Why, that's a Scorpire Vampion!

The final comments are in from last week's "Weekly What the Heck". The result is the scorpire, a body-snatching, head-severing, hypnotic-gazing conspirator.

I'd like to thank icosahedron, Jeff, The Recursion King, Scott, Gomez and Reverend Mike (with special thanks to icosahedron for the name) for their ideas, all of which have been mashed together to create:

Scorpire

Scorpires are strange creatures that look like a vampire head with scorpion legs and three scorpion tails growing out where the neck should be. It doesn't have its own body, but it makes up for that by borrowing others'. Its habit is to find a convenient corpse, sever its head, and settle in. It possesses the ability to guide the body while so attached. It can sometimes pass for human, provided the body is in good condition. If the body is in poor condition, it may be mistaken for an undead creature such as a ghoul or zombie, but it is not undead -- it's a living creature, despite its similarities to the vampire.

Level 3 Lurker

Scorpire Scuttler

XP 150

Tiny natural magical beast

Initiative +6 Senses Perception +4
HP 38; Bloodied 19
AC 17; Fortitude 15, Reflex 15, Will 16
Speed 5

mBite (standard; at-will) * Poison

+8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

mClaws (standard; at-will)

+8 vs. AC; 1d10 + 1 damage.

MScorpilock (standard; recharge 4 5 6)

The scorpire scuttler makes a bite and claw attack against the same target. If both hit, the target is grabbed (until escape). An attached scorpire can't use its bite or claws and gains a +5 bonus to its AC and Reflex defenses.

M...and the Three Tails (standard; at-will) * Poison

The scorpire scuttler makes three attacks against a creature it has grabbed; +6 vs. Fortitude; the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

RHypnotic Gaze (minor; recharge 6) * Gaze, Charm

Ranged 5; +6 vs. Will; the target is dominated (save ends). Aftereffect: The target is dazed (save ends).

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Bluff +9, Insight +9
Str 12 (+2) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 17 (+4)
Con 14 (+3) Int 14 (+3) Cha 17 (+4)

Scorpire Scuttler Tactics

The scorpire scuttler attempts to flee combat unless it can catch an opponent alone. In this case it will attempt to use its scorpilocks and the three tails attacks to quickly kill the victim and steal its body.

Level 3 Controller

Scorpire Vampion

XP 150

Medium natural humanoid

Initiative +1 Senses Perception +4
HP 46; Bloodied 23
AC 17; Fortitude 15, Reflex 15, Will 16
Speed 6

mSlam (standard; at-will)

+8 vs. AC; 2d6 + 1 damage.

MBite (standard; at-will) * Poison

+8 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

CConfounding Stare (standard; recharge 5 6) * Gaze, Psychic

Close blast 3; +5 vs. Will; the target slides 3 squares and is dazed (save ends).

RHypnotic Gaze (standard; recharge 6) * Gaze, Charm

Ranged 5; +7 vs. Will; the target is dominated (save ends). Aftereffect: The target is dazed (save ends).

Bodily Collapse (when first bloodied)

The scorpire vampion's body collapses, leaving only a bloodied scorpire scuttler.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Bluff +9, Insight +9
Str 14 (+3) Dex 10 (+1) Wis 17 (+4)
Con 14 (+3) Int 14 (+3) Cha 17 (+4)

Scorpire Vampion Tactics

A scorpire vampion opens with hypnotic gaze in order to gain an ally. It then uses confounding stare as often as possible to keep enemies away from itself and near its allies.

Level 7 Lurker (Leader)

Scorpire Viscount

XP 300

Medium natural humanoid

Initiative +9 Senses Perception +7
HP 64; Bloodied 32
AC 21; Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 20
Speed 6

mBite (standard; at-will) * Poison

+12 vs. AC; 1d8 + 2 damage, and ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends).

mShort Sword (standard; at-will) * Weapon

+12 vs. AC; 2d6 + 2 damage.

CConfusing Stare (standard; recharge 6) * Gaze, Psychic

Close blast 3; +8 vs. Will; the target charges its nearest ally and makes a melee basic attack against it.

RHypnotic Gaze (minor; recharge 6) * Charm

Ranged 5; +13 vs. Will; the target is dominated (save ends). Aftereffect: The target is dazed (save ends).

Yes, My Liege! (immediate interrupt, when targeted by a ranged attack; at-will) * Charm

The scorpire viscount can change the attack’s target to an adjacent ally of its level or lower.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Bluff +12, Insight +12
Str 14 (+5) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 19 (+7)
Con 16 (+6) Int 16 (+6) Cha 19 (+7)

Scorpire Viscount Tactics

A scorpire viscount prefers to stay behind a line of lackeys where it can use its hypnotic gaze at long range. It keeps some lackeys close at hand (in case it needs to use yes, my liege!) and the rest at a safe distance forward (so it can use confusing stare on any enemies that break through the line).

Scorpire Lore

A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.
DC 20: By itself the scorpire vampion is a feeble creature, but it can become a formidable opponent depending on the host it chooses. They are somewhat intelligent creatures and target creatures in leadership positions.

Encounter Groups

Scorpire vampions are sometimes found lurking around actual undead to disguise their true nature (until a fresher body comes along). Scorpire viscounts often insert themselves into positions of power and surround themselves with sycophantic dupes.
Level 3 Encounter (XP 750)
* 1 scorpire vampion (level 3 controller)
* 1 zombies (level 2 brute)
* 4 zombie rotters (level 3 minions)
* 1 gravehound (level 3 brute)
* 1 corruption corpse (level 4 artillery)
Level 6 Encounter (XP 1,250)
* 1 scorpire viscount (level 7 lurker)
* 8 human lackeys (level 7 minion)
* 1 human mage (level 4 artillery)
* 1 human berserker (level 4 brute)

The scorpire viscount is an adventure hook machine. Jen and I came up with two mini-campaign ideas centering around him during just one ten minute conversation.

• Random villagers are disappearing. It seemed to start when the charismatic new duke came to town, but he couldn't be the culprit... could he?
• A new ruler has set up draconian laws, almost all of which carry beheading as punishment. The bodies are never seen again. What's going on?