Reptoid

Reptoid

(Creature)

Type

Humanoid
(reptoid, shapechanger)

CR

By class level

Environment

Any

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Adjective

reptoid

Source: Alien Archive, pg(s). 92-93

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Reptoids are an enigmatic and malevolent race of shapeshifting reptilian humanoids alien to the Pact Worlds system, who use their shapechanging abilities to infiltrate and influence other societies by reaching positions of power.

Appearance

In their natural form, reptoids are gaunt, ectothermic humanoids with scaly skin, a weak nose, a tail and a wide, lipless mouth filled with sharp teeth. They have a dorsal crest and spines, usually more prominent in males, and stand from 5 to 6 feet tall. Their hands have five clawed fingers, while their feet have three clawed toes. All of these claws are unusually sharp, to the point that it is speculated that they did not evolve naturally, but are the result of a species-wide shapechanging to the molecular level.

Reptoids can assume the appearance of an individual humanoid of appropriate size. A reptoid can select a new humanoid form by spending a week preparing for the change, but can then no longer assume the previous form. Because of this, each reptoid typically holds only one alias at a time and only changes cover (usually by staging the death of the previous identity) only if that identity has been compromised. Reptoids can spend years in their assumed form, sometimes even moreso than their natural form. Unconfirmed reports speak of reptoid paragons who can mimic parts of a creature's form, like adopting a kasatha's four arms and a shirren's compound eyes at the same time. Due to their shapeshifting ability, reptoids presumably have exceptionally pliable and resilient mouths, throats and stomachs.

Ecology

Due to their sharp teeth and claws, reptoids are assumed to be carnivorous. They have been observed swallowing whole small prey and practicing cannibalism, although reports of the latter are unreliable, as the witness might be falsely assuming the eaten humanoid to be a disguised reptoid as well.

Reptoids live for from 200 to 300 years, which explains their long-term planning.

Reptoid corpses seemingly resist scientific analysis. In one secret holovid filmed by Dr. Jianrell Avos, a hunk of protoplasm, supposedly taken from a reptoid corpse, violently morphs into a sequence of bizarre forms when electrically stimulated. Soon after the holovid was filmed, Avos was sacked by Bioplasm Labs.

History

Reptoids have long been infiltrating humanoid societies. According to pre-Gap historian Traxar Solborne, their longest known relationship is with Golarion, whose inhabitants have interacted with them for a long time, though some sceptics claim that these accounts actually referred to the similar serpentfolk. Coincidentally, the planet with the most reptoid activity is also the one that has vanished from the universe.

Society

When under duress, they prefer to die than to reveal any information, either by aggressively attacking or taking their own lives with concealed weapons or poisons. As a result, no one has managed to keep a captured reptoid alive long enough to interrogate them. Their end goals, homeworld and headquarters remain a mystery (some theories point to Absalom Station itself), as does the number of reptoids hidden within any given society. According to some, they are weakening these societies to prepare for an incoming invasion, while others think that they're already holding complete control and simply want to live as parasites. Reptoids are led by reptoid masters, who are even more enigmatic than the rest of their kin.

While the common Pact World citizen dismisses shapechanger conspiracy rumours and interplanetary media conglomerates downplay the threat as xenophobic conspiracy theories, at least one case is indisputable: Lord Councilor Shabras Kluss of the city of Faxxan in Verces was discovered as a reptoid after he opened the city's once-famous Mineral Vault to Shadari pirates. Nevertheless, few people take the threat seriously, outside of circles of conspiracy theorists, according to whom the Stewards have certainly been infiltrated, after they revealed the true nature of Shabras Kluss.

Reptoids are adept at psychic magic, which they use to cover their deceptions and to ensure the complacency or collusion of others.

A few reptoids become enamoured of their cover identities and betray their species, either by cutting contact with their masters or by pretending to maintain their cover while feeding false information and urging patience. In some cases, these reptoids were accepted by friends and loved ones who learnt of their identity, and come to love their half-reptoid offspring in return. Reptoids reserve a special punishment for traitors, who are psychically interrogated with a mind scour, forcing them to reveal everything they held back, then forced to betray their friends and family, and finally transformed into a bestial wetzelt.

Reptoids starships are rare and, like their builders, can change shape to hide among fleets of other species. However, for the most part, reptoids prefer to infiltrate the crews of other starships.