Cardinal Tick (Swarm)
by Jamie BatySCMC
Fine Vermin ( Swarm)
Hit Dice: 2d8 +4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex)
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 20ft
Armour Class: 15 (+4 size, +1 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-
Attack: (Swarm 1d6)
Full Attack: (Swarm 1d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. /0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, Legacy bane, Cardinal tick infestation
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., low-light vision, Swarm Traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 13, Con 14, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: ---
Feats: ----
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
These tiny parasites usually infest humanoids with Legacies, although they can survive on blood alone. The presence of cardinal ticks reduces or deprives the host's Legacy powers, but it does not alter the other effects of the Red Curse upon them.
Combat
These bugs swarm over anything in its path.
Cardinal Tick Infestation (Ex): Any creature caught in a cardinal tick swarm has a chance to become infested with the parasites. Each round the victim is in the swarm, he must make a Fort save vs DC 13 (Con based) or gain 5% infestation. Subsequent failed saves are cumulative.
Disease (parasitic)
contact; Fortitude DC 13; incubation period 1 round; damage: see below. The save DC is Con-based.
A creature with a cardinal tick infestation has a chance of failure every time he tries to use a legacy. This chance of failure equals the percentage of infestation (i.e. 30% infestation means a 30% chance of failure.) Every successful use of a legacy increases the infestation level by 15%.
A successful daily save merely keeps the infestation level stable. A failed daily save means the infestation has increased by 5%.
Anyone coming in contact with an infested creature must make a DC 13 Fort save or gain a 5% infestation.
There are three ways to get rid of the infestation. The first is by scraping them off. This causes 1 point of damage per 1 infestation removed. Secondly, an ointment made from the nest of the Jibarú poisonous wasp or from cinnabryl powder can reduce an infestation by 10% per day with a successful Heal check. Cinnabryl ointment costs 100gp per treatment. The Jibarú ointment will require someone knowledgeable of the cure and a wasp nest. Lastly, if the victim is fortunate enough to find one, Saragón Lyra birds can remove the infestation in 2-6 days.
Legacy Bane (Ex): Any creatures caught in the cardinal tick swarm are unable to use their Legacies.
Swarm Subtype: A cardinal tick swarm has the following traits:
• A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking.
• The swarm is immune to all normal weapon damage.
• Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack.
• Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage.
• Swarms cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.
• A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
• A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.
• Cardinal tick swarms are susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures.
• A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganised and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.
Swarm Attack: A cardinal tick swarm automatically damages any creature within squares occupied by the swarm.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a swarm's damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 10) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.
Vermin Traits: Vermin are mindless - they have no intelligence score and are immune to all mind-affecting effects. They have no sense of morality and are always neutral. They have 60ft. darkvision and any treasure they possess (which is usually none) consists of the property of former victims.
The Red Curse
Cardinal tick swarms do not possess any legacies and do not suffer from Affliction.