It's time for another Frightful Fridays! feature. I apologize for missing last week's update due to illness, but it was for the best, since my thoughts would have turned to evil phlegm monsters or something. Instead, this week, you get an evil monkey monster and another not-so-evil kaida.
The akumasaru is a monkey from Hell that takes the idea of the mischievous monkey to an extreme. I envision an adventuring party stopping in a town where everyone is carrying around these cute, little critters (they can shapechange) and being weirdly protective of and doting towards these pets. If the party uncovers the truth, the akumasaru-influenced villagers threaten the characters and make it clear that the characters will have to kill them to get to the akumasaru.
The flask kaida is Neutral, rather than Good like its page kaida cousin, but that's due to the fact that sometimes it ends up protecting poisons as well as potions. Despite its somewhat corrupt morality, a flask kaida is a wonderful addition to an alchemist character or an arcane spellcaster who might get a friendly potion-maker to accompany her.
I hope you enjoy these latest Fright Fridays! creatures, and I'll be back next week for another installment.
When the facade drops on this innocent-looking monkey, it reveals vicious claws and fangs, as well as eyes that hold nothing but malice.
Akumasaru CR 5
XP 1,600
LE Tiny outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful, shapechanger)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14
Defense
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, +2 size)
hp 52 (7d10+14)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +9
DR 5/good; Immune fire, poison; Resist cold 10; SR 16
Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +12 (1d3–2 plus curse of subservience), 2 claws +12 (1d2–2 plus poison)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 2.5 ft.
Special Attacks curse of subservience, poison
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +16)
At will—charm person (DC 15), detect thoughts (DC 16), nondetection
3/day—suggestion (DC 17)
Statistics
Str 7, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 19
Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 16 (20 vs. trip)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Deceitful, Persuasive, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +16, Climb +11, Diplomacy +16, Disable Device +10, Disguise +16, Intimidate +14, Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +21
Languages Common, Gnome, Infernal, Sylvan; telepathy 60 ft.
SQ change shape (monkey; beast form I)
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or troop (3–40)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Curse of Subservience (Su) bite—injury; save Will DC 17; frequency 1/week; effect 1d4 Wis drain and victim automatically fails Will saves against the akumasaru’s spell-like abilities. An akumasaru can only apply this curse to one victim; if something frees the victim from the curse, the akumasaru becomes instantly aware of this.
Poison (Ex) claws—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Wis and Cha; cure 2 consecutive saves.
An akumasaru is a monkey-like creature from Hell that delights in controlling humanoids and leading them to increasingly self-destructive acts. An akumasaru measures a mere foot in length, including its 4-inch long tail, and weighs two pounds.
Hunted and tormented in Hell, an akumasaru happily escapes its miserable existence when an interplanar portal leading to the Material Plane opens up. The creature immediately looks for safety in the form of a suitable, easily manipulated humanoid who will take it as a “pet.” An akumasaru that first arrives does not understand how unsettling its appearance is to the local populace, but its abilities to detect thoughts and shapechange quickly allow it to assume a more pleasing form. It acts playful when it finds a victim and puts on an act where it accidentally bites its new owner in order to inflict a curse of subservience. In due time, the unfortunate victim will carry the akumasaru around and become overprotective of the creature. After a few weeks of this, the akumasaru goes from feeling secure to feeling complacent and finally to boredom, at which point its curse has made its victim highly suggestible. The akumasaru suggests that its “owner” perform bizarre acts, each more dangerous than the last, until the creature’s victim perishes.
A troop of established akumasaru plays a sadistic game where they invade a village and the individual creatures latch onto as many villagers as they can. They then work to drive out those who resisted their influence—or surplus villagers in the case where there are more inhabitants than akumasaru. Then, for their amusement, the akumasaru divide up the village into factions and coerce the villagers to fight each other to the death. After wiping out the village, the akumasaru force the survivors to travel to another community where they can start their game over again.
Liquid flows out of an open vial and forms into a tiny dragon; mere seconds after it emerges, almost completely solidifies, with the exception of moisture dripping from its claws, fangs and tail.
Flask Kaida CR 2
XP 600
N Diminutive dragon
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9
Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size)
hp 25 (3d12+6)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6
Immune magic paralysis, poison, and sleep, dragon traits
Offense
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (good), swim 20 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3–2 plus poison), claws +5 (1d2–2 plus poison)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks poison, spray
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
Constant—detect poison
At will—create water
Statistics
Str 6, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 10 (14 vs. trip)
Feats Brew Potion, Improved Initiative
Skills Craft (alchemy) +14, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +20, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +8 Craft (alchemy), +8 Knowledge (arcana)
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ amphibious, apply potion
Ecology
Environment any urban
Organization solitary, pair, lab (3–8)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Apply Potion (Ex) A flask kaida can store a single potion within itself (either one it drinks or one it creates with Brew Poison); it can feed this potion to a willing or unconscious creature as a full-round action.
Poison (Ex) Due to exposure to a variety of liquids, including poisons, a flask kaida can poison a foe using any injury poison. The frequency, effects, and cure remain unchanged, but the Fortitude save DC is based on the kaida’s Constitution (a typical flask kaida requires a DC 14 Fort save).
Spray (Ex) A flask kaida can spew stored water in a 20-foot line at an opponent. This deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 14 Reflex save for half), and a victim who fails his Reflex save is stunned for 1 round. The kaida can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds.
A flask kaida charges itself with the protection of potions and other liquids. It makes its home in the same places as the fluids it protects and takes on the properties of those fluids. When it is fully exposed to air, it gains a solid shell around its otherwise liquid body; this shell varies in color depending on the liquid it guards, but it always measures 1-foot in length from snout to tail. The shells adds no appreciable weight to the dragon, so it weighs as much as a typical potion.
This odd dragon finds a home in alchemist laboratories or other places where any sort of brewing takes place. Having accumulated a fair bit of knowledge regarding the potion production, a flask kaida enjoys working with skilled craftspeople to create new formulas. A flask kaida sometimes travels with those it enjoys working with, and it provides a boon to its erstwhile companions with its ability to create water seemingly out of nothing. A flask kaida might pair up with a page kaida where the latter provides arcane formulae to the former, so it can brew new potions from spells it had not previously been exposed to. This species of kaida is friendlier than others, but it still desires a lot of time alone in its container. A well-adjusted flask kaida can thrive for 250 years before dissolving utterly—usually breaking down into a powerful potion at the time of its death.
A spellcaster can choose a flask kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 7th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a potion containing a 2nd-level or higher effect. The kaida usually requires a container where it can rest or assume liquid form.
Flask Kaida CR 2
XP 600
N Diminutive dragon
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9
Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size)
hp 25 (3d12+6)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6
Immune magic paralysis, poison, and sleep, dragon traits
Offense
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (good), swim 20 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3–2 plus poison), claws +5 (1d2–2 plus poison)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks poison, spray
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
Constant—detect poison
At will—create water
Statistics
Str 6, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 10 (14 vs. trip)
Feats Brew Potion, Improved Initiative
Skills Craft (alchemy) +14, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +20, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +8 Craft (alchemy), +8 Knowledge (arcana)
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ amphibious, apply potion
Ecology
Environment any urban
Organization solitary, pair, lab (3–8)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Apply Potion (Ex) A flask kaida can store a single potion within itself (either one it drinks or one it creates with Brew Poison); it can feed this potion to a willing or unconscious creature as a full-round action.
Poison (Ex) Due to exposure to a variety of liquids, including poisons, a flask kaida can poison a foe using any injury poison. The frequency, effects, and cure remain unchanged, but the Fortitude save DC is based on the kaida’s Constitution (a typical flask kaida requires a DC 14 Fort save).
Spray (Ex) A flask kaida can spew stored water in a 20-foot line at an opponent. This deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 14 Reflex save for half), and a victim who fails his Reflex save is stunned for 1 round. The kaida can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds.
A flask kaida charges itself with the protection of potions and other liquids. It makes its home in the same places as the fluids it protects and takes on the properties of those fluids. When it is fully exposed to air, it gains a solid shell around its otherwise liquid body; this shell varies in color depending on the liquid it guards, but it always measures 1-foot in length from snout to tail. The shells adds no appreciable weight to the dragon, so it weighs as much as a typical potion.
This odd dragon finds a home in alchemist laboratories or other places where any sort of brewing takes place. Having accumulated a fair bit of knowledge regarding the potion production, a flask kaida enjoys working with skilled craftspeople to create new formulas. A flask kaida sometimes travels with those it enjoys working with, and it provides a boon to its erstwhile companions with its ability to create water seemingly out of nothing. A flask kaida might pair up with a page kaida where the latter provides arcane formulae to the former, so it can brew new potions from spells it had not previously been exposed to. This species of kaida is friendlier than others, but it still desires a lot of time alone in its container. A well-adjusted flask kaida can thrive for 250 years before dissolving utterly—usually breaking down into a powerful potion at the time of its death.
A spellcaster can choose a flask kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 7th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a potion containing a 2nd-level or higher effect. The kaida usually requires a container where it can rest or assume liquid form.
