Klaven

Klaven are an artificially created species, incrementally modified to serve the jagladine—and by extension, the Ultari Hegemony—as foot-soldiers and shock troops. Their jagdaline masters perfected this process to transform natives of conquered worlds into an occupying force. The conversion protocol begins with a creature’s infection, typically by a virus referred to as an assimilation strain, which introduces nanites to remap a victim’s brain patterns and overall psychology, predisposing them towards evil. The second stage requires a fitted mindslave harness, which conditions victims towards complete obedience, reception of telepathic commands, and eventual networking with others of its kind. Those who survive these experiences become candidates for full conversion into klaven, a process which involves submersion into vats of organic mutagens to amplify the victim’s strength, alter the visual spectrum of its eyes, and grow natural claws. Klaven typically have greenish skin and milky-white eyes, with smooth hairless skin calcified into a hard, armored exoskeleton overlaying their former physiology.

The final result draws horror-worthy comparisons to an undead monstrosity, but all klaven are still living soldiers. Those familiar with klaven biology realize their appearance often signals an assimilation plague has already run its course, but klaven lack all memory of their former lives, devoid of compassion and slaying others without hesitation. Only officers possess the ability to speak, with all others communicating purely through an exchange of nanites. Their jagdaline masters also have the technological means to tap into their neural network, monitoring the condition of their soldiers while remotely issuing commands.

It is believed the Hegemony’s weaponeers also occasionally download their soldiers’ memories, analyzing their experiences for further insights into those they encounter.

Klaven Template Graft (Cr 1/2+)

Any living or recently deceased animal or humanoid creature can be infected with a jagladine assimilation strain and fitted with a mindslave harness to become a klaven. An intact dead creature that meets these prerequisites can be revived as a klaven within 48 hours of their death. If similar actions are performed on a living creature, they can be converted into a klaven within 8 hours. Upon transformation, klaven are healed of all prior ability and physical damage, including that caused by a jagladine assimilation virus.

Required Creature Type: Animal, humanoid, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid.

Required Array: Combatant.

Alignment: LE, though in rare cases, some creatures react poorly to the effects of an assimilation strain and instead become neutral evil or chaotic evil.

Traits: Darkvision 60 ft.; immunity to fear; malign influence (see below); +2 to saving throws against disease, ingested poison, and the nauseated and sickened conditions; gains natural bone spur attack (P or S) using high attack value and damage appropriate to CR.

Skills: Master or good Intimidate; gains +4 bonus to Stealth checks in forest/jungle terrain.

Abilities: Converted host (see below), energy modulation (see below), nanite exchange (see below).

Converted Host (Ex)

Klaven transformations leave nothing to allow for restoration of a base creature to its original self. As a result, klaven cannot be killed and returned to life with raise dead or similar effects, though spells such as miracle and wish could be used to do so.

Energy Modulation (Su)

As a reaction, a klaven can treat positive and negative energy effects as if it were an undead creature, taking damage from positive energy and healing damage from negative energy. This effect lasts until the start of the klaven’s next turn. The ability can be used once per day at CR 1; twice per day at CR 8; and three times per day at CR 12.

Malign Influence (Su)

Klaven take a –2 penalty to resist charm and compulsion effects from evil creatures. This penalty increases to –6 if the creature also has the jagladine subtype.

Nanite Exchanges (Su)

Klaven nanites swarm around each klaven on a microscopic level, providing a continuous awareness of the location and condition of other klaven within 60 feet, as the status spell. The range of this ability increases to 100 feet for klaven of CR 8 or higher, and up to 1 mile for klaven of CR 12 or higher. Klaven can communicate with one another by passing memories and sensory information through their nanites but must come into physical contact to do so. This exchange of memories requires a full-round action and only consists of perceptions and first-hand experiences. Klaven cannot exchange skills, special abilities, or other individual qualities in this manner.

Suggested Ability Modifiers: Strength, Constitution. A klaven’s minimum Intelligence modifier is –4, even for animals.