fever, so long as he is within a number of miles equal to the bloodrot’s Hit Dice and not within an antimagic field or similar effect. Skills: A bloodrot has a 8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Illus. by W. England
CHAPTER 6
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
BOG IMP
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Small Fey (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 4d6 8 (22 hp) Initiative: 9 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 60 ft., swim 30 ft. (but see text) Armor Class: 18 ( 1 size, 5 Dex, 2 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: 2/–3 Attack: Claw 8 melee (1d3–1 plus sicken) Full Attack: 2 claws 8 melee (1d3–1 plus sicken) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Sicken, sink, stagnate Special Qualities: Amphibious, code of law, damage reduction 5/cold iron, immunity to acid, paralysis, poison, and sleep, low-light vision, liquid burrow, resistant to mind-effects Saves: Fort 3, Ref 9, Will 6 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 12 Skills: Hide 16 , Listen 11, Move Silently 12, Search 10, Spot 11, Survival 9, Swim 14 Feats: Ability Focus (sink) B , Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Environment: Any swamp Organization: Solitary or clutch (2–6) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: 1/10th coins, 50 goods, 50 items Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: 5–12 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: 5
This system varies from clutch to clutch and from swamp to swamp. For instance, one family of bog imps might leave a group of travelers alone if the passersby are willing to risk one of their number in a game of wits or in a race over treacherous terrain with one of the bog imps. A different clutch might allow anyone to pass if he can guess their family name. Still others—those who began their lives as elves (see below)—might instinctively recognize any other elf from their home community, and allow her to pass. Bog imps are loath to reveal their laws and codes, and knowledge of how to win past one group offers no safety from another. Bog imps stand about 2 feet tall and weigh about 20 pounds. They speak Common and Sylvan; roughly half of them also speak passable Elven.
COMBAT
Bog imps are not powerful combatants and so prefer to avoid direct confrontation. Their favored tactic is to use their sink ability on all enemies, ganging up on those who manage to resist. They will flee if overpowered and, if defeated, might offer to guide the passersby through the swamp in exchange for their lives. Sicken (Ex): Anyone struck by a bog imp’s claw attack must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be sickened for 2d4 minutes. Failure on more than one save does not stack, but it does extend the duration of the sickening. The save DC is Constitution-based. Sink (Su): A bog imp can, with a simple glance, cause anyone standing on or in water, mud, or any other nonsolid surface to sink. This ability functions within 60 feet. A successful DC 15 Will save negates the attack and renders the target immune to the sink attack of that particular bog imp for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. If the save fails, the target is dragged beneath the surface by a spectral force; this takes 1 full round, plus 1 additional round per point of the target’s Strength bonus, if any. Once A small humanoid creature rises from the beneath the surface, the target stagnant waters of the swamp. Naked is subject to drowning (standard save for the moss and leaves that cling drowning rules apply). A target can to its splotchy green skin, it has spindly, be rescued if aided by another who pointed ears. Its eyes gleam, and its grin succeeds on a DC 30 Strength check, displays broken teeth as swamp water but this simply begins the process over trickles from its mouth. again. The effect ends instantly if the bog imp is slain, if the target is placed on solid stone Bog imps—no relation to fiendish imps— or lifted 5 feet or more above the surface of the bog, are small, swamp-dwelling fey who torment or if the target moves out of range (more than 60 anyone who passes through their terfeet away from the bog imp). Bog imp ritory. They are cruel, malicious creatures, If an elf (and only an elf) drowns in this manner, eager to cause suffering and death to trespassers. Strangely he does not truly die. Rather, he remains in a form of stasis enough, however, various clutches (extended families) of beneath the swamp, pickling and shriveling over the course of bog imps each have their own code of laws, a system of thirteen days. When that period ends, the elf becomes a new honor that they are psychologically incapable of breaking. bog imp. He has an instinctive understanding of the laws of
