The Ruin & Dungeon Scalper For Your Old School Campaigns & Dungeons

An ancient throwback mutated species of primordial looking arachnids whose vicious presence was first observed two years ago on an expedition in the ancient city of Manhat. These heavily armed predators use a combination of swarm tactics and guile to take down prey humanoids and mutated animals armed with deadly clawed and horned legs.

 A series of neuro toxin producing  spines edge the front legs of these creatures  are used to rake prey while a vicious toothy bone palette slices and injures the prey with a grating wound across any exposed flesh or soft tissues. Each one of these horrors is as big as the diameter of a humanoid hand and they are often encountered as lone scouts or advanced hunters for larger feeding swarms.




# Appearing 1- 100
AC: 6
Movement : 15
HD: 2
% In Lair : 70
Treasure
Type: C

The victim must make a save vs death for any wounds received or go into a spasm induced state of rigid paralysis as the toxins do their work reeking untold harm on the victims nervous system and body. As the victim bleeds out from a combination of wounds and poison the rest of the swarm will move in to finish off any fleshy bits. Especially loved are the eyes and tongues of victims.
These horrors are especially well suited to temperate climates but have adapted quite readily to many wasteland locations across the former United States. The speculation is that the species is actually a mutant variety of an ancient primeval spider like species from a time space gate from millions of years in Earth's past.
The species seems drawn to ancient paranormal energies and the like. There is speculation that these horrors have some form of empathetic/telepathic bonding which enables them form webs of mind energy.
 These creatures often hunt as lone creatures drawn to ancient ruins and places of power. These monsters are sensitive to the negative energies of certain planar conditions and often seem to be found where undead operate. There are some varieties that glow a ghostly green with these energies as part of a defense mechanism. These creatures will cause 3 points of damage to anyone trying to handle them.Scalpers often seem drawn to dungeons, old military bases, and the like. The Scalper comes in to distinct varieties, the dungeon scalper is often found in areas of undead activity where zombies and the unquiet dead make their homes. They are fond of certain quasi paranormal parasites that infect the undead. They tear into the scalp and brain pan of these creatures which has given the name to the monster.
 The second variety is the ruin scalper which can be recognized by the distinctive blue green markings around the legs. 

These horrors love to lay egg sacs within the eye sockets of prey animals and adventurers resulting in the births of hundreds of young feeding upon the decayed corpses of former victims.Often these will burst forth onto anyone or thing present and enter a feeding frenzy on anything present. There are often relics or artifacts present from former 'guests' of the Scalpers. Many times adventurers will seek out lairs of scalpers for the rich pickings and salvage that go hand and leg with these deadly predators of the wastelands.  From time to time warlords often capture these horrors to torture and torment especially hated enemies.