Lupsan (3.5e Creature)

	Lupsan
Size/Type:	Medium Aberration
Hit Dice:	5d8+5 (27 hp)
Initiative:	+2
Speed:	40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class:	16 (+3 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+3/+3
Attack:	Claws +6 (1d6) or Tail +6 (1d4)
Full Attack:	2 Claws +6 (1d6) and Bite +4 (1d8) and Tail +4 (1d4)
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft (10 ft. Tail)
Special Attacks:	Vampiric Bite, Sneak Attack
Special Qualities:	Breath of Mists, Blindsight
Saves:	Fort 2, Ref 4, Will 5
Abilities:	Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills:	Listen +10*, Move Silently +10
Feats:	MultiAttack, Weapon Finesse
Environment:	Temperate Forest or Marsh
Organization:	Solitary or Pair
Challenge Rating:	5
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Neutral Evil
Advancement:	6-8 (Medium); 9-11(Large)
Level Adjustment:

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This creature has a body approximately the size and shape of a lion, but completely devoid of skin, its muscles and blood vessels plainly visible. It has a bony, whip-like tail almost twice its length, with a fleshy spade-shaped pad at the tip. The long, sinuous neck ends in a head resembling an eel's, with no facial features except for a large mouth full of wicked teeth.

Evil predators with uncanny senses, lupsans are capable of effectively blinding prey with a dense fog that allows them to press their sensory advantage. Found living near marshes and moors, as well as most temperate forests, lupsans tend to lair within small caves or abandoned buildings. Though capable of creating concealing mists artificially, they often hunt for food in the foggy conditions of early morning.

Patient as they are gluttonous, lupsans will eat smaller animals when they have to, but are willing to wait for more substantial game closer to their own size. Such a meal will satisfy their hunger for a week or so, and for that time they generally become lethargic and non-aggressive. They may, however, stalk other creatures they encountered from a distance for a few days, keeping tabs on them for a later meal.

Though their skinless bodies make them seem somewhat vulnerable, this exposed tissue is tough and leathery, and protects as well as thick hide. A lupsan is 6 feet long from head to rump, and is reddish brown in color. An average adult typically weighs about 300 pounds.

Lupsans are thought to have a primitive language that they use when hunting together, though it is out of the normal human hearing range. They seem to understand simple Common.

Combat

Before engaging in battle, a lupsan will move quietly to get as close as possible to its prey. It will then engulf targets with its mist breath and begin sneak attacking with its tail from concealment. A hunting pair will also use flanking tactics. When facing multiple opponents, lupsans will attack weaker opponents first with their vampiric bite to help them last out the combat.

Blindsight (Ex): Through a combination of echo-location and sensitivity to vibrations in both the ground and air, lupsans can sense all foes within 60 feet as a sighted creature would. Beyond that range, they treat all targets as having total concealment. Negating a lupsan's hearing reduces this ability to normal Blind-Fight (as the feat).

Breath of Mists (Su): Three times a day, a lupsan can exhale a cloud of vapors equivalant to an Obscuring Mist spell, with a caster level equal to the lupsan's hit dice.

Sneak Attack (Ex): A lupsan is able to sneak attack with its tail as a 3rd-level rogue, dealing 2d6 extra damage.

Vampiric Bite (Su): Damage a lupsan inflicts by biting an opponent is added to its hit points. These temporary hit points last 10 minutes per hit die of the lupsan. A lupsan will use its bite as a standard attack action if it feels it needs the hit points. This is still treated as a secondary attack.

Skills: *A Lupsan receives a +8 racial bonus to Listen checks. This bonus is negated if its Blindsense becomes impaired.

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