Bloathead Mosquito (3.5e Monster)

Author: Sulacu (talk) Date Created: December 16, 2017 Status: That's one way to get ahead. Editing: Clarity edits only please

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	Bloathead Mosquito
Size/Type:	Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice:	2d10+2 (13 hp)
Initiative:	+4
Speed:	20 feet. (4 squares), fly 60 feet (good)
Armor Class:	17 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+2/-3 (+5 while latched on)
Attack:	Proboscis +7 melee (1d6-1 plus 1 Con plus bloathead infection)
Full Attack:	Proboscis +7 melee (1d6-1 plus 1 Con plus bloathead infection)
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	Bloathead infection, improved grab, latch on, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities:	Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves:	Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities:	Str 9, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 16
Skills:	Hide +13, Listen +3, Spot +7
Feats:	Alertness, HoverB
Environment:	Marshes and jungles
Organization:	Solitary, group (2-5), or horde (10-40)
Challenge Rating:	1
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Usually neutral evil
Advancement:	3-4 HD (Small), 5-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:	—

They thought they had escaped. They thought they had managed to give those strange human-headed mosquitoes the slip, but right when they stopped to catch their breath the rogue's head bloated up, went puce, sprouted a pair of diaphanous wings and flew off of his body, cackling madly all the while.

Bloathead mosquitoes are a rare species of mutated giant mosquitoes that have grotesquely bloated hairless human-like heads and a uniquely disturbing method of procreation. Like ordinary giant mosquitoes, bloatheads parasitize humanoids and run afoul with adventurers often. Unlike ordinary giant mosquitoes however, their proboscis – which unfurls from within their humanoid mouths – doubles as an ovipositor and leaves behind eggs within the flesh of those it feeds upon. If this infection is not neutralized in a timely manner, the resulting larvae will burrow themselves within the victim's brain, consuming flesh and blood all the while. Eventually a single larva cocoons itself and fuses with the victim's brain stem. Before the victim or anyone else notices, they have become something else; the head sprouts wings, a mosquito body burrows out the back of the neck, and it flies off leaving the rest of its now-dead body behind, becoming a newly hatched bloathead.

Combat

All of a bloathead mosquito's actions serve its needs for sustenance and procreation. They generally attack in small groups or together with hordes of regular mosquitoes, feeding off of and laying eggs in any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creatures they come across. Unless they are starved, they rarely kill their victims while feeding, instead drawing enough blood to render them weak but capable of staying alive long enough for the bloathead larvae to hatch inside the body.

Bloathead Infection (Su): Upon a successful attack with its proboscis dealing at least 1 point of damage, the target contracts a supernatural disease called bloathead infection, no save, and must start making daily Fortitude saves (DC 12) starting the next day as per the disease rules. The infection causes no initial symptoms or adverse effects, to the point that a victim might not even realize that he is infected until it is too late. However, should a victim fail a daily save three times, the victim will suddenly become nauseated by extreme pain as over the course of the next 10 rounds, its head bloats and loses all its hair, sprouting wings, legs and a mosquito body. If the transformation is allowed to complete, the victim sheds its body and becomes a new bloathead mosquito, however if the transformation is interrupted by nonlethal means during these 10 rounds, such as by using restoration or remove disease, the victim is saved but becomes permanently demented and insane until its brain and nervous system is completely restored by more powerful magic, such as greater restoration.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a bloathead mosquito must hit with its proboscis attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Latch On (Ex): When a bloathead mosquito hits with its proboscis attack, it automatically attempts to latch onto its target. The target must make a DC 16 Reflex save or be latched onto. The bloathead gains a +8 circumstance bonus to all grapple checks involving a creature it is latched onto. The bloathead remains latched on until it loses a grapple check.

Spell-like Abilities: At will—ghost sound (DC 13; the sound of fluttering bug wings only); 1/day—hideous laughter (DC 14). Caster level 2nd.

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