New Monsters: Haunter of the Black Pyramid & Larvae of the Elder Spider

Haunter of the Black Pyramid

Hit Dice: 9+9

Armor Class: 18

Attacks: 1 weapon (1d8 + weapon modifier) or 1 spit of acidic saliva (2d6 + special)

Saving Throw: 6

Special:  Acidic saliva, spell reflection, summon spiders, bonus damage on great hit

Movement: 12

Size:  Large

CL/XP: 15/2900

Atop Spiderspire is an ominous black pyramid, abandoned except for the remnants of an ancient and diabolical cult devoted to the worship of their living god, the Elder Spider.  Chief amongst the protectors of this pyramid, and the main servitor of the Elder Spider, is a creature known only as the Haunter of the Black Pyramid.  This horrific being accepts sacrifices on behalf of the Elder Spider, which never ascends into the pyramid from the Central Shaft, which runs down the center of the mountain into the hellish labyrinth of caves and dungeons below.  The Haunter appears as a half-man, half-spider abomination, the bottom half being all spider, and the top half being what might pass for human.

In combat, the Haunter will attack with a weapon on the rounds it cannot use its acidic saliva attack.  Every 1d4 rounds, the Haunter can spit acidic saliva at a single target, at a range of up to 30 feet.  If the victim fails his saving throw, he is hit by the stream of saliva.  The saliva does 2d6 damage on the first round of contact, and then continues to burn into the victim's flesh for 3 more rounds.  On the second round, damage is 2d4;  on the third round, damage is 1d6;  and on the fourth round, damage is 1d4.

Spells of 3rd level and below will not affect the Haunter and will "reflect" back upon the caster.  The caster can only save against this effect if the spell would normally grant a saving throw to the target.  The Haunter can also summon 1d6 giant spiders once per day, which will arrive on the scene in 1d3 rounds.  If the Haunter rolls a natural 20 on an attack or exceeds the number needed to hit an opponent by 4 or more, it does 1d8 points of additional damage, which is not open-ended like typical weapon damage.

Larvae of the Elder Spider

Hit Dice: 3

Armor Class: 12

Attacks: 1 bite (1d6) or 1 bile expulsion (special)

Saving Throw: 14

Special:  Bile expulsion, nauseating excretions, telepathic connection

Movement: 6

Size:  Medium

CL/XP: 6/400

Each sacrifice given to the Elder Spider by its cult provides it with a fresh soul to transform into what the Cult of the Spider calls the Larvae of the Elder Spider.  They have rubbery, grub-like bodies and appear much like huge maggots, but are clearly an unholy creation.  They are about six feet in length and covered in a foul-smelling, milky ichor.  The Elder Spider gives birth to 1d4 of these awful creatures whenever a single human sacrifice is made to it.

In combat, which the Larvae will mindlessly enter, even if unprovoked, they typically bite their victims.  Once every 1d4 rounds, however, they can expel a disgusting bile-like fluid from their mouths in a 60' cone.  If a victim caught in this fails their save, they take 1d8 points of damage from the bile's acidity, and are nauseated.  If the save succeeds, the victim is nauseated.  The nauseated condition lasts for 1d6 rounds.

Just coming into close quarters with these creatures can bring about a sick feeling as well.  If a PC is adjacent to one of the Larvae, he must succeed at a saving throw or be splashed, quite accidentally, by the milky substance covering the body of the thing.  A failed save means the character is nauseated.

The most disturbing aspect of the Larvae of the Elder Spider, even more than their appearance, is the strange telepathic connection they attempt to establish with their victims.  Each Larva may attempt to mentally contact one target each round.  The target must make a saving throw, and if it fails, contact is established.  The creature then projects all its suffering and rage and fear upon the victim, and the very next round the character gains the confused condition, and is clearly insane.  The confusion will last as long as the Larva is in contact.  The only way to break contact is to disrupt the communicating Larva - any of the ways a spell can be disrupted will disrupt the communication.  When encountering groups of these creatures, they typically hold several of their number well out of reach to sow their madness within the ranks of their opponents.