Swarm Mindreaper

Source: Alien Archive 2

CR: 7 XP: 3,200

CE Medium monstrous (humanoid)

Init.: +4 Senses: blindsense (vibration) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft. Perception: +19

Defense

HP: 90

EAC: 18 KAC: 19

Fort: +6 Ref: +8 Will: +12

Offense

Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee: arm spike +14 (1d8+8 P; critical staggered [DC 17])

Offensive Abilities: trepan

Statistics

Str: +1 Dex: +4 Con: +2 Wis: +5 Int: +1 Cha: -1

Skills: Athletics +14 (+22 to climb), Mysticism +19, Stealth +14

Languages: Shirren; telepathy 100 ft.

Ecology

Environment: any

Organization: solitary, pair, or pack (1–2 plus 3–6 Swarm corrovoxes)

Special Abilities

<p><b>Arm Spike (Ex)</b> A spike projects from one of the mindreaper’s hands. The mindreaper cannot wield a weapon with this hand, and it can’t be disarmed of this spike.<br/><br/> <b>Swarm Mind (Ex)</b> Members of the Swarm are bound together into a singular hive mind by a blend of exuded pheromones, imperceptible movements of antennae and limbs, electrostatic fields, and telepathic communication. All Swarm creatures with 30 feet of each other are in constant communication; if one is aware of a threat, all are. (Such awareness can spread along a “chain” of Swarm creatures under appropriate circumstances, potentially alerting distant Swarm creatures). In addition, once per round when within 30 feet of another Swarm creature, a Swarm creature can roll twice and take the better result on a saving throw against a mind-affecting effect.<br/><br/> <b>Trepan (Ex)</b> As a full action, a mindreaper can use its arm spike to pierce the skull of a helpless creature. The mindreaper makes one attack with its arm spike, scoring a critical hit if the attack succeeds. If this attack kills the target, the mindreaper siphons out a portion of the target’s brain along with an impression of the creature’s memories. A mindreaper can also use this ability to extract brain matter and memories from the remains of a creature killed within the last hour. This ability can be used only against living or recently killed creatures with a brain or close biological equivalent.<br/><br/> <b>Trepan Analysis (Su)</b> A mindreaper that has extracted brain matter with its trepan ability can analyze the memories stored within. Doing so functions as <i>speak with dead</i>, except the mindreaper has an hour after extracting the memories to ask the six questions, which need not be asked all at one time. Asking a question takes a full action. Only one mindreaper can extract memories from a given creature. A mindreaper can retain only one set of memories at a time; if it uses its trepan ability on another creature, any previously stored brain matter is lost.</p>

Description

Originally an insectile race called the kucharn, the Swarm is now a single-minded collective with a desire to consume all things and absorb their best qualities into itself. The Swarm moves from planet to planet in tremendous organic hive-ships, reducing each so-called “feeder world” to a barren husk incapable of supporting life, and occasionally altering its own DNA in the process to take on qualities from that world’s species. Once it has consumed everything of use on a planet, the Swarm moves on, not bothering to hold territory.

Ironically, one of the most violent races in the galaxy also birthed one of the most peaceful, as a mutation within a sub-hive gave life to the shirrens, who broke away to form a new species. The Swarm is notorious not just because of the invasion that finally ended hostilities between the Pact Worlds and the Veskarium, but also thanks to the warnings of shirrens, who understand the Swarm’s might and its hunger as no other race can.

While individual components of the Swarm have some form of intelligence—or at least a set of complex programmed behaviors that resembles intellect—they cannot generally be reasoned with in any fashion. Swarm components rarely communicate with other creatures, as they see every alien entity as either a food source or a threat. The Swarm’s morale is unbreakable, and while individual components might retreat for tactical reasons, fear is utterly unknown to the Swarm and its components.

The Swarm rarely wields manufactured weapons, instead integrating biotechnology grown or grafted onto component creatures. Because of its constant genetic upgrading and experimentation, the Swarm encompasses components with a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and capabilities, from the mighty dreadlancers to the microscopic, bloodstream-infesting toxicytes.