Cruor

Huge Aberration

Hit Dice: 19d8+114 (199 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 40 feet,swim 40 feet AC: 27 (–2 size,+2 Dexterity,+17 natural) Attacks: 2 claws +26 melee,bite +24 melee,2 rakes +24 melee Damage: Claws 2d8+14,bite 2d10+7,rakes 2d6+7 Face/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/10 feet Special Attacks: Pounce,infest,infectious extermination Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet,fast healing 5, freedom ofmovement,water breathing Saves: Fort +12,Ref+10,Will +16 Abilities: Str 38,Dex 15,Con 23,Int 16,Wis 16,Cha 15 Skills: Hide +16,Listen +25,Spot +25,Swim +22 Feats: Alertness,Combat Reflexes,Improved Initiative,

Iron Will,Lightning Reflexes,Multiattack Climate/Terrain: Any Organization: Solitary or clutch (1d4+1) Challenge Rating: 13 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Neutral evil Advancement: 20–28 HD (Huge);28–34 HD (Gargantuan)

The bleached white,leechlike body ofa cruor is some 20 feet long,smeared with river-bottom mud and,often enough,blood.The cruor’s resemblance to a leech begins and ends with the shape ofits body—the creature has the smoothly muscled,clawed limbs ofa predator,a voracious mouth,and deep-set,predatory eyes.Small white worms squirm in the depths ofits mouth,and wriggle limply behind it in the tracks it makes in the ground;the beast constantly sheds miniature white leeches as it moves.A cruor appears hazy,even in bright light,as ifit walks partly outside the material world (or as ifit exists partly in dream).

Originally disgorged by nightmare-ridden regions ofDream under the Dark Plea’s auspices, cruors replicate by infecting those who kill one ofthem with a disturbingly physical dream virus,as described under the infectious extermination ability at right.

Cruors can also be brought into existence by the successful casting ofa nightseed† spell (see Chapter Five).

Cruors understand one or more languages (usually Common),but do not speak.

Combat

Cruors leap into combat,using their pounce ability to gain a full attack on the very first round.The more attacks they score,the more wriggling,white points ofinfection they leave in their prey.

Pounce (Ex): Ifa cruor charges a foe,it can make a full attack even though it has already taken a move action.

Infest (Ex): With each successful hit,a cruor leaves behind 1d4 Tiny white leechlike creatures in the wound.If left to their own devices,the leeches begin to suck blood (undead,elementals,and constructs are immune),each at a rate of1 hit point per round,beginning in the round following their infection.A victim can automatically pluck three leeches per round from an infected wound as a standard action,or five leeches ifthe victim takes a full-round action to pluck (either way,plucking provokes an attack ofopportunity).A plucked leech dies instantly.

Infectious Extermination (Ex): When a cruor is killed,its blood-filled carcass instantly detonates,spraying blood and gore in a 20-foot-radius.What is most disturbing about the gore is that some ofit still lives.These independent,eellike organs begin to swim through the detritus like a salmon moving upstream,toward living targets.

Each living target in the area ofinfectious extermination must make 1d4 Fortitude saving throws (each DC 25),simulating the number ofeellike organs that manage to contact and potentially infect the target.Each failed save represents an organ diving beneath the skin ofits target as ifthe skin were water,leaving nothing behind but a small pucker.These targets are now considered infected.Organs that do not make contact die and dissolve.