Drought Swallow Swarm – Starjammer SRD

Drought Swallow Swarm CR 6

A massive flock of red-eyed birds descends upon you, filling the air with shrill cries. As it passes overhead, your flesh cracks and begins crumbling away.

XP 2,400
N Tiny magical beast (swarm)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +13
Aura desiccation field (20 ft., DC 14)

DEFENSE HP 90

EAC 18; KAC 20
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +5
Defensive Abilities swarm defenses; Immunities swarm immunities

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (Ex, perfect)
Melee swarm attack (1d6+5 P)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Offensive Abilities distraction (DC 14)

STATISTICS

Str – 1, Dex +5, Con +2, Int –3, Wis +3, Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +18, Perception +13

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Desiccation Field (Su)

Drought swallows are surrounded by a magical field that evaporates moisture from living creatures. Those beginning their turn inside the aura take 2d6 nonlethal damage from dehydration (DC 14 Fortitude negates). Like damage from normal dehydration, it cannot be cured unless the victim has adequate water and the victims are fatigued until the damage is cured.

ECOLOGY

Environment any desert
Organization swarm or plague (2–6)

Drought swallows have sand-colored feathers and reddish eyes. Flying alone or in small groups they are harmless, if not particularly friendly. In larger masses, however, often provoked by cries of distress or concentrations of creatures in or near their nesting areas, drought swallows form raging swarms that can decimate whole caravans.

Experienced travelers keep their eyes out when drought swallows are spotted, looking for the cliffside rookeries or twisted hillside thorn bushes where they roost in massive colonies of hundreds or even thousands. When agitated, teeming masses of drought swallows surge out of their nests and surround intruders in their territory, leaching the moisture from their bodies and leaving desiccated husks behind.

Thankfully, drought swallows are very territorial not only with respect to other creatures but toward other flocks of drought swallows as well. Unrelated flocks frequently fight for dominance and choice nesting grounds, engaging in pitched aerial skirmishes, striking and peeling away until one flock submits and retreats. Fortunately for settled kingdoms, drought swallows rarely encroach on civilized lands. On the few occasions, when this has occurred, rivers have dried up, crops have withered, and livestock has perished in vast numbers. Most sentient races consider drought swallows a deadly menace to be eradicated.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Alien Bestiary (Starfinder) © 2018, Legendary Games; Lead Designer: Jason Nelson. Authors: Anthony Adam, Kate Baker, John Bennet, Eytan Bernstein, Robert Brookes, Russ Brown, Duan Byrd, Jeff Dahl, Robyn Fields, Joel Flank, Matt Goodall, Robert J. Grady, Jim Groves, Steven T. Helt, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Nick Hite, Daniel Hunt, Mike Kimmel Marshall, Isabelle Lee, Jeff Lee, Lyz Liddell, Jason Nelson, Richard Pett, Tom Phillips, Alistair J. Rigg, Alex Riggs, Wendall Roy, Mike Shel, Neil Spicer, Todd Stewart, Russ Taylor, Rachel Ventura, Mike Welham, George Loki Williams, Scott Young.