Parasites?

[talien]

Hi Gang,

So I'm having fun converting Call of Cthulhu adventures to d20, specifically the monsters (besides the ones that have stats in CoC d20, of course). And I'm coming across quite a few critters that feed on humanity. I'm looking for any WOTC published monsters that are multi-stage type, alien beings that use humanoids to breed.

I know there are a few in the Fiend Folio, and the weird Aliens-type critters in the Book of Vile Darkness. Are there any others that have multiple stages (like drone, queen, etc.) or that evolve, developing in power and transforming their appearance/abilities in the process?

I'm also specifically looking for worm-type monsters that deposit their eggs in humanoids, but I'm not sure such a D&D critter exists.

Thanks!

 

[Aus_Snow]

I seem to recall the Book of Fiends (from Green Ronin) had at least one such critter. I'll have a look when I get the chance, to make sure. There might be more, too!

 

[Nifft]

Slaad.

Blue, Red & Green come from infesting humans.
Green -> Grey -> Death mutate into each other.

Cheers, -- N

 

[talien]

Oh right, forgot about slaads! They actually make a pretty good "Aliens" substitute, given that they:
* Lay eggs in humanoids.
* Create their own kind from humanoids.
* Evolve into progressively more powerful creatures.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Any other ideas?

 

[the Jester]

Mind flayers- they blast your mind, then stick a tadpole in your ear. It eats your brain and turns you into one of them.

 

[Festivus]

Kyuss Worms (from the Age of Worms). They crawl under your flesh working their way to your brain where they feast. After you die, you rise as a Kyuss creature of some kind.

I'd consider those to be parasites.

 

[the Jester]

Also, the Fiend Folio has some cool symbiotes... if you were to modify them slightly (to make them less helpful/more harmful) they would work pretty well, too.

Ah! And then, in Lords of Madness, there's the PERFECT monster for you- the tsochar (sp?), or "wearers of flesh"... I don't believe that they have the multi-stage life cycle you're looking for, but they are incredibly cool and I'm just waiting for the chance to use them!

 

[ephemeron]

MMV has a couple of candidates. Tirbanas are caste insects (there are four different kinds) that incubate their eggs in humanoids. Mockery monarchs kill people and implant creepy centipede-like critters into their bodies; these mockery drones try (badly) to imitate their hosts, then jump out Aliens-style when threatened.

 

[Phlebas]

From memory don't Xill lay eggs in humanoids?

 

[Particle_Man]

Green Slime turns you into Green Slime.

Does Lycanthropy count? Vampirism? Other Spawning undead?

Expanded Psionics Handbook has some puppeteer things, kinda like that Star Trek:TNG episode where the crew got controlled by little worm things at the back of the neck.