Skitterling
by Jamie BatyGAZ13 38
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 1/2d8 (2 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20ft.
Armour Class: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: 0/-12
Attack: Bite -2 melee (1d3 -4)
Full Attack: Bite -2 melee (1d3 -4)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, waterwalking
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 3
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +13, Listen +2, Move Silently +5, Spot +3
Feats: Stealthy
Environment: Any underground
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/8
Treasure: See Below
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: -
Skitterlings are small lizards, up to 18 inches in length, and about half of their body length is taken up by a long, slender tail. At the end of this tail is a fan of very thin, almost translucent, webbed skin. At the base of its tail is a pair of oil-secreting glands. It is the tail which makes the skitterling so prized by the shadow elves. The tail skin is used to make cloth of exquisite fineness, used for decorative purposes. The oil of the glands is an important element in several alchemical preparations. A skitterling tail and oil gland can fetch up to 200gp if intact. Unfortunately there is only a 20% chance that the tail and gland will survive an attack intact.
Catching skitterlings isn't easy. They move quickly and can readily hide in the narrowest rock crevices. And they can walk on water. Their bones are lightly calcified and hollow, and they are very light despite their apparent size. Their webbed feet are very large, and they move faster on the surface of water than they do on land. They exploit the surface tension of water to "skitter along," as the elves put it. Watching a skitterling skitter along the water of a placid river is a delight to a shadow elf. Their sinuous movements and rapid speed combine grace and efficiency with a very unusual ability.
Combat
Skitterlings will flee rather than fight. They do possess a weak bite attack.
Waterwalking (Ex): A skitterling may move across the surface of water at a movement rate of 50ft. This can only be done across the surface of calm water- fast moving streams or large wakes will prevent a skitterling from moving across the water.
Skills: Skitterlings have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They also have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Skitterlings use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb checks.