Chelicera

The chelicera is a spidery creature that can reproduce any sound it hears. Cheliceras are a common problem in towns and cities built in warm climates, where the vermin tend to live in neighborhoods with poor sanitation.

A chelicera can remember and duplicate sounds. It has no understanding of speech, but can duplicate many of the component sounds. The creature tests each sound it knows, looking for those that most reliably draw prey. Often, the most useful sounds are the screams of a previous victim.

From their hidden lairs, they lure victims to their doom by reproducing the sounds they hear. Warriors of noble intent rush into a chelicera’s lair to rescue an innocent, only to discover that it is they who need rescuing. Once someone enters a chelicera’s territory in search of the source of the sounds, the creature attacks, leaving the drained corpse in another part of town. Infestations are often mistaken for the work of a vampire, but holy water and garlic is of no use against the cheliceras.

A chelicera is mostly long legs and arms, standing 4 feet tall and about 5 feet in diameter even though its body is only about the size of a full backpack. It weighs no more than 50 pounds.

Cheliceras always attempt to ambush their foe, leaping from the shadows when they lure a creature to their nest. As they cannot truly gauge the odds of success, they always spring to the attack even if a large group enters, subsequently fleeing if the battle turns against them.

Blood Drain (Ex): A chelicera can suck the blood from a living creature by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 Constitution drain each round that it makes a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a chelicera must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to pin the creature on a subsequent round.

A chelicera has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks and uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier when grappling.

Mimicry (Ex): A chelicera can repeat any noise it hears as a free action. This ability works much like ghost sound (Will DC 17 disbelief), except that the sound is always centered on the chelicera itself. The creature’s favorite tactic is to reproduce garbled or faint speech, causing the potential prey to move closer for a better listen. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Skills: Cheliceras have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks and Listen checks. A chelicera also has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Cheliceras prowl the Howling Peaks, north of Zilargo, where they feed on mountain lions, humanoids, and other weaker predators. Their natural enemies include wyverns, chimeras, and manticores.