Lurking Spawner CR 12
At first glance the lurking spawner looks like a giant squid, with a cruel beak and one giant, unblinking eye. Its six tentacles splay outward, grasping at its prey. A seventh tentacle, long and slender, is tipped with a syringe-like stinger.
XP 19,000
CE Huge aberration
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 120 ft.; Perception +20
DEFENSE
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 21 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, -2 size)
hp 148 (16d8+75); regeneration 5 (acid or fire)
Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +15
Defensive Abilities resist cold 10; SR 21
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., Swim 30 ft.
Melee 6 tentacles +16 (1d4+6/19-20 plus grab), bite +16 (3d6+6), stinger +16 (1d4 plus disease)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d8+6), disease
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 19
Base Atk +12; CMB +20 (+24 grapple); CMD 30 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Blind-Fight, Cleave, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (tentacle), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack
Skills Bluff +19, Intimidate +22, Perception +21, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +18
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Goblin
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disease (Su)
Infestation: Sting-injury; save Fort DC 21; onset The lurking spawner deposits a spawner larva upon stinging its victim. The larva will attempt to force its host to drown itself in deep water, where it will feed upon its host’s corpse before entering the pupa stage. At the sight of deep water, the host must save Will DC 21 or be compelled to jump in the water. They may attempt a new save each round, but the DC increases by 1 each time the host fails a save. The victim will sink beneath the water at a rate of 10’ per round.
ECOLOGY
Environment deep freshwater
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
The lurking spawner lives in deep freshwater areas, primarily deep lakes, but also in large rivers. The spawner has external gills, like a salamander, and can stay submerged indefinitely. The spawner rises to the surface to eat and find a host for its larva. Its larva will only survive in a warm-blooded animal.
The spawner is an ambush hunter. It waits near the surface, sensing for the tremors of creatures walking along the shore. If it encounters multiple creatures, it will attempt to infest them all. Once it successfully injects its larva into each creature, the spawner will attempt to drag one of the creatures into the depths, in order to feed.
Encounter Idea
The party is crossing a high mountain range through a frozen pass. They reach a long wide valley. The perfectly flat valley belies the frozen lake beneath the thin layer of snow. The valley is lined with impossibly steep cliffs. The party must traverse the frozen lake. The tremors of their crunching footfalls are like a beacon to the lurking spawner. Just when the party is halfway across the lake, the spawner breaks through the ice.