Monday, July 8, 2013

Savage Menagerie: Clotted One (AKA "Scab")

No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 1
Damage: As weapon or hypercogulation
Save: L5
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XIX

A Clotted One (also insultingly referred to as a "Scab") is a mutated human who appears to be covered from head to toe in a leathery, glistening hide. This "hide" is actually made of the Clotted One's own coagulated blood. Due to its hypercoagulation mutation, the creature's thick, syrupy blood hardens into a tough, copper-red crust upon contact with the air. This scab-like skin surface (which never sloughs off) gives the Clotted One its natural armor protection.

Since the Clotted One's blood clots so quickly upon being wounded, the creature's healing metabolism is constantly working, allowing the injured "Scab" to heal an extra 10 hit points a day. (A Clotted One cannot regrow limbs in this manner though.) However, due to the thickness of the creature's blood, its metabolic processes are drastically slowed as its heart works to pump the viscous fluid through its veins. Clotted Ones move very slowly, and they always attack last in a combat round. The nerves near and on the surface of their skin has been deadened over the years, so they are also often unaware of when they've been hurt or wounded. (Although any injuries are immediately scabbed over as their healing metabolism takes over.)

A Clotted One's touch can spread its hypercoagulation mutation to pure humans, causing the newly mutated victim to gain the abilities, drawbacks, and appearance of a Clotted One. If successfully grasped by a Clotted One, the pure human is allowed a save versus poison to escape this fate. (Mutant humans, plants, animals, and androids cannot acquire the mutation.) A "Scab's" blood can heal 1d8 hit points of damage if gathered quickly from a fallen Clotted One, rubbed on a PC's wound, and allowed to crust over. However, since the creature's blood dries so quickly upon contact with air, there's no known way to "harvest" and store the creature's blood for any prolonged period of time.

Not much is known about Clotted One society as they avoid contact with outsiders (who view them as monsters anyway). Those who do venture into a Clotted One village will see that many of their traditions involve bloodletting and a "Church of Hematology." For example, upon birth, a Clotted One's parents will begin slowly scraping at the newborn's skin with thorny branches and sandstone in a ritualistic ceremony. Although this appears cruel and sadistic, it is the fastest way to bestow the protective armoring to the child.

Mutations: hypercoagulation, natural armor, regenerative capability, slow mutant, pain insensitivity

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