Cylovite Overlords are a villainous species
created out of the Apocalypse. Some appear humanoid but they can be grown in
any number of shapes and sizes. Cylovite Overseers are rare, and take a century
of gestation to grow to a small sized being, during which they are like curious
infants. Another century will pass before they become medium sized, at which
time their mature personality and inimical sense of evil reasoning against
biological beings arises. Cylovite Overlords can breed but once in a two century
period, creating two or three offspring when they do, through an asexual
process. They can, however, create up to one hundred parasitic crystals a year
to create hybrids. More about hybrids can be found in the New Races section as
possible player characters.
Cylovites
Cylovites come from the Blasted Lands to the west, where rumors abound
of an “ancient empire immersed within the mountainous, craggy expanses ruled by
these strange crystalline beings, where humans are, the lowest sort of slave
fodder imaginable.” On very rare occasions, a cylovites has been encountered
outside of these lands, but are immediately destroyed by any and all who
encounter it. The myths of the apocalypse tell of the cylovites having a
definite relationship to the end of the world, being harbingers who arrived
just weeks before the great cataclysm.
Humans and demihumans who dwell in the regions of the
Cylovite-controlled blasted lands may be chosen as player characters. Specific
details can be found in the entry on the Crystite Kingdom, but these player
characters will also be very rare, and a bit of a challenge to play. Cylovite
Thralls are permanently altered by parasitic attachments that make them
innately subordinate to the Cylovite Overlords, and as such, player characters
of this species must get very far away from the telepathic control of their
masters to function normally. It is said that a special concoction created from
the mandragora root, when applied to the parasitic attachment, will subdue the
entity sufficiently that the host thrall can move freely and think on his own
without interference for a time, usually a few hours. It is suspected that some
rare escaped thralls have used this method to gain freedom, fleeing to the
farthest corners of the world to escape their oppressive masters. A Cylovite Hybrid is any biological living
being implanted with a Parasitic Crystal. The crystal covers the subject over a
week long period like a crystalline suit of armor or a mesh of crystal muscles
and skin, and bonds with the subject's nervous system. A prospective host must
make three saves (one per hour after initial infection) to survive the process
and reject the bonding crystal parasite. If the host fails three saves before
making three successes, then he or she has become a hybrid.
All other mental elements of the host remain the same, but the hybrid's
original personality will change by one factor toward the implanting overlord's
own disposition (i.e. a pacifistic servant of Laddaskar with an overlord master
who is a violent and evil being will now either lose his pacifism or become a
simpering coward as well.) As such, the base alignment of the hybrid usually
shifts one level closer to the overlord's. For example, a chaotic evil overlord
would cause a thrall who was lawful good to become lawful evil or chaotic good.
Which step happens can be randomized, though the likeliest alignment shift will
always be that which makes the thrall most agreeable to the overlord's wishes.
Willing hybrids are often the source of soldiers and enforcers in the
Crystite Kingdom. Unwilling hybrids become fodder, cheap labor, or are (if
especially resistant) thrown in to the gladiatorial pits.
Escaped cylovite thralls are usually humans or other humanoids. This
racial entry serves as a template; apply it to another race of your choice
(usually human, Halfling, elf, dwarf or tiefling, although shapeshifters and constructs
are excluded) to create your escaped thrall.
Cylovite Thrall Template
Cylovites can infect and
transform any living creature. To convert an existing creature into a cylovite
hybrid, apply the following additional features to an existing creature’s stat
block:
Cylovite Language: the newly infected hybrid gains the ability
to speak and understand cylovite.
Crystal Skin: Cylovite thralls grow thick, crystalline
masses all over their bodies. They gain resistance against fire, cold and
electricity. In addition, hybrids become AC 15 unless the base creature has a
higher AC thanks to the crystalline growth.
Structural Weakness: Anyone choosing to target the crystalline
nodes along the head, neck and back of a hybrid may attempt to do so with an
attack at disadvantage; success renders the hybrid vulnerable to the attack,
causing double damage as if it were a critical hit. Most creatures are
unfamiliar with cylovite hybrids and are unaware of this weakness; a DC 16
nature check may reveal the knowledge, or first-hand or relayed prior
experience.
Telepathy: Hybrids are telepathic, and can communicate with other beings
mentally within 1 mile, and up to a distance of 10 miles with a Cylovite
overlord. This ability is two way with the Hybrid only, and is a free action
that targets one person. It functions for practical purposes like the read thoughts spell.
Mental Resistance: Escaped Hybrids develop a tough defense
against mental effects, and gain advantage when saving vs. charm and
mind-affecting spells and abilities. Unless special arrangements are made, PC
hybrids are all assumed to have escaped captivity and control prior to
beginning play.
Cylovite Human Hybrid Thrall
CR 1/2 (100 XP)
CE medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +1
DEFENSE
AC 15
(crystalline armor)
HP 19 (3D8+6)
Resistance: fire, cold, electricity
Vulnerability: structural weakness (see template)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 feet
Multiattack Thralls are able to make any combination of two short spear or
fist attacks per round.
Melee Attack – short spear +4 attack (5 foot reach) 1D6+2 piercing
damage
Melee Attack – fists +4 attack (5 foot reach) 1D4+2 bludgeoning
damage
Statistics
STR 14 (+2), DEX 12 (+1), CON 15 (+2), INT 10 (0),
WIS 13 (+1), CHA 11 (0)
Languages: common, cylovite
Senses: Perception +1 (passive 11)
Skills: Athletics +4
TRAITS
Hybrid Traits: See the hybrid template. Thralls have
crystal skin, structural weakness, and telepathy. Escaped thralls who are no
longer part of the dominated collective gain the mental resistance trait as
well.
Thralls form the parasitically dominated
armies of the Cylovites. They commonly use group tactics to overwhelm foes,
surrounding and beating them down into submission so that the overlord can
implant the new subject with a parasitic crystal.
Some individual thralls prove to be
exceptional warriors and quickly rise in rank, being noticed by their
overlords. Those special thralls are elevated in purpose and become hybrid
commanders, who usually lead the lesser thralls in to battle.
Cylovite Human Hybrid Commander
CR 3 (700 XP)
CE medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +1
DEFENSE
AC 18 (full
plate and crystalline armor)
HP 52 (7D8+21)
Resistance: fire, cold, electricity
Vulnerability: structural weakness (see template)
OFFENSE
Speed 30 feet
Multiattack Commanders may make three attacks per round.
Melee Attack – great sword +7 attack (5 foot reach) 2D6+3 piercing
damage
Melee Attack – fists +6 attack (5 foot reach) 1D4+3 bludgeoning
damage
Ranged Attack – long bow +4 attack (Range 60/120) 1D8+1 piercing
damage
Statistics
STR 16 (+3), DEX 12 (+1), CON 17 (+3), INT 10 (0),
WIS 13 (+1), CHA 11 (0)
Languages: common, cylovite
Senses: Perception +2 (passive 12)
Skills: Athletics +6
TRAITS
Hybrid Traits: See the hybrid template. Thralls have
crystal skin, structural weakness, and telepathy. Escaped thralls who are no
longer part of the dominated collective gain the mental resistance trait as
well.
Uncanny Horsemanship: Thrall commanders
who use a war horse in combat are usually linked to the hybrid thrall horse, a
parasitic cylovite link, allows him to instantaneously communicate with the
horse in such a manner that he and the beast seem to move unnaturally together.
Any proficiency checks for mounted combat are at advantage.
Thrall commanders are usually armed with
magical great swords +1, mounted on a war horse, and have a keen sense of
tactics in commanding their lesser troops.
Cylovite War Horse Hybrid Thrall
CR 1/2 (100 XP)
CE medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +1
DEFENSE
AC 15
(crystalline armor)
HP 19 (3D10+3)
Resistance: fire, cold, electricity
Vulnerability: structural weakness (see template)
OFFENSE
Speed 60 feet
Melee Attack – hooves +6 attack (5 foot reach) 2D6+4 bludgeoning
damage
Statistics
STR 18 (+4), DEX 12 (+1), CON 13 (+1), INT 2 (-4),
WIS 12 (+1), CHA 7 (-2)
Languages: none
Senses: Perception +1 (passive 11)
TRAITS
Hybrid Traits: See the hybrid template. Thralls have
crystal skin, structural weakness, and telepathy. Escaped thralls who are no
longer part of the dominated collective gain the mental resistance trait as
well.
Trampling Charge: as per Warhorse, MM.
Mental Link: a hybrid horse can mentally bind with a
hybrid rider. This grants advantage on all horsemanship related proficiency
checks.
Fearless: hybrid warhorses are immune to fear effects.
Trained warhorses serve
cylovite thrall commanders obediently and without fear thanks to their
crystalline telepathic bond.
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