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Hollow SerpentCreature 15

NE​Large​Undead​
Source Pathfinder Book of the Dead
Perception +27 (darkvision, lifesense 60 feet, scent (imprecise) 60 feet)
Languages Aklo
Skills Acrobatics +29, Athletics +30, Stealth +29
Str +7, Dex +8, Con +6, Int -2, Wis +4, Cha +3
AC 37; Fort +26; Reflex +30; Will +24;
HP 280 (negative healing)
Speed 50 feet (climb 50 feet)
Immunities disease, paralyzed, poison, polymorph, unconscious
Jaws One Action +30 (+25, +20) to hit (reach 10) 4d10+15 Piercing
Tail One Action +30 (+26, +22) to hit (agile, reach 15) 3d10+15 Bludgeoning
Darkvision

A monster with darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. Some forms of magical darkness, such as a 4th-level Darkness spell, block normal darkvision. A monster with Greater Darkvision, however, can see through even these forms of magical darkness.

Scent (Imprecise) 60 feet

Scent involves sensing creatures or objects by smell, and is usually a vague sense. The range is listed in the ability, and it functions only if the creature or object being detected emits an aroma (for instance, incorporeal creatures usually do not exude an aroma).

If a creature emits a heavy aroma or is upwind, the GM can double or even triple the range of scent abilities used to detect that creature, and the GM can reduce the range if a creature is downwind.

Lifesense 60 feet

Lifesense allows a monster to sense the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range. The sense can distinguish between the positive energy animating living creatures and the negative energy animating undead creatures, much as sight distinguishes colors.

Constant Spells

A constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires.

Negative Healing

A creature with negative healing draws health from negative energy rather than positive energy. It is damaged by positive damage and is not healed by positive healing effects. It does not take negative damage, and it is healed by negative effects that heal undead.

Desiccation Aura (aura, divine, necromancy)

30-feet Aura

A cloud of choking, acrid dust swirls about the hollow serpent, draining moisture from any enemy within. A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in the aura must succeed at a DC 34 fortitude save or become Enfeebled 2 and Slowed 1 for 1d4 rounds (2d4 rounds on a critical failure). A creature that succeeds is temporarily immune for 24 hours.

Divine Guardian Reaction

Trigger An ally within the hollow serpent's reach is attacked

Effect The hollow serpent interposes a coil of its body or tail between the ally and attacker. The triggering attack targets the hollow serpent instead of the original target.

Constrict One Action

1d10+7 bludgeoning plus Drained 1, DC 36 basic fortitude

The monster deals the listed amount of damage to any number of creatures Grabbed or Restrained by it. Each of those creatures can attempt a basic Fortitude save with the listed DC.

Slithering Strike One Action

The hollow serpent Strides or Climbs and makes a jaws Strike at the end of that movement. If the hollow serpent began this action Hidden, it remains hidden until after this ability's Strike.

Swallow Whole One Action (attack)

Medium, 4d6 negative plus Drained 1, Rupture 32

The monster attempts to swallow a creature of the listed size or smaller that it has grabbed in its jaws or mouth. If a swallowed creature is of the maximum size listed, the monster can't use Swallow Whole again. If the creature is smaller than the maximum, the monster can usually swallow more creatures; the GM determines the maximum. The monster attempts an Athletics check opposed by the grabbed creature's Reflex DC. If it succeeds, it swallows the creature. The monster's mouth or jaws no longer grab a creature it has swallowed, so the monster is free to use them to Strike or Grab once again. The monster can't attack creatures it has swallowed.

A swallowed creature is Grabbed, is Slowed 1, and has to hold its breath or start suffocating. The swallowed creature takes the listed amount of damage when first swallowed and at the end of each of its turns while it's swallowed. If the victim Escapes this ability's grabbed condition, it exits through the monster's mouth. This frees any other creature grabbed in the monster's mouth or jaws. A swallowed creature can attack the monster that has swallowed it, but only with unarmed attacks or with weapons of light Bulk or less. The swallowing creature is Flat-Footed against the attack. If the monster takes piercing or slashing damage equaling or exceeding the listed Rupture value from a single attack or spell, the swallowed creature cuts itself free. A creature that gets free by either Escaping or cutting itself free can immediately breathe and exits the swallowing monster's space.

If the monster dies, a swallowed creature can be freed by creatures adjacent to the corpse if they spend a combined total of 3 actions cutting the monster open with a weapon or unarmed attack that deals piercing or slashing damage.

Improved Grab Free Action

The monster can use Grab as a free action triggered by a hit with its initial attack. A monster with Improved Grab still needs to spend an action to extend the duration for creatures it already has Grabbed.

Divine Innate Spells (DC 35, +27 to hit)

4th Level: Freedom of Movement (Constant)
6th Level: Vampiric Exsanguination (Drawing in Moisture Rather than Blood)

A hollow serpent is the dried and shriveled husk of an enormous constrictor snake, animated by fell magic to serve its masters. According to the oldest holy books of serpentfolk, the first hollow serpents were raised by Ydersius. The god took the cast-off skins of great snakes and filled them with hunger and hatred, a bottomless yearning for mortal life that could never be filled. In due course, the priests of the serpentfolk learned to replicate their lord's trick, and in the millennia since the serpentfolk's fall, the knowledge has slithered into the libraries of other necromancers and sorcerers.

Despite their menacing reputation and great power, hollow serpents are a relatively uncomplicated creation. They were designed first and foremost as guardians, and serpentfolk liches of a suitable level of power are sometimes accompanied by hollow serpents. A few have struck out on their own over the years, usually due to outliving their original creators. Driven by their hunger and dim intellect, they take up residence in remote ruins or deep caverns. Those that study such things believe at least one serpent, perhaps one of the original creatures made by Ydersius, survives in the mountains west of Geb.

Traits

Common

Anything that doesn't list another rarity trait (uncommon, rare, or unique) automatically has the common trait. This rarity indicates that an ability, item, or spell is available to all players who meet the prerequisites for it. A creature of this rarity is generally known and can be summoned with the appropriate summon spell.