Xoraphond

Small aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 51 (6d6+30)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	17 (+3)	20 (+5)	12 (+1)	13 (+1)	11 (+0)

Skills Arcana +3, Deception +4, Medicine +5, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances piercing, poison, and slashing
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder
Damage Immunities cold
Condition Immunities poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands Deep Speech but can’t speak, telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Disease. The xoraphond’s alien masters engineered it to carry a variety of nanite-based diseases and retroviruses, all designed to support its mission of infecting, weakening, and eventually assimilating a world’s sentient population. The xoraphond can transmit one of these infections to a paralyzed, or unconscious target with its anesthetizing touch. Those victimized by this assault can resist the resulting infection with a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Otherwise, the effects of the disease vary according to the exact infection it carries. Some examples are given below. A xoraphond automatically knows when it has successfully infected a creature but can carry only one disease at a time. After completing a long rest, a xoraphond can organically alter its disease to a different strain.
  • Assimilation Strain: The creature takes a -1 penalty to saving throws and ability checks based on Constitution and Charisma. After a long rest, the creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure the penalty increases by 1 (to a maximum of -5), and the victim must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or gain the Assimilated template. On a successful saving throw the malady does not progress. After two consecutive successful saves the creature recovers from the disease, and any remaining penalties the creature suffers recede by 1 after each long rest. Lesser restoration eliminates any remaining penalty if cast after the creature recovers.
  • Occluding Strain: The creature takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. After each long rest the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or the penalty worsens by 1. When it reaches -5, the victim is permanently blinded until its sight is restored by magic such as lesser restoration or heal. A creature that succeeds on two consecutive saves recovers from the disease, and any remaining penalties recede at the rate of 1 per long rest.
  • Submission Strain: The creature takes a -1 penalty on Wisdom checks and saving throws. After each long rest the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or the penalty worsens by 1. When it reaches -5, the victim is permanently poisoned until cured by magic such as lesser restoration or heal. A creature that succeeds on two consecutive saves recovers from the disease, and any remaining penalties recede at the rate of 1 per long rest.
  • Wasting Strain: The creature suffers disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks based on Strength. After each long rest the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. While it is infected, it cannot lose exhaustion levels through rest. A creature that succeeds on two consecutive saves recovers from the disease and begins recovering from exhaustion normally.
• Ooze Empathy. The xoraphond can improve the attitudes of oozes with a Charisma (Persuasion) check. The xoraphond adds twice its proficiency bonus, and gains advantage on the check. Oozes typically have a starting attitude of Indifferent towards xoraphonds. To use this ability, the xoraphond and ooze must be within 30 feet and capable of studying one another.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The xorafond makes three pseudopod attacks.
• Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.
• Anesthetizing Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: A creature hit by the anesthetizing touch must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for one round. The victim is paralyzed as long as it is poisoned in this fashion and is subject to the xorafond’s Disease ability.

ABOUT

One of many artificially engineered creatures manufactured by the jagladine, xoraphonds are designed to spread nanite viruses, particularly a dreaded assimilation strain intended to convert sentient creatures into new recruits for the jagladine war effort. This virus weakens the minds of sentient creatures, remapping and repurposing their brains for alien influence. When the jagladine develop an interest in assimilating inhabitants of a new world, they often dispatch an invading force of xoraphonds, directing them to work independently and establish a stronghold from which to begin their mission of assimilation. A xoraphond’s resilience, ability to survive in hostile environments, and cautious, inquisitive nature makes it an exceptional scout and infiltrator. A newborn xoraphond oozes forth from its birthing vat completely autonomous and fully functional. Though xoraphonds are amorphous and can flatten themselves to form a bewildering number of forms, most prefer to remain in a roughly oval shape, about 4 feet in diameter and 3-1/2 feet tall. Xoraphonds weigh around 90 pounds.

Alien Abduction. Xoraphonds typically carry out their missions by abducting a hardy specimen from the local population, often using jagladine biotechnology to turn the creature into a willing thrall, before infecting it with the assimilation strain. The xoraphonds then direct such thralls to infect their own kind. As the virus spreads, the xoraphonds study the new world and its other inhabitants, compiling a vast amount of data for their jagladine masters, while reacting swiftly to protect themselves and their missions-even directing thralls to slay interlopers and sow discord in their communities to hide their presence. Unhindered by emotion, xoraphonds never hesitate to sacrifice thralls or any of their infected flock to ensure their survival and the success of their missions.

Alien Contagion. Creatures infected by a xoraphond’s assimilation strain carry thousands of microscopic tracker-nanites, dooming them to capture and experimentation by the sadistic jagladine in their alien bio-labs. There, the jagladine perform further tests on a candidate’s viability, before subjecting them to unspeakable procedures involving surgery, chemical infusion, radiation exposure, and psychological reconditioning. Most of these candidates are eventually transformed into a special breed of shock troop called klaven, however, the jagladine produce an array of other creatures from these vile assimilations, including new xoraphonds.