check: At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check.
20 or lower: The target gains a spew point. If it has more spew points than 2 + the disease's current stage, the stage of the disease also increases by 1.
21 to 28: No change.
29 or higher: The target loses a spew point. If the disease is at higher than stage 1, the stage of the disease decreases by 1. If the target's spew points are reduced to 0 or lower, the stage of the disease decreases to 0.
Special: Spew plague is very contagious and extremely difficult to cure. Rituals and powers that normally cure disease instead reduce the victim's number of spew points by 3.