Atlas    Languages    The Multiverse    World Timeline Campaigns    Characters    Modules Creatures    Monstrous Index    Encounter Maker Religions Personalities Magic Items Lore & Stories Rule Additions    Feats    House Rules    Prestige Classes    Races Spells    Domains Links Go to Creature: AnkuburusAveraBlack PhylisBone WalkerBradelCarachesChaos FiendChaos WraithDark IncarnateDemon, ArguliaDemon, AtarniaDemon, NahakDevil, Flesh Rend...DinDragon, MirrorDramorian ReaperDwarf, Daernartho...Eater of ColorElf, DrakherElf, EarinaiElf, GaliadreElf, LeretherElf, NadristiElf, SelereElf, TenerthorEloamEmrionFlame LordForest MassiffGolth-Qua'nGrim CloudHaruninkiHousheeHustiIncasos, Bashlika...Incasos, BlightIncasos, Geltutoo...Incasos, Infaelud...Incasos, JulahdonIncasos, MaeldradIncasos, Mandrago...Incasos, Mealafis...Incasos, TaturakKadahar, GreaterKadahar, LesserLeshyLiving IceLupinalMoredhelMoredwraithMwellwretOruliProckSakarabruSand GorgonSand Spider, Hunt...ShadowmanShub-Naddar, Caus...Shub-Naddar, Cete...Shub-Naddar, OozeShub-Naddar, Over...SilothreniSkhullSkull BearerSpirit HunterS'ratStonemite SwarmStorm WraithTsadutanWaynhimWomberingWorm, TsalanaZith

Devil, Flesh Render

Appearance

Crafty and greedy infernal birds-of-prey that consider creatures smaller than them to be varying degrees of food, based on how easily they go down without a fight. They are often used as sentinels by powerful devils at critical posts that guard large open areas.
    These winged horrors have a gargoyle-like shape; they are hunched bat-winged creatures, dried-blood in color, and composed of defined angles. The flesh of their body is draped in shreds upon their bones, torn throughout to such an extent that it is possible to catch brief glimpses entirely through them. This is particularly unnerving when observing them digesting a swallowed victim. Their lower jaw is detached and hangs from their bony head by lengthy sinews of muscle and skin, often left swaying in the wind alongside them.
    Flesh renders can extend from their long throat a nest of several dozen slender, black tendrils, which they can quickly whip through the air to create whispery speaking sounds, but which are usually used to grapple a creature as a precursor to swallowing them whole. With these same tentacles they can create an awful hooting wail that can drive despair into those who hear it. Though able to communicate verbally when employing their mouth tendrils, flesh renders very rarely choose to do so.

Combat

Though they have little to fear from most melee weapons employed by their victims, Flesh Renders do not carelessly wade into melee round after round. When possible they take flight, let loose their ululating wail, and make fly-by attacks and attempt to snatch up single victims. Caught prey is then either carried to and dropped from great heights or ensnared in the render's entangling mouth tendrils to be quickly swallowed while still in mid-flight.
    Entangling Bite (Ex): A flesh render can use the thick nest of thin tendrils which extend from its throat to grapple prey. The damage caused by these tendrils is a manifestation of the terrible evil of the creature, causing acid-like burns to its victim's flesh. This damage is Evil and Epic in nature for purposes of penetrating its victim's damage resistance.
    Possess Slashing Weapons (Su): Flesh renders can cause slashing weapons in their vicinity (60 foot radius) to animate; gaining control over the weapons and employing them against their victims. The animated weapons fly into the air and attack using the flesh render's attack bonus (strength + base attack). Attended weapons (those which are held) receive a Will save to avoid possession, DC 29. A flesh render can control one such weapon for every +2 bonus of its Charisma modifier, thus a flesh render with a 28 Charisma can control four such weapons. The weapons attack on the round that they animate and on the flesh render's initiative each round thereafter. A dispel magic or dispel evil ends a flesh render's control over the target animated slashing weapon. The saving throw for this ability is Charisma-based.
    Swallow Whole (Ex): If a flesh render begins its round with a Large sized or smaller creature grappled in its entangling bite then it can attempt a grapple check (grapple +45) to swallow the creature whole. Swallowed creatures suffer bite damage (2d6 vile damage) and are slashed by hooked claws within the "stomach" of the flesh render for 3d6 points of damage per round. Each round they remain within the flesh-render they continue to suffer both bite and slashing damage. Creatures can attempt to escape from the flesh renders gullet, either by making a successful grapple check to return to the render's mouth or by inflicting 40 points of damage from within the flesh render (AC 22). Glimpses of swallowed prey can be seen while within the flesh render, much to the horror of a victim's companions, as they are torn apart. A flesh render's oversized gullet is capable of holding one Large, two Medium, four Small, eight Tiny, or 32 Diminutive and smaller creatures.
    Wail of Despair (Su): By tilting its head back and moving its mouth-tendrils in a certain way a flesh render can create a disturbing wail that brings despair to creatures which hear it. Flesh renders are immune to the sound of their wail, but other creatures within a 60 foot radius must make a Will save (DC 31) or suffer a -4 morale penalty to all skill checks, saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls for 1 round per Hit Die of the flesh render. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The saving throw for this ability is Charisma-based.
    Spell-like Abilities: 3/day - detect good, insect plague, whispering wind; 1/day - contagion, control winds. Caster level 15th; DC 19 + spell level. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Habitat/Society

Flesh renders are stupid beasts that the dukes of hell sometimes release over a battle field, where they dive down to pick away at enemy shock troops and whose wail can break a competing army's will. They are dumb enough to unquestioningly take orders from their masters, but smart enough to still be useful as sentries. Some powerful devils use them as intelligent and extremely effective mounts, but most flesh renders roam wild in the realm of Balbros, inflicting misery and torture on condemned souls and preying upon the multitude of weaker devils.
    Flesh renders usually lair on high ground with a good view of the surrounding area, such as in caves within a cliffside.

Variants and Resources

Discuss this creature in the Creature Forum