Second Place Winner in the Spelljammer Creature Challenge!
Special Award for to Rupert Smith's Xactean for Most Disturbing Entry.
Some call the Xactean the pinnacle of the art of Biomanipulation, while others call it a nightmare rendered in flesh. The first group tend to be the Xixchil, and the second group tends to be everyone else.
Take a large bull Kindori. Plate its skin with a chitinous exoskeleton (transparent over the light absorbing organs) replete with spines like the smaller Xixchil Scalpel-ship. Then add four huge blade-arms (like Xixchil forelimbs) in front of the flippers to rend other space-creatures and ships.
Finally, and most horribly, tunnel into the flesh of the creature to form crew quarters and cargo holds. Where there tunnels reach the surface of the creature they are covered with transparent plates of chitin; some of these hinge back for access.
The Xactean has one primary attack form: the four huge blade-arms. These can only attack to the front of the creature. If two or more hit the target at once the Xactean may grapple the target, although it is not obligated to. Grappled targets are struck automatically in following rounds. If the Xactean chooses not to grapple it may move the remainder of its SR as in a failed ram attempt.
In a manner similar to the Scalpel-ship, the Xactean has blades over its surface. If a ship rams the Xactean the creature may make a save vs. paralysation. If successful the Xactean avoids the rams and the attacker recieves d8 hull points damage from the defensive spines.
Additionally, up to four ballistae of any sort may be mounted on the creature, usually stowed under transparent chitin blisters. Heavy (and thus short range) weapons are usually mounted forward facing, light and medium usually protect the flanks and rear.
The Xactean has lost the Kindori blinding flash attack, as discussed below.
The Xactean can carry a crew of up to 25 Xixchil, but only five tons of cargo. As ships go, it is stunningly impractical, taking the efforts of dozens of Xixchil surgeons to "construct". They are viewed as mobile works of art, and as such are unlikely to be endangered recklessly. It is estimated that there may be less than a dozen in existence.
Life aboard ship is very unpleasant to human perceptions (although the Xixchil don't seem to mind) living in humid fleshy tunnels with the constant smell of raw meat. Moreover, as the creatures "swim" the tunnel twist and flex in a most disconcerting manner.
The Xixchil have altered the light absorbing mechanisms of the Kindori, channeling the energy into five nodes running along the spine. these are in turn encased in modified series helms, giving the Xacteen it's propulsion. This also means, as noted above, that the creature cannot produce a flash of light.
The creature's brain has also been extensively modified, with those "unnecessary" parts removed, to make the creature a more suitable conveyance. A small telepathic creature has been fused into the Kindori brainstem, allowing a suitably trained Xixchil to pilot the craft.
As an artificial being, the Xactean have no ecology. Yet. The Xixchil would like these creatures to be able to reproduce. Nobody, including them, knows if this is possible. Certainly other species that have recieved modifications don't pass them on to their offspring, so this may be no more than a pipe-dream.
