Home >Game Mastering >Bestiary >Creatures by Type >Aberrations >

Starsquid

This bright red squid-like creature has thirteen flailing tentacles, a spiraling three-pronged beak, and dozens of beady black eyes that blink and stare randomly from tiny pores embedded all over its elongated body.

XP 600
CN Small aberration
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., radioactive scent; Perception +12

DEFENSE

EAC 12, KAC 13
HP 21
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5
Resistances cold 5, fire 5; Immunities radiation

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +6 (1d4+2 B & P & S) or tentacle lash +4 (1d4 S)
Multiattack bite +6 (1d4+2 B & P & S), 2 tentacle lashes +4 (1d4 S)
Offensive Abilities reflexive irradiation
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th)

At will–dimension door (self only)
3/day–remove radioactivity

TACTICS

During Combat A starsquid fights defensively, shrieking as it gnashes its beak and flails its tentacles.

Morale A starsquid is skittish and it flees combat via dimension door to another part of the ship if it takes any damage, but it continually returns to the cargo bay, drawn by the scent of hematonium.

STATISTICS

Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +7, Stealth +12, Survival +12 (+16 when tracking)
Languages Aklo (cannot speak)
Other Abilities voidwalker

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Radioactive Scent (Su)

A starsquid can sense radiation signatures in the same way terrestrial creatures use the scent ability. Clean, primal creatures may have no radiation scent, but due to exposure to technology and cosmic rays most spacefaring creatures have some radiation scent detectable to a starsquid, and creatures carrying equipment with power sources have stronger radiation scents. A starsquid can track overpowering radiation scents – such as a starship’s power core or a mass of hematonium – across great distances through space.

Reflexive Irradiation (Sp)

Once per day, when a starsquid takes damage, it can emit a burst of harmful radiation as per the irradiate spell (CL 7th, DC 13, 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on the starsquid) as a reaction. A starsquid can recharge this ability by using remove radioactivity on a source of radiation it did not create.

Voidwalker (Su)

A starsquid can survive in the void of outer space, and are immune to the harmful environmental effects of outer space and vacuum, including lack of air and the risk of decompression.

A starsquid gains a supernatural fly speed of 20 feet (perfect maneuverability) while in space.

A starsquid is essentially an abused animal, which the PCs can rescue rather than kill, if they choose.

The creature begins as unfriendly and will defend itself if attacked, but it doesn’t want to fight. If the PCs show the starsquid some compassion and succeed at a DC 23 Diplomacy check, the alien adopts an indifferent and eventually friendly attitude toward these new humanoids, potentially becomes an odd pet until the end of this adventure.

Giving the hungry beast a radiation-laden snack (such as a spent fuel rod from the power core) to gnaw on grants a +5 bonus to any Diplomacy check to improve its attitude. Even if the PCs decline to coddle the starsquid, it is predisposed to remain near the hematonium artifact, so it will lurk and follow it even if driven off. If the PCs kill the starsquid before it can dimension door away, that’s tolerable (the plot can still proceed); the radiation-sniffing alien will simply be unavailable to assist in tracking the artifact later in the adventure.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Blood Space and Moon Dust. © 2017, Rogue Genius Games, LLC; Author: Matt Banach. Developed and Published by Owen K.C. Stephens. Hail the Empress!