Qlippoth, Cythnigot

“You won’t believe what this fungal parasite does to corpses—spawning writhing, spore-dripping horrors with fanged jaws that even sunlight can’t stop!”

The cythnigot is a foul fungal parasite roughly 20 inches long that infests and animates the corpses of small animals to serve as living husks for its own propagation. It spreads debilitating spores that entangle and sicken victims, then retreats to darkness to allow its infestations to take root. Found in the deepest layers of the Abyss and occasionally summoned as a familiar by dark spellcasters, cythnigots act as living incubators of Abyssal corruption.

Appearance

A mature cythnigot inhabits a small corpse—rats sprout extra insect-like legs and cats become limbless serpentine horrors—while a fibrous fungal stalk emerges from its back, ending in a set of powerful, fanged jaws.
Without a host, it resembles a foul-smelling puffball the size of a human fist, its fungal surface mottled with decay and spore-dust.
Its stalk-mouths drip pale ichor and quiver with anticipation, giving it a grotesquely vibrant, ever-twitching silhouette.

Behaviour

Cythnigots are typically solitary hunters but sometimes form “blooms” of 2–12 individuals to overwhelm prey with coordinated spore attacks.
When hunting or threatened, they unleash a sickening veneer of spores in a 10-foot radius that sickens and nauseates foes unless they succeed at a Fortitude save.
After biting and infesting victims, cythnigots slink back into shadows or hidden crevices, allowing their spores time to sprout tendrils that entangle and weaken the wounded.

Habitat

Native to the deepest, most fetid layers of the Abyss, cythnigots breed in living fungal groves and flesh-forges where Qlippoth spawn incubate.
They occasionally breach planar boundaries—through rifts or necromantic summoning—to infest crypts, swamps, and battlefields rich in corpses on the Material Plane.
In these incursions, their presence often heralds the coming of greater Abyssal horrors.

Modus Operandi

A cythnigot’s bite delivers a disease-effecting spore (DC 11 Fortitude) that causes hideous, hair-like fibers to erupt and entangle the victim, imposing the Entangled condition until the victim can clear the tendrils.
They employ stealth and ambush tactics, preferring to attack from darkness or concealment, biting multiple targets quickly before vanishing.
If tracked or cornered, they may sprout additional spores to create clouds of choking mist, buying time to retreat and regenerate.

Motivation

Driven by an instinctive imperative to propagate the Qlippoth’s fungal dominion, each cythnigot exists solely to breed, infect, and spread Abyssal taint.
They serve the Qlippoth matron Shiggarreb by weakening foes through disease and terror, laying the groundwork for larger demonic incursions.
Less a cunning predator than a living vessel of chaos, a cythnigot’s “strategy” is pure biological urgency: spread spores, inflict decay, and perpetuate the Abyss’s corruption.

Cythnigot 5e
Cythnigot, Pathfinder

Cythnigot

Tiny aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d4 + 24)
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (–2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	8 (–1)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6, Wis +3
Skills Stealth +7, Perception +3, Acrobatics +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Traits

Horrific Display. As a bonus action, the cythnigot can unleash a burst of noxious spores in a 10-foot radius. Each creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution save or be sickened (disadvantage on attacks and ability checks) until the start of its next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to this cythnigot’s Horrific Display for 24 hours.
Keen Smell. The cythnigot has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Spider Climb. The cythnigot can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The cythnigot makes two Stalked Bite attacks.
Stalked Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution save or be Entangled by fibrous spores. An entangled creature can use its action to make another DC 14 Con save, ending the effect on a success.
Spreading Spores (Recharge 5–6). The cythnigot exhales a 15-foot‐cone of thick, choking spores. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution save or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. A poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Warp Wood (1/Day). The cythnigot casts warp wood (spell save DC 14).

Reactions

Spore Shield. When a creature the cythnigot can see within 5 feet makes a melee attack against it, the cythnigot can exhale spores at the attacker. The attacker must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution save or be sickened until the end of its next turn.

Tactics

Ambush Predator. The cythnigot hovers in darkness or high ceilings, using its stealth and Spider Climb to strike from unexpected angles.
Area Control. It opens combat with Horrific Display to weaken clustered foes, then focuses on isolating one target with its Stalked Bite to inflict Entangled.
Debilitating Retreat. Once its spores have taken hold, it uses Spreading Spores to spread poison damage, then flies to safety—using hit-and-run tactics rather than direct confrontation.
Environmental Manipulation. If pressed, it uses Warp Wood to hamper pursuers by twisting wooden doors, barricades, or even forest undergrowth to slow and funnel enemies into its spore clouds.

Cythnigot

CR 2; XP 600
CE Tiny outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, qlippoth)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
Aura —
Languages Abyssal; telepathy (touch) 30 ft.

Defense

AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
HP 16 (3d10)
Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +2
DR 5/cold iron or lawful; Immune cold, poison, mind-affecting; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +6 (1d6+1 plus spores)
Space/Reach 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks
- Horrific Appearance (10-ft. radius; DC 9 Will; sickened 1 round)
- Spores (DC 11 Fortitude; entangle; disease effect; plant creatures –4)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +4)
- Constant—detect law, detect magic, fly
- 1/day—soften earth and stone, warp wood
- 1/week—commune (6 questions)

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 7
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 13 (21 vs. trip)
Feats Lightning Reflexes; Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7 (+11 jump), Fly +15, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Perception +5, Stealth +15

Horrific Appearance (Su). Creatures within 10 ft. that fail a DC 9 Will save are sickened for 1 round. A creature that succeeds is immune to all Cythnigots’ horrific appearance for 24 hours.

Spores (Su). Any creature bitten must succeed at a DC 11 Fortitude save or become entangled by twitching fungal fibers (Entangled; DC 11 to escape as a full-round action). These spores are a disease effect (Constitution-based DC) and do not stack; plant creatures take a –4 penalty on saves.

Ecology & Tactics

Environment: Any (Abyss)
Organization: Solitary or bloom (2–12)
Treasure: Standard

Combat Tactics:

Ambush: Uses high Stealth and Fly to strike from ceilings or darkness.
Debilitation: Opens with Horrific Appearance, then bites key targets to inflict Spores.
Skirmish: Withdraws with Fly when threatened or after delivering spores.

Improved Familiar: Chaotic-evil casters (7th level+) with the Improved Familiar feat can transform a Tiny animal familiar into a Cythnigot.

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