Path of the Planewalker
Arising spontaneously to patrol Sanguine, the "Plane of Blood,"
The most common native creatures encountered in Sanguine are xenophage defenders, which guard the plane's edges. These creatures reach a diameter of 9 feet (2.7 m) or more and flock in small groups, swimming like strange fish over the gently waving stands of naked veins and arteries. Sometimes, sensing a connection to possible prey beyond their own realm, they use those same bloodways to transfer themselves, traveling the mystic arterial connections between their transitive plane into worlds where they can feed on living creatures.
Xenophage defenders are drawn to areas where blood is spilled from the Wood of Blood and Flesh, or from any other source. Sometimes, they just catch a whiff of intruder presence and come as well. Xenophage defenders attack anyone they sense, usually in groups, and never run from a fight once it begins. They have no sense of self‑preservation, and would rather sacrifice themselves (and buy more time for reinforcements) than allow intruders to harm their strange realm.
The rarer xenophage watchers are twice the size of the defenders, but otherwise look quite similar to the smaller variety. The watchers serve that which lies in the Soma (the core of Sanguine).
Xenophage watcher: as xenophage defender, except level 6; health 24; damage inflicted 6 points Soma, page 85
GM Intrusion: The xenophage attempts to envelop a comingled character. On a failed sMight defense task, the character is completely pulled into the xenophage's body, increasing the comingling damage and healing by 2 points and hindering their actions by an additional step.
Motive: Defense of their plane
Environment: Sanguine
Health: 16
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Armor: 2 (immune to poison)
Movement: Immediate; short when swimming (including moving in Sanguine)
Modifications: Perception as level 5
Combat: A xenophage defender attacks with a tentacle‑like tendril, inflicting a moderate wound (4 points).
The xenophage can move through living creatures as if they were difficult terrain (in a fluid environment like Sanguine, this means they can move an immediate distance through living creatures). If the xenophage ends their turn inside a living creature, their flesh and their target's flesh are temporarily comingled. While overlapping this way, at the end of each of the target's turns, the target takes 4 points of damage (ignores Armor) and the xenophage regains 4 points of health. Each round as part of the target's turn, they can attempt a Might defense task to pull free of the mingled flesh. This comingling doesn't affect the xenophage's tendril attack, but he target's actions are hindered.
A xenophage automatically senses the presence and exact location of corporeal creatures within long range.
Interaction: Xenophages can't speak, and even telepathic communications are difficult because they are more like single‑minded organic automatons than sapient creatures.
Use: PCs arriving in Sanguine are confronted by a group of xenophages that sense their alien presence. A planar alchemist wants a living xenophage to study its physiology.
Loot: Xenophages don't collect or keep treasure, but sometimes one of their interior organs can be used like a potion cypher.
GM Intrusion: The xenophage attempts to envelop a comingled character. On a failed Might defense task, the character is completely pulled into the xenophage’s body, increasing the comingling damage and healing by 2 points and hindering their actions by an additional step.