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The Rotspitter

Decay from Within

It wasn't an attack—not at first. “It began as a convulsion, the corpse doubled over, chest heaving like bellows stoking an unseen furnace.bellows. Then its jaw snapped open, and that burning, foul liquid spewedcame forth, melting through wood, steel, and flesh alike. I still dream of the sound—like boiling tar poured from a rusted kettle.out.”

The creatures commonly calledA RotspittersRotspitter areis ana especiallyranged grotesqueBlightborn manifestationwhose of the Rotmire Blight. Their bodies were once human, now twisted by the relentless decaythroat and corruptionupper thattorso defineshave thebecome plague.reservoirs for corrosive fluid. Unlike typicalShamblers, shamblers,Rotspitters however,tend theirto internalremain rotbehind hasother mutated,Blighted producingor potent,seek acidic bile within their throats and chests, eating them awaypositions from withinwhich eventhey ascan itattack serveswithout asbeing theirreached most fearsome weapon.easily.

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Appearance

Rotspitters appearare as hunched, emaciated undead, their fragile forms barely able to support their own weight. Skin hangs loosely over jutting bones,hunched and theirtop-heavy. limbsTheir arethroats, gnarled, warped by the Blight’s cruel grip. The most distinctive—and disturbing—feature of these abominations is their throatschests, and upper torsos,abdomens grotesquelyare swollen withbeneath acidicthin, fluid,blistered throbbingskin. The lower body is often comparatively wasted, giving the impression that the corpse is being consumed from inside by whatever fills it.

Their mouths rarely close fully. Green-black fluid leaks between the teeth and convulsingburns visiblysmall marks into wood, stone, cloth, and metal beneath paper-thin,them.

blistering

Many skin.also Theirhave slack,elongated perpetuallyarms, openspread mouthsribs, dripor continuouslyhardened growths around the hands and forearms. At close range these structures can catch clothing or limbs and hold prey in place.

Caustic Discharge

A Rotspitter attacks by convulsing the torso and forcing a compact mass of corrosive slime from the mouth with corrosive,surprising greenish-blackrange bile,and sizzlingaccuracy. audiblyThe asdischarge itis poolsthicker aroundthan theirwater feet,and meltingcan smallcling pitsto intoa stonetarget orafter wood.impact.

TheyThis dwellmakes primarilycover in elevated, secluded positions—on battlements, in trees, atop dilapidated buildings—always choosing terrain that allows them to safely unleash their corrosive payload from afar. Rotspitters instinctively avoid direct confrontation, shambling away clumsily if forced into close combat, driven only by an instinctive need to release the painful internal pressure that builds endlessly inside their decaying frames.

Encounters withimportant. Rotspitters are tenseespecially affairs,dangerous forcingin travelersstreets, courtyards, docks, ruined battlements, and other places where they can remain partially concealed while firing into exposed ground.

Some appear unusually sensitive to managestrong line-of-sightdaylight and movefavor tacticallyshade, underinteriors, cover to avoid their caustic projectile attacks. Adventurers who underestimate their capabilities or hesitate too long find their armoroverhangs, and fleshfog-heavy burned by an agonizing, sticky bile that clings persistently, dissolving their protections and weakening their bodies.

Veteran explorers warn of their final, dreadful retaliation: upon being slain, a Rotspitter’s corpse ruptures violently, spraying nearby foes with its remaining internal reservoir of acid. This final spiteful eruption ensures that even victorious adventurers must carefully consider the cost of their triumph, reinforcing the necessity of ranged combat and strategic positioning.

Stories of Rotspitters carry beyond battlefields into tales whispered around desperate campfires—grim reminders of how even after death, humanity continues to twist and suffer under the Rotmire Blight’s relentless advance. They serve as potent symbols of Faulmoor’s unending decay, teaching travelers never to underestimate how far the corruption can spread, nor the grotesque forms it can create.conditions.

Stat

Close Block

Range

MediumDespite undead,their unalignedpreference for distance, Rotspitters are not helpless when approached. The same warped limbs that brace the body during a discharge can hook and restrain an attacker.

Witnesses have also Armordescribed Class:the 12creature drawing its

swollen torso Hitinward Points:beneath 30a (4d8slick +or 12)hardened layer immediately Speed:before 30blows ft.strike, as though some
reflex briefly protects STRthe DEXorgans CONmost INTvulnerable WISto CHArupture.

Field 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)

Knowledge

DamageTravelers Immunities:who Poison,identify Acid
Conditiona Immunities:Rotspitter Poisoned,generally Exhaustion
Senses:seek Darkvisioncover 60before ft.,trying Passiveto Perceptionclose 8
Languages:the —
Challenge:distance. 1/2Fighting (100one XP)in an open lane while other Blightborn occupy the foreground is considered particularly dangerous.

Special

Their Traits

acidic fluid is one of the easiest signs to recognize after the creature has moved on: scorched boards, pitted masonry, black-green residue, and a sharp chemical stink around elevated hiding places.

See Also

beingThe reducedShambler to 0 hit points, the Rotspitter ruptures, spilling corrosive fluids. Each creature within 10 ft. must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d4 acid damage.Faulmoor
Actions
    Caustic Spew:
    Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 60/120 ft., one target.
    Hit: 7 (2d6) acid damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d4 additional acid damage at the start of their next turn as the corrosive bile continues to burn their flesh and equipment.

    Caustic Swipe: (if forced into melee)
    Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
    Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.