Fetid Mound

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Fetid Mound (CR 11)

A Fetid Mound is a massive pile of dead and decaying vegetable matter, similar to a compost heap, that has become animated by an undead spirit. They are malevolent and murderous, killing anything that lives to add to their bulk. Fetid Mounds will target plants as much as they do animals and people, and will "graze" upon the plants in an area to maintain their rotting hulk.

Fetid Mounds are surprisingly common, and often form after large floods in areas with zombies, as flood debris including zombie bodies form ideal seed masses for them. They can also be made deliberately, and unlike most horrors, making a fetid mound is quite easy: Throw zombie corpses into a compost heap. More often than not, you wind up with some fetid mounds.

Fetid Mounds are why the only safe way to dispose of undead corpses is to burn them, and even then, they will eventually reform.

GENERAL

CR 11 Hit Dice 16

XP 12,800

NE, Large, Plant (Undead)

Init +5; Senses blind to normal sight, tremorsense 30 feet, Perception +17

DEFENSE

AC 31, touch 19, flat-footed 26 (+7 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +4 deflection)

hp 229

Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +14

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: DR 10/slashing

Immunities:

• disease, poison, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain
• death effects, necromancy effects, sleep effects
• nonlethal damage
• polymorph, paralysis, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion
• any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weaknesses: Cannot heal damage on its own (if it has no Int), but healed by negative energy.

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.

Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.

Single Melee Debris Bite +17 (2d8+11/x2)

Full Melee Debris Bite +17 (2d8+11/x2), 2x Fibrous Claws +17 (2d6+3/x2)

Ranged Hurled Debris +17 (2d8+6/x2) Range Increment 30, 50% miss chance past 30 feet.

Special Attacks Engulf

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 10, Con -, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8

Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 27

Feats Cleave (EFFECT: Once per round, after a successful attack, may roll again against an adjacent foe, if there is one. Bonus attack is at full BAB.)

Skills -

Languages Common, Thanic, Slough

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Engulf (Ex)

During a full-attack action, a Fetid Mound may make a 5-foot step and simply engulf any Large or smaller creatures in its path. It can still make two fibrous claws attacks during a round in which it engulfs (but no bite), and those attacks may be against the target of its engulf or any other target within reach. The fetid mound merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make attacks of opportunity against the mound, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw against the engulf. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to avoid being engulfed. On a success, they are pushed back or aside (victim's choice) as the mound moves forward (this is forced movement). Engulfed creatures gain the Pinned condition, and are trapped within the fetid mound's body until they escape or the mound is slain. At the beginning of each of the Fetid Mound's turns after a creature is engulfed, each engulfed creature takes 3d6 of fire and bludgeoning damage, from the hot, crushing interior of the fetid mound. Up to four living medium (or smaller) creatures or one large living creature may be engulfed at any time. Creatures that are engulfed do not have line of sight or line of effect out of the mound. Creatures are slain no longer occupy space within the mound, allowing more creatures to be engulfed.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 6,500 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Fetid Mounds are not smart, but the fact they have a mind at all is a huge surprise, considering how they arise. Fetid Mounds are blind, and sense the world through vibrations in the ground and air. While they can tear off masses of their substance and make ranged attacks with their Hurl Debris attack, any ranged attacks made past the limits of their tremorsense are made at a 50 percent miss chance, assuming they can figure out which square to aim out.

In a battle, Fetid Mounds like to close in against enemies and use their reach to make Cleave attacks on as many foes as they can. Due to their reach, they can Cleave into a 'second rank' of enemies with ease, and it's one of their favorite actions.

Once they are adjacent to their foes, they will try to Engulf as many as possible into their wretched fever-hot interior.