Bestiary: Vethmer

by Tarnah Wright and Tim Wallace

Vethmer

The vethmer are tiny armored humanoid creatures who live in the swamps and eat decaying vegetation.

© Nicholas Cloister, Monsters by Email, licensed to Timothy Wallace

VETHMER      CR 6

XP 2,400

N Tiny vermin (aquatic, swarm)

Init +4; Senses water sense 30 ft.; Perception +0

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DEFENSE

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AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 58 (9d8+18)

Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3

Defensive Abilities swarm traits; DR 5/bludgeoning

Weaknesses vulnerable to area effects, vulnerable to fire

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OFFENSE

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Speed 15 ft., burrow 15 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 30 ft.

Melee swarm  (2d6 plus distraction and boring)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks boring (DC 16), distraction (DC 16)

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STATISTICS

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Str 2, Dex 18, Con 15, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1

Base Atk +6; CMB —; CMD —

Skills Acrobatics +4 (-4 to jump), Climb +4, Swim +4

SQ amphibious

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ECOLOGY

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Environment temperate or warm marshes

Organization  solitary, pair, or infestation (3–6 swarms)

Treasure none

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

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Boring (Ex) Any living creature damaged by a vethmer swarm becomes infested unless it succeeds at a DC 16 Reflex save. On a failed save, the infested creature takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage per round as the vethmer burrow through and consume its flesh—this effect continues as long as the victim remains in the swarm and continues for 1d6 rounds after it leaves the swarm. Any energy-based attack (including damage from negative energy) that deals at least 5 points of damage to the victim automatically destroys all of the vethmer infesting it, ending the effect prematurely. Additionally, any effect that removes disease instantly ends a vethmer infestation. Immunity to disease offers no defense. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Water Sense (Ex) Vethmer can sense vibrations in water, granting them blindsense 30 feet against creatures in contact with the same body of water.

Vethmer spend most of their time submerged in the water or mud of their home swamp, using the fine membranes that extend from their scales to sense vibrations. They prefer to eat decaying vegetation, using their horns to scrape and dig into wood and peat. But those horns can quickly be used for defense of their home. When a creature disturbs their home, the tiny creatures swarm and bore into any exposed flesh with their serrated antennas and mandibles.