Halloween Monster Monday: Spindles, Gaunt Humanoids with an Insatiable Appetite

Today's Monster Monday is the spindle, a carnivorous humanoid with an insatiable gut.  There are two types of spindles: civilized spindles are able to pass as human by clouding the perceptions of those around them, while feral spindles gallop freely on their four legs, chasing down and swallowing humans with their unhinging jaws.

Spindles are the brainchild of Jane Kelly, long-time friend of the site (and contributor to my favorite April Fool's post thus far), who basically spends all her free time creating characters, worlds, and stories.  The inspiration for spindles came from a creepy ball-jointed doll that had an oddly extended pelvis and four human legs.  This concept changed over time so that spindles could relatively convincingly pass as human; one of her characters, Maude, is a chain-smoking spindle who works at the deli counter of a grocery store so she can snack on raw meat.  A few years ago I statted up both the original centauroid spindle and the civilized spindle for Jane's birthday, and now I'm sharing these legitimately creepy monsters with you for Halloween!

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2016 Jonah Bomgaars.

Spindle, Civilized                CR 2

XP 600

Usually NE Medium monstrous humanoid

Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +5

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge)

hp 22 (3d10+6)

Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4

Immune fear

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee bite +4 (1d8+1 plus grab) and 2 claws +4 (1d4+1)

Special Attacks swallow whole (1d6 acid damage, AC 12, 5 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 8

Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 17

Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative

Skills Disguise +1, Intimidate +9, Perception +5, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate

Languages Common

SQ pass as human

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Pass as Human (Su)

Civilized spindles possess an innate magical ability to cloud the minds of those around them to their true form.  They appear to be human to the casual observer, although with some subtly grotesque features.  A DC 12 Will save is required to see their true form on closer inspection.  This is a mind-affecting effect.  The save DC is Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus. 

Swallow Whole (Su)

Spindles have the supernatural ability to swallow whole creatures up to their own size.  Their jaws stretch open unnaturally wide, allowing them to engulf grabbed Medium or smaller creatures in their extradimensional gut.  Creatures so swallowed take 1d6 points of acid damage each round they remain within the spindle’s gut.  If anything cuts its way out of the spindle’s gut, it cannot use the Swallow Whole ability again for 1d4 rounds. 

ECOLOGY

Environment urban

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

Spindle, Feral         CR 3

XP 800

CE Medium monstrous humanoid

Init +8; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural)

hp 34 (4d10+12)

Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +5

Immune fear

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite +6 (1d8+2 plus grab) and 2 claws +6 (1d4+2)

Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d4+3), swallow whole (1d6 acid damage, AC 13, 6 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6

Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 20

Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess

Skills Intimidate +11, Perception +6, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate

Languages Common

SQ tenacious hunger

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Swallow Whole (Su)

Spindles have the supernatural ability to swallow whole creatures up to their own size.  Their jaws stretch open unnaturally wide, allowing them to engulf grabbed Medium or smaller creatures in their extradimensional gut.  Creatures so swallowed take 1d6 points of acid damage each round they remain within the spindle’s gut.  If anything cuts its way out of the spindle’s gut, it cannot use the Swallow Whole ability again for 1d4 rounds. 

Tenacious Hunger (Ex)

Spindles are loathe to give up on a meal.  They gain Improved Grapple and Step Up as bonus feats against creatures they have damaged with their bite attack. 

ECOLOGY

Environment any plains or forest

Organization solitary, pair, or abhorrence (3-12)

Treasure standard

Spindles are ravenously hungry creatures with toothy jaws that open large enough to swallow a man whole.  Their pallid skin is tightly stretched across their bones, giving them a skeletal appearance.  Civilized spindles are humanoid and have some modicum of control over their urges, and they possess the magical ability to make others see them as unsettling humanoids rather than truly monstrous beings, allowing them to (barely) pass in civilized society. 

   Feral spindles, also known as ‘long spindles’ have no compunctions and eat whomever and whatever they can find.  They are vaguely centauroid, possessing a short second torso and four unusually long legs which give them frightening speed.  

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I only posted these stat blocks to patreon on October 3rd, which means I have waited less than the promised month to post them here for the general public, but I thought spindles would be a far more suitable Halloween post than, say, a jackalope or a lava turtle or any of the other monsters in my back-log.  Happy Halloween!

-your gaunt d20 despot