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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardHollow Serpent

A hollow serpent is the dried and shriveled husk of an enormous constrictor snake, animated by fell magic to serve its masters. According to the oldest holy books of serpentfolk, the first hollow serpents were raised by Ydersius. The god took the cast-off skins of great snakes and filled them with hunger and hatred, a bottomless yearning for mortal life that could never be filled. In due course, the priests of the serpentfolk learned to replicate their lord's trick, and in the millennia since the serpentfolk's fall, the knowledge has slithered into the libraries of other necromancers and sorcerers.

Despite their menacing reputation and great power, hollow serpents are a relatively uncomplicated creation. They were designed first and foremost as guardians, and serpentfolk liches of a suitable level of power are sometimes accompanied by hollow serpents. A few have struck out on their own over the years, usually due to outliving their original creators. Driven by their hunger and dim intellect, they take up residence in remote ruins or deep caverns. Those that study such things believe at least one serpent, perhaps one of the original creatures made by Ydersius, survives in the mountains west of Geb.

Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 34
Unspecific Lore: DC 32
Specific Lore: DC 29

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Hollow SerpentCreature 15

Legacy Content

NE Large Undead 
Source Book of the Dead pg. 114
Perception +12; darkvision, lifesense 60 feet, scent (imprecise) 60 feet
Languages Aklo
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +15, Stealth +14
Str +7, Dex +8, Con +6, Int -2, Wis +4, Cha +3
AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +9
HP 280 (negative healing); Immunities disease, paralyzed, poison, polymorph, unconscious
Desiccation Aura (aura, divine, necromancy) 30 feet. A cloud of choking, acrid dust swirls about the hollow serpent, draining moisture from any enemy within. A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in the aura must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become enfeebled 2 and slowed 1 for 1d4 rounds (2d4 rounds on a critical failure). A creature that succeeds is temporarily immune for 24 hours.Divine Guardian [reaction] Trigger An ally within the hollow serpent's reach is attacked; Effect The hollow serpent interposes a coil of its body or tail between the ally and attacker. The triggering attack targets the hollow serpent instead of the original target.
Speed 50 feet, climb 50 feet; freedom of movement
Melee [one-action] jaws +15 [+10/+5] (reach 10 feet), Damage 4d10+15 piercing plus Improved GrabMelee [one-action] tail +15 [+11/+7] (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+15 bludgeoning plus Improved GrabDivine Innate Spells DC 20; 7th vampiric exsanguination (drawing in moisture rather than blood); Constant (7th) freedom of movement
Constrict [one-action] 1d10+7 bludgeoning plus drained 1, DC 21Swallow Whole [one-action] Medium, 4d6 negative plus drained 1, Rupture 32Slithering Strike [one-action] The hollow serpent Strides or Climbs and makes a jaws Strike at the end of that movement. If the hollow serpent began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after this ability's Strike.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Serpent Forms

The original hollow serpents were based on the pythons of the Mwangi jungle. The ghouls of Nemret Noktoria have experimented with the skins of magically enlarged horned vipers and spitting cobras, hoping to create venomous variants. So far, they have only made hollow serpents of unusually ominous mien, as their venom fails to survive the transition to undeath.