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Blemmyae

Blemmyae
By Master of Lord Hoo’s Book of Hours – This file has been provided by the British Library from its digital collections. It is also made available on a British Library website.Catalogue entry: Royal MS 15 E VI, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50573647

This muscular humanoid clutches his fists in anticipation. Remarkably, he has no head; instead, a grimacing face is set into his bared chest.

Taken from the Creature Codex

Blemmyae are wicked creatures native to the highlands of tropical regions. Although distantly related to humans, some manner of magical mutation has caused them to be born without heads—their faces are set firmly in their chests. Blemmyae are raiders and scavengers, living off of the spoils of other civilizations rather than advancing their own culture.

Most blemmyae live in caves high on cliff faces, all the better to keep an eye out for passing caravans or travelers. Blemmyae may occasionally domesticate animals for meat and milk, but only those with as sure of feet as they, such as goats or sheep.

Although blemmyae savagery is legendary, their disdain for technology renders them vulnerable to an organized defense. Most armor is useless without the chest covered, and many blemmyae consider the use of melee weapons a sign of weakness, preferring to feel the breaking of bones beneath their hard fists.

The blemmyae are not an organized people—their tribes are ruled by a simple doctrine of might makes right. Few blemmyae tribes are religious, but those that are are the most dangerous, as spiritual blemmyae prefer gods of elemental chaos and destruction.

Blemmyes

This headless giant has a large mouth in its chest, with eyes bulging out on either side of it.

Large monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d10 + 80)
Speed 40 ft.

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
20 (+5)13 (+1)20 (+5)7 (-2)12 (+1)5 (-3)

Skills Intimidation +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Giant
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Special Traits

  • Carnivorous Compulsion. If it can see an incapacitated creature, the blemmyes must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom save or be compelled to move toward that creature and attack it.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The blemmyes makes two slam attacks and one bite attack.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller incapacitated creature, that creature is swallowed. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects from outside the blemmyes, and it takes 14 (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the blemmyes’ turns. If the blemmyes takes 20 damage or more during a single turn from a creature inside it, the blemmyes must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the swallowed creature, which falls prone in a space within 5 feet of the blemmyes. The blemmyes can have only one target swallowed at a time. If the blemmyes dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
  • Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

About

Always Hungry. Blemmyes are brutes that savor humanoid flesh, and they see all humanoids as potential meals. Some even have the patience to tend groups of humans, goblins, or halflings like unruly herds, farming them for food and fattening them up for maximum succulence.

Cannibals. So great is their hideous hunger that blemmyes are not above eating their own kind; they cull and consume the weakest specimens of their race when other food is scarce. The most terrible habit of these monsters is that they seldom wait for their food to die, or even for a battle to conclude, before launching into a grisly feast.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts. Copyright 2016, Open Design; Authors Chris Harris, Dan Dillon, Rodrigo Garcia Carmona, and Wolfgang Baur.

A blemmyae stands about four and a half feet in height but is stocky and muscular, weighing about 160 pounds.

Blemmyae          CR 1
XP 400
CE Medium humanoid (blemmyae)
Init +0; Senses low-light vision, Perception +1

Defenses

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+2 natural)
hp 13 (2d8+4)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; alien mind

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +2 (1d4+1)
Ranged throwing axe +1 (1d6+1)
Special Attacks powerful charge (slam, 2d4+1)

Statistics

Str 13, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 10, Wis11, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +8, Climb +9, Perception +1, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Climb
SQ mountaineer, sure-footed

Ecology

Environment warm mountains
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-6), band (2-12 plus 1 2nd level huntmaster) or tribe (4-40 plus 1 2nd level huntmaster per 6 individuals, 1 3rd-5th level sub-chief per 20 individuals and 1 6th-8th level chief)
Treasure standard (3 throwing axes, other equipment)
Special Abilities
Alien Mind (Ex) A blemmyae gains a +4 racial bonus on any Will save made against a spell that targets humanoids specifically (such as charm person).
Mountaineer (Ex) Acrobatics and Climb are always class skills for a blemmyae.
Sure-Footed (Ex) A blemmyae is never treated as flat-footed when making Acrobatics or Climb checks.

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