Aartuk are nomadic vegetables and religious fanatics, constantly seeking worthy adversaries. Aartuk view war as the ultimate form of art.
    Aartuk bodies have the general shape of a star, and are covered with a thick, flexible, thorny bark. At the end of each of its five branches are suction cups, which allow them to hold onto vertical or inverted surfaces. Each cup houses a cluster of small, retractable psuedopods that can be used to handle small objects. The head of an aartuk snakes out of the middle of its body, standing a full six feet tall. The head is oblong, with hole surrounded by three black lumps. These are the sensory organs of the aartuk, which allow it to detect others via smell and vibrations. Aartuk have no “eyes.”
    Aartuk speak their own language, and Elders may learn other languages as well.

    Combat: Aartuk spit a secretion through the opening of their heads. This secretion hardens upon contact with air, forming a rock-hard pellet. This pellet has a range equal to that of a sling, and the aartuk suffers no penalties or attacks of opportunity for its use in melee combat.

    Improved Grab (Ex): Instead of shooting a pellet, an aartuk may choose to shoot forth its gooey tongue to entangle an opponent. The sticky tongue is effective up to thirty feet. On a successful attack the victim must make a Reflex save (DC 12) or become immobilized. An opposed Strength roll is required to escape (the victim receives a -1 penalty for every round of continuous entaglement). The goal of the aartuk is to draw the victim against its body. At this point the aartuk coils its head back into its body so as to hold the victim, while the branches roll back and crush the victim. Anyone crushed in this fashion receives 1d8+1 points of constriction damage every round. The aartuk draws a body towards its center at a rate of 5 feet per round.

    Camouflage (Ex): Aartuk come in a variety of strains. In all cases, this coloration allows an aartuk to conceal itself in a natural environment, requiring a successful Spot check (DC 20) to notice before it attacks. Aartuk travel in captured vessels that are modified to fit their coloration. All aartuk of a single tribe are of the same strain.

Elders
    When an aartuk reaches 5 HD it goes through a “blossoming.” This period last for one year, at which point the aartuk must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or die. Those who succeed become Elders, and they soon leave with a few followers to begin their own tribe. Once an aartuk becomes an Elder he gains the spell ability of a 5th level Cleric, with access to the Domains of Air, Earth, Plant, War, and Water. Elders continue to advance, but do so as Clerics.
    Elders have all the abilities of lesser aartuk, except as follows:

    Pellet Attack (Ex): The attack of an Elder has twice the range of lesser aartuk, and has a special function. Upon impact the pellet produces a spark. While in most areas this only serves to distinguish the Elder from other aartuk, it is very dangerous in the phlogiston. If used in the phlogiston, the spark ignites into a 5d6 fireball, affecting all within 20 ft. The Elder is very reluctant to fight in the phlogiston, for fear of harming other aartuk warriors.

    Improved Grab (Ex): The improved grab of an Elder has a DC 15.

    Filter Air (Ex): Aartuk require air to survive, and rely upon te Elders to keep the air clean. An Elder can filter stale air sufficient to produce air for 50 medium-sized beings.

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