For as long as the human race has been in space, sages have wondered what creates meteors. The meteorspawn is not necessarily the only source, but its presence certainly explains the reason for some of these flying rocks.
Meteorspawn are gargantuan globes of living rock. The smallest meteorspawn measures at least 30 ft. in diameter; some specimens are rumored to reach diameters of 40 to 80 feet. The meteorspawn has a circular mouth that measures ⅓ the spawn’s diameter, deep inside the mouth are two sacs where waste material in form of boulders is stored. When these sacs are filled, the meteorspawn shoots boulders of waste rock out of the two other holes that lie opposite each other on the left and right rear quarters. These holes, waste orifices, and are no wider than ⅛ the spawn’s diameter. The meteorspawn’s coloration ranges from black to earth brown to slate gray.
Despite its great size and big mouth, the meteorspawn has no interest in eating spelljamming sailors nor their vessels. It drifts placidly, eating rocks and minerals
Combat Meteorspawn avoid fighting until they have lost 25% of their total hit points. Only this much damage makes the thickskinned, unintelligent meteorspawn realize it is under attack. While it has never been recorded of a meteorspawn going after a ship or creature with it maw, it is possible for the meteorspawn to make a slam attack which can place a ship in its maw (see
devastating maw below).
Spawn Meteors (Ex): The meteorspawn’s only real attack is the meteors that it shoots out of its two opposing waste orifice holes at extremely high speeds. A meteorspawn can rotate its body and bring both holes to bear on an enemy.
Any unfortunate caught in the line of fire gets hit by 1d4 meteors, each doing 5d6 damage. In ship combat, treat the meteors as heavy catapult shots. Whether or not a meteor hits, the shot flies out of the combat into wildspace. Another meteor is born!
Devastating Maw (Ex):The meteorspawn scoops up its food (rocks) the way a whale scoops up plankton. Using many teeth and extreme pressure, it crushes all that enters its maw. If a ship enters into the mouth, the helmsman can make a Reflex save DC 22 to ovoid being sucked in. If the helmsman fails this save the ship is crushed merciless into small bits. The ship's bow is normally the part that ends up colliding with the mouth. Each sailor in the affected area must make a Fortitude save DC 22, those that fail are torn apart never again to been seen, those who make the save take 5d6 points of damage and are then allowed Reflex save DC 22 to get to a portion of a ship that has not been destroyed by the maw. Those that fail the Reflex save find themselves in one of the two sacs where their is much boulders.
Creatures in the sacs takes 2d8+12 points of crushing damage per round from the other boulders in the sack and being pushed toward the waste orifice holes. A creature in a sac can cut its way out by using claws or a small or tiny slashing weapon to deal 35 points of damage to the sac (AC 24). Once the creature exits, the rocky hide of the meteorspawn closes the hole; another creature still in the sac must again cut its own way out. If the creature cannot slash free from the sac, he will in 1d10 rounds be jettison as an meteor (provided the creature survives this long). If he or she is lucky they will not find themselves heading right for thier own ship. Those characters striking the a ship or object take 5d6 damage and the object/ship takes 5d6 damage.
The meteorspawn's sac can hold two Large, four Medium-sized, eight Small and sixteen or more tiny creatures/rocks. Once the meteorspawn's sac is full the meteorspawn then jettisons the waste and begins the process anew.
In the Spheres Some times a meteorspawn has an atmosphere, which it does not consume any air. This occurs when a meteorspawn wanders into a planet's atmosphere and then returns back into space, pulling some atmosphere along with it. This can be a great boon to ships that are desperate need to replenish its air supply. This is a rare event (5% chance to occur).
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Meteorspawn, © 1990 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
d20™ System, Conversion of Meteorspawn ©2002,
Flits3 and edited by
Mark Doolan
Original Source: Monstrous Compendium #7