[Anyone who’s been following the Creature Codex for a while probably realizes I love transformation, shapeshifters and body horror. So the zern tick off a lot of my boxes. I also like them being mad science types who are collegial and social, like real scientists. I worked in academia for several years, and am pretty sure I met a few zerns in my day.]
Zern
This humanoid creature has dark rubbery skin, and its
muscles appear to be woven out of cables or ropes. A short tuft of tentacles
grows from its head as if it were hair. It clutches a spear in its hands.
The zerns are a
race of arrogant fleshwarpers, who view other living things as slaves and test
subjects. They take credit for the creation of many of the stranger creatures
in the world, such as otyughs, chokers and gricks. Some of this credit may even
be deserved. Zerns have altered their own bodies so much over the ages that
they can warp and transform their own shapes at will. The ropey, rubbery forms
of modern zerns are likely not their original shapes, but instead reflect a
current trend; records indicate that the “default” form of the zern was
different in the past.
Zerns like warm,
wet climates like swamps and tropical rainforests, although some are found
underground near magma chambers and water reservoirs. Most of them spend their
time in experimentation, vivisecting other creatures, transforming them into
strange new forms, and otherwise exploring the malleability of flesh. They are
social creatures, living in small enclaves and engaging in friendly
competitions amongst themselves to create the most radical revisions of form.
These enclaves operate as a hideous parody of a university or scientific
institution, and most zerns inflate their importance with titles and
certificates.
Some zerns
infiltrate humanoid cities in disguise, and others work openly, especially in
evil-aligned societies. Their monstrous minions make for strong slaves, and
they gladly will trade their “finished” specimens for new chattel to experiment
on. They have a fractious relationship with the drow—both species consider
themselves to be the masters of fleshwarping, and are jealous and spiteful
towards the accomplishments of the others.
A zern’s body is
extremely dense for its size, making them weigh about three hundred
pounds. They typically advance by
character class, favoring classes with a focus on transformation such as wizard
or alchemist.
Shores of Swords 