#wrenganan

[thecreaturecodex]

Wrenganan

Image © Kenzer and Co.

[I don’t know if this piece is by Anthony Carpenter or not. It doesn’t look like his style, but matches a few other pieces in the book. There’s some additional art credits in the frontmatter of the Hacklopedias, but none that refer to specific illustrations.

In the original Hackmaster, the wrenganans just drink the corpse juice they collect. I wanted to give it some sort of mechanical effect, so I went with Brew Potion. After all, undead NPCs in Pathfinder often have potions of inflict X wounds in their equipment--who makes them? Also a head’s up: this one is gross.]

Wrenganan CR 7 NE Undead This humanoid appears stretched out, standing almost twice as tall as a man. Its face has sunken, somewhat bat-like features. Its hands are oversized with spidery fingers, and it stinks like offal and bile.

Wrenganans are vampire-like undead that feed not directly on blood or life force, but instead on the fluids of decay that drip from a rotting corpse. These vile effluents they collect in urns and brew into disgusting potions, as well as drinking them fresh from the source, so to speak. A wrenganan’s potions are prized by other undead creatures, and some wrenganans work for more powerful undead as a supplier in exchange for ample access to victims. Anyone living who drinks these brews find them foul tasting but surprisingly invigorating, acting as a necromantic drug.

A wrenganan usually hides during the day, as they despise the light of the sun. At night they go abroad to hunt. They work well in groups, cooperating to isolate prey. A wrenganan’s typical strategy is to attack from ambush, grab a foe by the neck, choke them unconscious and then snap their spine with a coup de grace. They know that their constant stench is able to give them away, and so attack sleeping targets, from upwind, or attempt to conceal their aroma with spices and perfumes.

A wrenganan’s lair is truly horrific to behold, as they string their victims up to rot in the sun and collect the juices that flow from the corpse. The stench often attracts scavenging animals, whose presence is tolerated to a certain extent—urine, feces and maggots are incorporated into the accursed potions, and any beast that presses its luck and feeds too heavily ends up killed and rotting for a later batch. Wrenganans can be found in any habitat, but prefer moister climates to facilitate decomposition.

Wrenganan             CR 7 XP 3,200 NE Large undead Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 30 ft., Perception +13 Aura stench (30 ft., Fort DC 18) Defense AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural) hp 85 (10d8+40) Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9; channel resistance +2 DR 10/magic; Immune undead traits Weakness light blindness Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 slams +11 (1d8+4 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks constrict (1d8+6), crushing pin, strangle Statistics Str 19, Dex 14, Con -, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 16 Base Atk +7; CMB +12 (+16 grapple); CMD 26 Feats Brew Potion (B), Combat Expertise, Magical Aptitude, Stealthy, Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Climb +15, Escape Artist +12, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Perception +13, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +15 Languages Abyssal, Common, Necril SQ accursed potions Ecology Environment any land and underground Organization solitary, pair or clutch (3-7) Treasure double standard (potions) Special Abilities Accursed Potions (Ex) A wrenganan gains Brew Potion as a bonus feat, and treats all cleric spells as being on its class list for the purposes of crafting potions. Any potion it makes is infused with rot—it functions as normal for an undead creature, but a living creature treats it as a dose of mumia as well as gaining the potion’s benefits. Crushing Pin (Ex) A creature pinned by a wrenganan must succeed a DC 19 Fortitude save or be knocked unconscious for 1d8 rounds. The save DC is Strength based.