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Spawning Soulrider
When soulriders absorb sufficient planar energy, they become gravid with countless tiny eggs. Such soulriders instinctively return to the Universe via the Dead Roads to lay their spawn, although the exact metaphysical process has yet to be fully understood. Fiends and others keen to enter the mortal world have begun capturing and studying spawning soulriders, though such experiments carry their own risks, for soulriders prevented from returning to the Universe will continue to grow larger as they absorb more energy.Once back in the Universe, spawning soulriders become fiercely protective of their near-translucent eggs and tiny spawn, using their remora-like maws to fend off potential threats. Anyone disturbing a soulrider in the process of spawning might find out what it feels like to have pieces of their soul torn away.
Planar Adaptations
Spawning soulriders gain an additional ability based on their planar adaptation. Soulriders with the holy and celestial traits gain Celestial Flare. Soulriders with the fiendish and unholy traits gain Fiendish Lunge. Soulriders with the monitor trait gain Monitor Escape. Soulriders that followed a soul to a more esoteric plane have different abilities at the GM’s discretion, but such creatures are uncommon.Celestial Flare [two-actions] (holy, light, visual) Each enemy within 30 feet of the soulrider takes 2d6 spirit damage (DC 17 basic Will save). Creatures that fail the save are blinded for 1 round. The spawning soulrider can't use Celestial Flare again for 1 minute.
Fiendish Lunge [two-actions] (unholy) The spawning soulrider Strides or Swims twice, making a tail Strike at any point during its movement. The Strike deals an additional 1d4 spirit damage.
Monitor Escape [two-actions] (concentrate, teleport) The soulrider's form blurs as it exploits loopholes in the multiverse. It teleports to an empty space within 60 feet.
Recall Knowledge - Aberration (Occultism): DC 15
Unspecific Lore: DC 13
Specific Lore: DC 10
Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level
Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.
Elite Spawning SoulriderCreature 2
Small Aberration Soulrider Source Monster Core 2 pg. 297
Perception +10; darkvision
Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +8
Str +1, Dex +3, Con +4, Int -2, Wis +3, Cha -1
Planar Adaptation A spawning soulrider has traits appropriate to the planar energy it's absorbed: celestial and holy, fiend and unholy, or monitor.
Swim the Dead Roads (exploration, teleportation) In a process that takes 1 week, a spawning soulrider can travel through channels in the multiverse only it can sense, moving from the Outer Sphere plane whose energy it has absorbed to the Dead Roads that connect the Boneyard to the mortal Universe. From there, it travels to a random place in the Universe that can support life.
AC 17; Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +6
HP 30
Speed 20 feet, swim 20 feet
Melee [one-action] sucker +10 [+5/+0] (finesse, magical), Effect soul attachMelee [one-action] tail +10 [+6/+2] (agile, finesse, sanctified), Damage 1d4+2+1 bludgeoning plus 1 spiritGrind Soul [one-action] (sanctified, spirit) Requirements The spawning soulrider is attached to a creature's soul; Effect The soulrider grinds the creature's soul with its jagged inner mouth, dealing 2d8 spirit damage (DC 18 basic Will save). On a critical failure, the creature also takes 1d4 persistent spirit damage. Regardless of the result, the spawning soulrider is no longer attached to the creature.Propulsive Launch [two-actions] The spawning soulrider Leaps up to 40 feet, then makes a sucker Strike. If it's in the air and not attached to a creature after the Strike, it falls.Soul Attach (spirit) When a spawning soulrider succeeds at a sucker Strike against a target with a soul capable of facing judgment, its sucker attaches it to that soul. While attached, both the spawning soulrider and the host creature are off-guard, and the spawning soulrider moves with its host until the spawning soulrider dies or the host pulls it loose (Escape DC 18). If the host dies while the spawning soulrider is attached, the spawning soulrider disappears immediately to follow the soul leaving the body. A creature returned to life before reaching its final destination generally returns with any attached spawning soulrider.Tail Thrash [two-actions] Requirements The spawning soulrider is attached to a creature's soul; Effect The spawning soulrider makes a tail Strike against the creature whose soul it's attached to, then one against another creature adjacent to the original target. These Strikes count towards the spawning soulrider's multiple attack penalty, but it doesn't increase until after the second attack.
All Monsters in "Soulrider"
| Name | Level |
| Soulrider | -1 |
| Spawning Soulrider | 1 |
Soulrider
Source Monster Core 2 pg. 296Resembling a lamprey or hagfish with a long whiplike tail, a soulrider uses its harmless sucker to hitch rides on a creature's soul. This seemingly simple connection transcends the physical, attaching directly to the host's soul and even riding along with the soul to its final destination. Once there, a soulrider leaves its host to absorb the surrounding planar energies, adapting to the new environment and growing large enough to produce spawn. However, it can only do so in the mortal Universe, so it must find a portal or other way to return. With this cycle, they've spread to every plane in the Outer Sphere, as well as many mortal worlds.
Although increasingly widespread, soulriders only appeared a little over a century ago. Thought to be a fleshwarper's attempt to cheat Pharasma's judgment by attaching several innocent souls to their own, soulriders' numbers have grown explosively since then.
Soulriders require little more than air to survive, but they're instinctually aware of their need for a mortal soul. Although their suckers are harmless, soulriders who feel threatened or become impatient will finish off their hosts or nearby threats with their tail.
Avoiding Judgement
Although soulriders were created in an attempt to tilt the scale of Pharasma’s judgment, many psychopomps are adamant that they don’t interfere with the process. However, nosoi are frequently tasked with clearing out soulrider infestations, and esoboks seem to take the creatures’ existence as a personal affront.
Invasive Summoning
Soulriders have spread through the planes to such an extent that their planar adaptation qualifies them for summoning spells that require those traits. The soulrider that responds has appropriate traits for the spell, such as celestial and holy for summon celestial.
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