Starfinder: Transit Hunter
Transit Hunter Expert CR 4 XP 1,200
Chaotic evil medium monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
Defense HP 45
EAC: 16; KAC: 17 (or by armor type)
Fort: +3; Ref: +5; Will: +11
Defensive Abilities: local appearance
Weakness: Alcohol vulnerability
Offense
Speed: 30 ft.
Melee: combat knife +10 (1d4+5 S Crit bleed 1d4)
Ranged: tactical rotating pistol +8 (2d4+4 P)
Space: 5 ft., Reach: 5 ft.
Offensive Abilities: sleep toxin
Statistics
Str +1; Dex +5; Con +0; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +3
Skills: Athletics +10, bluff +18, diplomacy +15, disguise +35, sense motive +15, stealth +10
Feats: Fast talk, iron will, skill focus (bluff)
Other Abilities: Gentle feeding, reproduction
Languages: Common
Ecology
Environment: Any urban, or any transport
Organization: Solitary
Special Abilities
Alcohol Vulnerability (Ex): Alcohol of any type is toxic to the Transit Hunter. The very smell of it repulses them, and they will leave anyone who has imbued in the drink alone. If they actually ingest it, or the blood of someone who has been drinking, they will die. If ingested directly, it is an instantaneous death, if they drink the blood of someone who has been drinking; they must make a Fort save (DC 20) or die instantly. Even if they succeed in the save, they are considered staggered and will lose 2d6 hit points per round for 3d4 rounds, which could still kill them outright. Finally if alcohol touches their flesh, they must make a fort save (DC 20), or become paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.
Gentle Feeding (Su): Using their tentacles, the transit hunters are able to feed off their sleeping victims without causing them harm. The same toxin that puts the victim to sleep acts as an anesthetic, and will dull the pain the attack inflicts. Each minute the creature remains in physical contact with their target, they suck the blood from the body through the tentacle. This causes 1d6 points of Constitution damage, and once the victim reaches zero constitution, they die from blood loss. If the feeding is interrupted, the lost Constitution will return at the regular daily rate.
Local Appearance (Su): All transit hunters possess the ability to look exactly like the most common type of creature to use such conveyances. They are able to take this form and can remain in such a state until they feed or need to reproduce. When in this form, they are virtually indistinguishable from other creatures or humanoids, and as such they gain a +20 to their disguise checks.
Reproduction (Ex): The creature can choose to implant a host with an egg. The victim is allowed a fort save (DC 15). If it succeeds, the egg is killed by the host’s natural immune system. Otherwise it will quickly grow into a larva, which takes 4d6 hours. Once it hatches, the larva will then begin to feed. As it feeds, the larva exudes the same anesthetic, which shuts down the pain receptors. Each hour the victim will lose 1d6 points of Constitution. Once the victim reaches zero, it dies and the larva takes over the body. Over 3d10 days, the body will gradually transform until it has the exact appearance of the transit hunter species.
Sleep Toxin (Su): The tentacles of the transit hunters are coated with a special toxin. Just touching someone with the tentacle will cause the victim to make a fort save (DC 15) or fall into a deep slumber. This will last for 2d4 hours, and the victim can be awakened through pain, such as taking damage, but otherwise they will stay asleep.
This creature has been around as long as anyone can remember. They are strange, solitary beings who use public transit of all manner to hunt for sustenance, as well as a way to reproduce. Legends of such beings are found on every world where public transit is used, and can go back as far as when people still used horses and carriages to travel or to get from place to place.
Their natural appearance is that of a gaunt humanoid with black, stringy hair and large white eyes. They have a toothless mouth, and the flesh is a sickly grey in coloration. The average specimen is only about five feet in height, and they weigh at the most 100 pounds. The arms are very thin and are also nearly as long as the body, the knuckles barely touching the floor. There are no obvious sexual organs, and do not have an actual sex. A set of four worm-like tentacles protrude from the creature’s side. Each ends in a mouth that is reminiscent of lampreys, and the end is always glistening wetly. The substance they exude is a toxin which can easily put people to sleep.
Transit hunters live only to feed. Using mass transport, they typically travel during the nighttime or on lonely routes where there are few travellers, or where the travellers tend to sleep. They are able to take any appearance they wish, including sex, but still have to use clothing. The way they hunt is by befriending other travellers, lulling them into complacency in order to let their guard down. When the opportunity presents itself, they then use the tentacles to put the victim to sleep, and they begin to feed.
For some strange reason, the creatures are exceedingly vulnerable to alcohol, which is very toxic to them. Even imbuing a little will kill them outright, and the touch can and often paralyzes them, making the creatures vulnerable to attack.
Even though they hunt through stealth and subterfuge, the creatures are not afraid or above using weapons and armor. Typically they carry simple weapons, which are easily concealable such as daggers or derringers, but if their hunting-grounds tend to be dangerous, it is not uncommon for the creatures to carry other weapons. They are also not above using weapons of the victims they kill.
Solitary in nature, they are never found with others of their kind. The creatures reproduce asexually, by paralyzing a victim with the toxin, and they then feed until the victim is almost dead. At this time, they will implant a single egg into the torso of the victim, using their tentacles. The egg will eventually hatch, and the larva will then consume the hosts body from the inside out. The host is then lost, and the exterior will slowly transform over a period of weeks until it takes on the appearance of the transit hunter.
Once they are discovered, they leave their hunting grounds and travel until they locate a suitable location to continue to hunt, feed and kill.
The creatures are quite intelligent and will not act rashly. If they are discovered and cannot escape easily, they will use whatever means necessary to ensure their survival and help them escape. They are not above taking hostages, especially children, in order to secure their safe passage. If they have access to weaponry, they will use it to defend themselves, and they will also use their tentacles to lash out at attackers, using the toxin to knock attackers unconscious.
Chris Van Deelen is the creator and contributor to over half of the Wisdom from the Wastelands series, contributor to the Swords of Kos: Hekaton anthology, and the recently released 'Swords of Kos: The Rite'. He also wrote Creatures of the Tropical Wastelands, and 100 Oddities found in a Car. As prolific as he is, Chris Van Deelen continues to write and produce material which will be in publication soon. Not only is he a prolific content creator, he also has a wide selection of fiction and stories! If you like his work, please follow his personal author page on Facebook and on Twitter to keep up with his latest news and game content.
