This enormous snake has glowing green eyes, large fangs, and wide, membranous wings.
Peuchen CR 10
XP 9,600
NE Medium magical beast (shapechanger)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +16
Defense
AC 24, touch 16, flat-footed 18 (+6 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 136 (13d10+65)
Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +9
Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
Melee bite +19 (2d6+9 plus 1d6 bleed, grab, and poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks bleed (1d6), blood drain (1d2 Constitution), constrict (2d6+9)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +18)
At will—vampiric touch
3/day—hold person (DC 18)
Statistics
Str 22, Dex 23, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 21
Base Atk +13; CMB +19; CMD 35 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Flyby Attack, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Bluff +13, Disguise +7, Fly +19, Perception +16, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +15, Survival +9
Languages Common
SQ change shape (Small, Medium, or Large herd animal, beast shape II)
Ecology
Environment any warm or temperate land
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 21; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.
Enormous winged snakes, peuchens range in color from violet to vibrant green to glossy black; the most commonly encountered peuchens are a dark, tawny brown. Those in jungles tend to match the patterns found on local pythons. Rarely, they sport a series of red, white, and black bands, with the thin white band sandwiched between the thicker red and black bands. When peuchens are not flying, their leathery, batlike wings lie folded along their bodies, matching the coloration of the hides below. Their eyes are a brilliant green, with snakelike pupils. Peuchens have a smooth, dry texture to their diamond-shaped scales and smell faintly of nutmeg. Their fangs fold up into their jaw, but snap into place to bite prey with lightning speed.
When they hunt, peuchens take on the form of livestock, such as sheep, goats, and cattle, and they prefer to stalk places suffering from drought or famine. These ambush predators often trick shepherds or lone farmers into bringing them back to farms, homesteads, and towns, where they can slip out each night to prey on any creatures they can find. They ambush their prey by coiling up and lunging with their strikes from a distance father than their prey usually expects. Peuchens prefer to drain the blood of humanoids, but they will eat sheep, goats, cats, dogs, or poultry if they fail to capture their favorite prey. They happily lair in haylofts or open attics, but also create nests in large trees or rock formations. Peuchens lay 6-inch eggs in scattered groups of eight to 12, and leave the young to fend for themselves.
A peuchen measures around 12 feet long and 1 foot in diameter at its thickest point, with a wingspan of 8 feet; it weighs nearly 250 pounds.
