Friday, December 27, 2013

Frightful Fridays! Mashup Marathon! Monarch Stingray

I could not constrain this mashup to an animal, magical beast, or vermin, so I went with a fey creature. In a marvelous example of synchronicity, I discovered that the term for a group of stingrays is "fever," which really fit the surreal nature of the monarch stingray. I hope you enjoy the latest mashup monster, and I'll see you again in another hour!

The final, and arguably coolest, mashup in this collection.

This massive stingray has the coloration of a monarch butterfly; it gracefully swims through the water, and then emerges to continue its graceful movements in the air.
Monarch Stingray CR 8
XP 4,800
CG Medium fey
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +23

Defense
AC
22, touch 16, flat-footed 16 (+5 Dex, +6 natural, +1 dodge)
hp 97 (13d6+52)
Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +11
Defensive Abilities evasion

Offense
Speed 15 ft., fly 60 ft. (good), swim 80 ft.
Melee sting +11 (3d6+3 plus poison) and 2 wings +6 (2d4+1)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +16)
At will—color spray (DC 14)
3/day—rainbow pattern (DC 17)
1/day—cloak of dreams (DC 19)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 21, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 25
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +21 (+13 when jumping), Bluff +19, Escape Artist +23, Fly +21, Perception +23, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +24, Swim +21
Languages Aquan, Sylvan

Ecology
Environment any temperate or warm
Organization solitary, pair, or fever (3–6)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Sting—Injury; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/round for 8 rounds; effect 1d6 Wis; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Some legends relate how faerie creatures had no set form in their primal dimension; it was not until they visited the mortal realms that they decided on appearances that pleased them. Many took on an idealized humanoid guise, but an occasional outlier would see beauty in the fauna or flora of the world. Monarch stingrays melded the delicate appearance of the monarch butterfly with the streamlined form of the stingray, and they remained in that shape. Though beneficent creatures, monarch stingrays often startle and spook those unaccustomed to the sudden appearance of a flying stingray. Their inability to speak Common does not help matters, and they must resort to their spell-like abilities to escape frightened mobs.