Neothelid
From PathfinderWiki
| Neothelid | |
|---|---|
| |
| (Creature) | |
| Type | Aberration |
| CR | 15 |
| Environment | Orv, Darklands |
| Alignment | |
| Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 214 | |
The legendary neothelid is a foul and powerful creature. Despite their worm-like appearance, they are intelligent and cunning.[citation needed]
Contents |
Appearance
A neothelid is a massive, slime-drenched worm with four barbed tongues. Their hide is incredibly tough, and their gaping maws easily swallow smaller creatures.[citation needed]
Habitat & Society
The ecology of the neothelids is a mystery. It is believed they were spawned by horrific entities existing outside the boundaries of reality. They are found singly or in small groups, and often have minions almost as horrific in appearance as themselves.[1]
They worship the ancient entities that exist in the depths of the Dark Tapestry – Yog-Sothoth, Azathoth and others.[2]
Abilities
Neothelids are physically impressive foes. They can exhale a cone of acid capable of reducing a group of powerful warriors to a steaming ruin. A neothelid’s barbed tongues inflict grievous wounds, and can also drag prey into the creature’s hungry maw.
They are also surprisingly mobile, using their psionic abilities to fly without wings and to teleport around the battlefield at will. Their lack of hands does not impede them, as they can readily move objects using the power of their minds alone. They can also communicate telepathically.
Those who decide to escape a neothelid by teleporting away may find to their cost that the creature has a strange ability to gain an inkling of the intended location of the teleport. The neothelid can sometimes use this knowledge to pursue its foes by using its own teleport ability.
Their hide resists blows unless cold iron weapons are used, and they can often shrug off the effect of spells against them unless the caster is particularly powerful.
They can also overwhelm the minds of foes (sometimes with fatal effect), and influence the actions of the weak willed.[1]
In Golarion
The neothelids of Golarion inhabit the Darklands. The majority of them live in the vault of Denebrum in Orv, where their reproduction rates are measured in centuries rather than years.[3]
They once had a mighty subterranean empire, but were overwhelmed by the neighbouring races which bred much faster.[1] The result was near-extinction, which for a long time caused them to concentrate solely on the survival of their race. During this period, they were attacked by the intellect devourers of Ilvarandin, but successfully repulsed the invaders.
Some five centuries ago, the neothelids felt confident enough to seek to expand their territory once more. Their first target was the intellect devourers. Using the seugathi and worms that walk as minions, they are slowly winning their proxy war against the host bodies of the intellect devourers. Today, their forces now control the Aumentral district of Ilvarandin, and are gathering for an assault on High Ilvarandin itself - the centre of intellect devourer power.[4]
The Moldering Emperor, terror of the Land of Black Blood, was once a neothelid.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Paizo Staff. (2009). Pathfinder Bestiary, p. 210. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-183-1
- ↑ James Jacobs & Greg A. Vaughan. (2008). Into the Darklands, p. 48. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-140-4
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 James Jacobs & Greg A. Vaughan. (2008). Into the Darklands, p. 48. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-140-4
- ↑ Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Michael Kortes, Jason Nelson, Russ Taylor. (2011). Lost Cities of Golarion, p. 7. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-272-2
