Corpse Rook

This creature resembles a three-headed raven with oily black feathers and bright silver talons and beak. A pungent, almost sulfuric odor emanates from the creature. Its wings are tipped with silver feathers.

Corpse Rook (CR 5)

Large Magical Beast
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: +3
Senses: All-Around Vision, Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +15

Speed: 10 feet, Fly 80 feet (average)
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 17, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 45 (6d10+12)
Saving Throws: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3

Offense

Melee: 3 bites +11 (1d8+5), 2 claws +10 (1d6+5)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: Rend (2 bites, 2d8+7)

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
20 (+5)	17 (+3)	15 (+2)	6 (-2)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)

Base Attack Bonus: +6
CMB +12
CMD 25

Feats: Fly-by Attack, Weapon Focus (bite), Wingover

Skills: Fly +5, Perception +15, Search +5, Stealth +2

Languages:

Special Abilities

All-Around Vision (Ex)

The three heads of a corpse rook grant it a +6 racial bonus on Perception and Search checks (included in the above stats), and the corpse rook cannot be flanked.

Ecology

Environment: Temperate or Warm Plains
Organization: solitary, pair, or nest (pair plus 1d4 young)
Treasure: standard


Corpse rooks are giant three-headed birds of prey that devour just about anything they can catch, preferring a diet of horses, giant lizards, dire rats, giant frogs, cattle, sheep, and humanoids. They build their nests at the top of broadleaved trees or high atop rocky outcroppings in less forested terrain. A corpse rook's nest is constructed from mud, grass, hair, leaves, and the bones of their victims. These creatures do not associate with other avian creatures and are often hunted by red dragons, green dragons, rocs, and wyverns (who savor the taste of their flesh).

Corpse rooks are solitary hunters with a hunting territory often covering 5 miles in each direction away from its nest. Hunting is always done during the day when the corpse rook has the advantage. During mating season (spring and early summer months) both the male and female corpse rook hunt for food, sometimes together, but most often in separate directions away from the nest. A nest typically contains 1d4 silver and gold-flecked eggs as well as treasure from slain prey.

Corpse rooks attack their foes from the air, slashing with their claws and biting with their sharpened beaks. They rarely land on the ground during battle, preferring to swoop in and out of melee to keep their opponents off balance. Multiple corpse rooks work together to bring down prey; one might land on the ground to draw the attention of the prey, while the other corpse rook swoops in behind to flank. Creatures killed by a corpse rook are carried back to the nest and either devoured or fed to the newborns.

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.