Updated.
REKEIHS
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (20% chance of 2-5)
ARMOR CLASS: 7 (body), 2 (tentacles)
MOVE: 3.
HIT DICE: 4-6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4 tentacles
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10/1-10/1-10/1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Multiple attacks
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Cold resistance
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M (5’-6’ tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X. P. VAL.: 4 HD, III/110 + 4/hp;
5HD, XV/170 + 5/hp; 6 HD, 300 + 6/hp
The rekeihs (pronounced ree-KAYZ; the name is the same in singular or plural forms) is a carnivorous plant found in tropical swamps and other warm, damp areas, including some dungeons. It preys largely upon live animals, including adventurers who wander into its territory.
A rekeihs has four powerful legs that form its major root systems; these are used to draw nourishment from slain animal victims and, when necessary, from muddy soil. Although it is powerful, the rekeihs is a slow-moving creature with no jumping ability.
The four upper tentacles of the rekeihs are secondary roots that anchor themselves in mud when the creature isn’t moving. They are also used in combat and can drag slain prey toward the rekeihs. When attacking, the tentacles lash out and grasp a victim, wrapping partially around it; then the tentacles suddenly jerk free and the suction pads underneath each tentacle rip away at the victim’s skin. If the victim is using a shield, there.s a 25% chance that the shield will be pulled away by any one tentacle unless the shield bearer can roll his chance to open doors (based upon his strength). Victims wearing armor of AC 5 or better will only suffer 1-4 hp damage per tentacle attack.
A rekeihs is able to attack four opponents at once and can direct up to three of its tentacles against any one single opponent. The main body and legs of a rekeihs are AC 7; the tentacles are AC 2.
Growing from the top of the rekeihs’s head are vibration and auditory sensors, which can pick up any loud sounds within a 25’ radius of the creature. Each of the rekeihs’s four eyes have infravision out to 30’ and regular vision out to 120’. (Rekeihs are nearsighted.) Rekeihs are drawn toward moving light sources and will often attack illuminated beings at night. They take half damage from all cold-based attacks, but fire-based attacks do +2 hp per dice of damage to them.
Once a year, a rekeihs will reproduce using a slain animal or human victim. It will attach its four “legs” to the victim, though it will fend off attackers during this time with its tentacles if necessary. Within one turn, the rekeihs will have sent rootlets throughout the body of the victim; raising the victim from the dead is then impossible without use of a wish. The rekeihs will become immobile (except for its flailing tentacles during a fight). Within 3-18 turns after attaching itself to a body, the rekeihs will explode violently, causing 6-24 points damage to all within 30’ of it. This kills the rekeihs, but within 2-12 turns after this explosion, from 3-6 young rekeihs (each 1’ tall) will grow and separate from the body of the slain victim.
The young rekeihs will grow at an astounding rate; within a month, the (1 HD at birth) youth will have grown to adult size (4 HD). A new hit die is gained every month afterward until full adult size (6 HD) is gained.
The rekeihs has a bulbous shape with four stout legs and four tentacles-spaced even around the body. Above each tentacle is a single unblinking eye, and a wavy growth of filaments extend from the top of its head. The main body of the rekeihs is a dull, mottled green; the legs and tentacles are darker, turning to purple or even blue in older specimens. The eyes are dull black with green pupils.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #94 (1985).
