Stonesinger

The stonesinger is a horrible and bizarre creature composed of flexible stone. It superficially resembles a scorpion, with a wide, flat body covered by thick scales. It moves about with the aid of its long, spidery legs that end in crystal claws that can pierce stone. The front of the creature is a nest of six long claws mounted on thick, segmented arms. The creature’s “tail” is in fact a long stalk of flexible black stone that ends in a huge lampreylike mouth surrounded by five hooked arms.

Although commonly mistaken for outsiders from the Elemental Plane of Earth, stonesingers are native to the Material Plane. They are masters at controlling the earth, and they sing haunting, booming songs that are often mistaken for the wind blowing over hollows in the desolate badlands.

Stonesingers are quite intelligent. They are great appreciators of music, and an accomplished performer can sometimes placate an angry stonesinger with an impressive song. This works in the same manner as influencing a creature’s attitude with Diplomacy, except that the character makes a Perform (sing) check instead of a Diplomacy check.

Stonesingers are fond of imprisoning intelligent creatures in cases of stone, leaving only the victim’s head exposed, so that they are forced to hear the stonesinger’s song. Stonesingers sometimes raid towns simply to kidnap audience members for their lair. Typically, these individuals are poisoned and eaten once the stonesinger finishes its performance.

Stonesingers subsist on fossilized organic matter. While they can consume natural fossils, they usually gain nutrition by poisoning living creatures and then devouring the victim’s hardened form. A typical stonesinger is 12 feet long and weighs 3,000 pounds.

Stonesingers speak their own language.

A stonesinger invariably sings during combat. While the sound may be unsettling to listeners, it does not otherwise affect the fight. Stonesingers are fond of making grandiose moves in combat, and they use Power Attack to make their attacks more impressive and painful when it is in their interest to do so.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 18, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based. A creature reduced to 0 Dexterity in this manner becomes completely fossilized. Stone to flesh can restore a victim.

Shattering Shriek (Su): Once every 5 rounds, a stonesinger can emit an ear-piercing shriek as an attack. This shriek creates a blast of sonic energy that it can direct at any single target within 60 feet; the stonesinger makes a Perform (sing) check, using the target’s touch AC as the check DC. If successful, the attack deals 12d6 points of nonlethal damage and the victim is stunned for 1d6 rounds (Fortitude DC 18 negates the stun). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day⁠—​meld into stone, stone shape; 1/day⁠—​wall of stone (DC 19). Unlike normal spell-like abilities, these have a verbal component (the stonesinger must sing). Caster level 9th.

Skills: A stonesinger has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Stonesingers are most commonly encountered near the Great Rift and represent a constant bane to the gold dwarves living there. They can also be encountered as far west as Old Shanatar and as far north as the Earthroot.