The Material Plane represents only one small part of the multiverse. Beyond the best-known planes of existence lie realms that are lethal to mortal life. Some are so hostile that even a moment’s contact with such a place is enough to plunge a mortal mind into madness. Yet beings do exist that are native to these realms: beings that are eternally hungering, searching, warring, sometimes dreaming. These Elder Evils are far older than most of the mortal races and always horrific to humanoid minds.

However much they might desire to enter and dominate the Material Plane, the Elder Evils are unable or unwilling to leave their realms. Some are imprisoned in their dimensions by external forces, some are inextricably bound to their home realities, and others simply can’t find any way out.

The creatures known as star spawn are the heralds, servants, foot soldiers, and lieutenants of the Elder Evils, capable of taking on forms that can journey to the Material Plane. They arrive most often in the wake of a comet—or perhaps such a phenomenon merely signals that star spawn are in the vicinity and available for communication. When the signs are right, warlocks and cultists hasten to gather together, read aloud their blasphemous texts, and conduct the mind-searing rituals that guide the blazing star spawn into the world.

Star spawn grue

Fanged and lipless, this creature lopes about on spindly legs and long arms. Bristles and spines project from odd patches of its pallid skin, and its long fingers end in pointed, blood-stained claws.

Grues are the weakest of the star spawn. A host of writhing, scrambling grues typically accompanies more powerful star spawn. Their constant chittering and shrieking produces discordant psychic energy that disrupts thought patterns in other creatures. Intelligent creatures experience flashing colors, hallucinations, disorientation, and waves of hopelessness when they find themselves near a group of star spawn grues.

Combat

Star spawn grues employ simple tactics, rushing forward to overwhelm enemies with raw numbers. They rely on their strength from pain ability to amplify their fighting prowess. Superior odds and a clear escape route are the grue’s only concerns in combat. If these are not present, grues are unlikely to fight unless pressed.

As a star spawn grue takes damage, it enters an increasingly ecstatic state. As a result, grues that are lightly wounded can assess a potential loss and flee from it, but those that have taken grievous injuries typically fight to the death. Grues that are not badly injured use their allies’ battle lust to cover their own retreat.

A star spawn grue can be summoned with the summon aberrant creature II spell.

Star spawn grue

Small aberration (extraplanar)

Init +0; Senses darkvision; Perception +4

Aura madness (20 ft.)

Defense

AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)

hp 15 (2d8+6)

Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3 (−1 vs. fear)

Weakness broken courage

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4+1)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks lesser strength from pain

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 8

Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 12

Feats Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4

Languages none known (can communicate with other star spawn)

Morale timid (−4)

Ecology

Environment any

Organization gang (2d4+4), pack (3d4+4 plus 1d4 manglers), or horde (5d4+4 plus 1d4+4 manglers and 1 seer)

Special Abilities

Aura of Madness (Su)

Non-aberrations within 20 feet of a star spawn grue must succeed on a DC 10 Will save or be shaken for as long as they are within range. Creatures that successfully save against this effect are immune to it for 24 hours. Those that fail the save are affected whenever they are in range, even if they leave the range of the effect and then return, until a day has passed. This is a mind-affecting, sonic, confusion (not fear) effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. The auras of multiple grues combine, creating a single aura that extends out to 20 feet from the convex shell of the grues; the save DC of this combined aura is increased by 2 for every doubling of the grues’ numbers (DC 12 for 2 or more grues, DC 14 for 4 or more grues, DC 16 for 8 or more grues, etc.), to a maximum of DC 24 (for 128 or more grues).

Broken Courage (Ex)

A star spawn grue takes a −4 penalty on saves against fear effects; this penalty also applies to the DC to oppose an Intimidate check. In addition, a grue can be affected by fear effects that do not normally affect creatures of its Hit Dice.

Lesser Strength from Pain (Ex)

Whenever a star spawn grue takes damage from any source, it gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on damage rolls, a +2 morale bonus on saves against fear effects (which also applies to morale checks and to the DC to oppose an Intimidate check), and its natural armor bonus to AC increases by 1. These benefits last for 1 minute starting in the round during which a grue first takes damage in the encounter.

Bonuses stack each time a grue takes damage, to a maximum of a +5 bonus on attack rolls, a +5 bonus on damage rolls, a +10 bonus on saves against fear effects, and a +5 natural armor bonus to AC. These bonuses accrue each time a grue takes damage during that minute, even from multiple attacks in the same round. At the end of that minute, all these bonuses disappear. They could begin accumulating again if the grue takes more damage.