Frightful Fridays! Dihydrogen Monoxide Swarm

Hello and welcome back for another Frightful Fridays! Today's monster is the lowest-CR monster I've worked on for Frightful Fridays! However, that doesn't mean it's a pushover, especially in large numbers. Sure, on land, the dihydrogen monoxide swarm needs an external force to actually be effective, but, in water, it can be quite deadly.

I hope you enjoy the dihydrogen monoxide swarm, and I'll see you next week with another monster!

Can you find all the swarms in this image?

This densely packed swarm is translucent but presents a mirrorlike surface from certain angles.

Dihydrogen Monoxide Swarm      CR 1/8

XP 50

N Fine construct (swarm)

Init –5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception –5

DEFENSE

AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (–5 Dex, +8 size)

hp 5 (1d10)

Fort +0, Ref –5, Will –5

Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune construct traits, acid, cold, electricity

Weaknesses vulnerability to fire

OFFENSE

Speed 0 ft.; immobile

Melee swarm (1 plus choking hazard and distraction)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks distraction (DC 10), drown, flame killer, inexorability, scalding retribution

STATISTICS

Str 1, Dex 1, Con —, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 2

Base Atk +1; CMB —; CMD —

SQ camouflage

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary or collective (2–10,000)

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Camouflage (Ex) Since a dihydrogen monoxide swarm looks like ordinary water when at rest, a successful DC 10 Perception check is required to notice it before it attacks for the first time. Anyone with ranks in Survival, Knowledge (nature), or Craft (alchemy) can use any of those skills instead of Perception to notice the swarm.

Choking Hazard (Ex) If a dihydrogen monoxide swarm enters a square with a creature that needs to breathe, the creature must succeed at a DC 5 Reflex save or become sickened for 1d4 rounds.

Drown (Ex) A creature caught in a dihydrogen monoxide swarm for consecutive rounds is at risk for drowning.

Flame Killer (Ex) While a dihydrogen monoxide swarm takes extra damage from magical and alchemical fire that affects an area, it can affect nonmagical sources of flame. If it enters a square with an unprotected, nonmagical fire, the fire must succeed on a DC 5 Reflex save or be extinguished.

Immobile (Ex) A dihydrogen monoxide swarm requires another creature to act on it for it to move. If placed in a container, the swarm can be thrown with a 20-foot range increment. Alternatively, the swarm can hide among a downpour and as it falls; the swarm takes no falling damage from this.

Inexorability (Ex) While at rest, a dihydrogen monoxide swarm still deals 1d6 points of damage per year to creatures or objects in constant contact with the swarm. This damage bypasses hardness.
Scalding Retribution (Ex) If a dihydrogen monoxide swarm dies by taking fire damage, it transforms into a gas dihydrogen monoxide swarm for 1 round. It immediately deals 1d6 points of fire damage to creatures in its space, and deals 1d6 points of fire damage to creatures entering its space. At the end of its next turn it dissipates.

Sometimes the scariest monsters are those that seem the most innocuous. Such is the case with dihydrogen monoxide swarms, which appear to the untrained eye as nothing more than typical water. In fact, the creatures often lay in wait for unsuspecting prey to submerge themselves into water containing them, where they can strike and infiltrate their targets’ lungs. Even more terrifying, dihydrogen monoxide swarms left unattended devastate flesh and objects over time.

As they are usually immobile (except in rare occasions when they attack from the sky), they must rely on allies to generate their devastating attacks. They are often befriended by aquatic creatures and elementals from the Plane of Water. The swarms have no concept of the world around them and are content to remain inert, provided they stay out of heat sources for prolonged periods.

Variant Dihydrogen Monoxide Swarms

The most typical encounter with dihydrogen monoxide swarms occurs with the creatures in liquid form. However, they can assume a solid shape in extreme cold conditions and a gaseous form in extreme heat.

Ice Dihydrogen Monoxide Swarm: Gains a +2 natural armor bonus to AC and deals 1d4 points of damage with its swarm attack. Loses its choking hazard, drown, and flame killer abilities. If an ice dihydrogen monoxide swarm takes fire damage, it reverts to its liquid form.

Gas Dihydrogen Monoxide Swarm: Gains immunity to fire and deals 1d4 points of fire damage with its swarm attacks. Loses immunity to cold and its drown ability. Strong wind (natural or magical) automatically destroys a gas dihydrogen monoxide swarm. If the swarm takes cold damage, it reverts to its liquid form.

Frightful Fridays! Cloister Kaida

Hello, and welcome back for another Frightful Fridays! I haven't put together a kaida in quite a while, and this seemed like a good time to revisit the little dragons. Today's kaida is a staunch protector of temples, at least until the temple falls, and then it finds a new, kinda related religion to follow. In addition to being powerful in-house defenders, especially when paired with a high-level cleric, it is possible for a party to pick one up as a temporary companion, especially if its deity deems it necessary to send the dragon out adventuring.

I hope you enjoy the cloister kaida, and I'll see you next week with another monster.

Maddening swirls and emblems of fire cover this flying lizard-like creature. Its eyes glow with otherworldly power.

Cloister Kaida      CR 4

XP 1,200

CE Tiny dragon

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 37 (5d12+5)

Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +8

Defensive Abilities cloistered; Immune paralysis, sleep; SR 15

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)

Melee bite +3 (1d4–4), 2 claws +3 (1d3–4)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks channel energy 6/day (DC 15, 3d6)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +9)

   3/day—invisibility

Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +9)

   3rd—bestow curse (DC 17), blindness/deafness (DC 17), fireball[D], magic circle against law[D]

   2nd—align weapon[D] (chaos only), boiling blood[UM] (DC 16), darkness, hold person (DC 16), produce flame[D]

   1st—bane (DC 15), burning hands[D], detect good, murderous command[UM] (DC 15), protection from law[D], shield of faith

   0 (at will)—bleed (DC 14), detect magic, guidance, resistance

D Domain spell; Domains Chaos, Fire

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 19, Cha 17

Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip)

Feats Great Fortitude, Persuasive, Selective Channeling

Skills Diplomacy +13, Fly +11, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (religion) +16, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Use Magic Device +11; Racial Modifiers +8 Knowledge (religion)

Languages Common, Draconic

SQ restore domain spell

ECOLOGY

Environment any (temple devoted to its deity)

Organization solitary, guard (2–5), legion (6–18)

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Channel Energy (Su) A cloister kaida can channel energy as a 5th-level cleric. It channels positive or negative energy depending on its current alignment and its deity’s alignment (this example kaida channels negative energy). Additionally, it can expend two uses of channel energy to inflict damage to all non-worshippers of its deity or to heal all worshippers of its deity.

Cloistered (Su) While within a temple to its deity, a cloister kaida’s spell resistance increases to 17 against spells cast by divine casters that don’t worship its deity. The kaida does not benefit from spell resistance against spells cast by divine casters that worship its deity.

Restore Domain Spell (Su) As a standard action, a cloister kaida in contact with a divine caster that worships its deity can expend one of its domain spells to restore the same domain spell already cast by the divine caster.

Spells A cloister kaida casts divine spells as a 5th-level cleric. It gains access to two domains appropriate to the deity it worships and the ability to channel energy, but it gains no other cleric abilities. The kaida counts as a holy (or unholy) symbol for purposes of using a focus.

Note: The above is a sample cloister kaida. There are myriad possibilities based on the deities they could follow. Typically, they choose detect spells for at least one opposing alignment and a couple of defensive spells. Their remaining spells are offensive spells appropriate for their deities.

Cloister kaidas, also informally known as temple dragons, are miniature defenders of places of worship devoted to the deities they serve. Their main priority is the protection of the temples’ upper echelons, especially those that receive divine power from their deities. They remain invisible and cast defensive spells, if any, on themselves or their charges, and then use their offensive, non-domain spells on their foes. The kaidas keep their domain spells in reserve, so they can share the spells with more powerful divine casters.

If their place of worship falls while they still live—cloister kaidas have a reasonable sense of self-preservation and are aware of a lost cause—they attempt to relocate to another temple to the same deity, or they find a similarly aligned deity to which they adapt. In this case, the kaidas temporarily lose all cleric-related abilities but can choose a deity within one step of their current alignment. They find secluded places in their new locations and enter chrysalises, from which they emerge after one year. During their metamorphoses, they shed skin embossed with their old holy symbols and adopt the holy symbols appropriate to their new deities on their new skin.

Cloister kaidas live for nearly 500 years, so it is possible for a single kaida to migrate in this way from one alignment extreme to another and back again over the course of its life. The dragons’ longevity also makes it possible for them to be the only living creatures who remember otherwise forgotten religions.

Cloister kaidas sometimes leave their familiar surroundings to undertake missions for their deities. They attach themselves to adventurers who include at least one worshipper of their deities. In rare cases, cloister kaidas discover a predilection for adventuring and remain with a group, provided they have a requisite worshipper. Cloister kaidas usually flee from groups who no longer have worshippers of their deities, but they expend the effort to convert someone from a beloved group if a worshipper in the group died.

A cloister kaida measures 1 foot in length and weighs 15 pounds.

Cloister Kaida Adepts

Cloister kaidas with the advanced creature template or class levels in cleric gain the granted powers from their chosen domains. Their effective cleric level is equal to their Hit Dice plus any cleric levels they possess.

Frightful Fridays! Lemon Leshy

Hello there, Frightful Friends! Today's monster was a request of one of my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/FrightfulFridays) patrons, and it was an easy request to fulfill, since I enjoy working on new leshys. The lemon leshy isn't exactly unfriendly, but it will take the opportunity to blind PCs with lemon juice if they don't back off. It also throws some mean fruit (look at that damage--those are painfully hard lemons!)

I hope you enjoy the lemon leshy. See you next week with something else!

This plant person is thin up to its leafy bough, which droops under the weight of dozens of bright yellow fruit.

Lemon Leshy      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Small plant (leshy, shapechanger)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 42 (5d8+20)

Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3

Immune electricity, plant traits, sonic

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +7 (1d8+2)

Ranged lemon +6 (1d6+2)

Special Attacks lemon sting

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +11)

   Constant—pass without trace

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 12

Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 16

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Intimidate +7, Perception +7, Stealth +6 (+10 in warm forests), Survival +3 (+7 in warm forests); Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate, +4 Stealth and Survival in warm forests

Languages Druidic, Sylvan; plantspeech (citrus trees)

SQ change shape (Small lemon tree; tree shape), refreshment, verdant burst

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests

Organization solitary or grove (2–12)

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lemon (Ex) A lemon leshy’s lemon has a range increment of 20 feet.

Lemon Sting (Ex) As a standard action, a lemon leshy can squirt lemon juice at a creature within 20 feet of it. On a successful touch attack, the target takes 1 point of damage and the leshy can apply one of two effects. The first effect causes the target to become blinded for 1d4 rounds; if it succeeds on a DC 16 Fortitude save, it is instead dazzled for 1 round. The second effect works only on a target that has sustained hit point damage, causing an applicable target to become nauseated for 1d4 rounds; if it succeeds on a DC 16 Fortitude save, it is instead sickened for 1 round. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Refreshment (Ex) Once per week, a lemon leshy can prepare a special bunch of lemons from which it can produce a lemon drink that benefits up to 6 Small or Medium creatures. Each creature that drinks the concoction heals 1d6 hit points and gains the benefit of longstrider for 10 hours.

Lemon leshys take subtropical forests as their purview and protect the animals and plants thriving within. Ardent protectors of all life in their homes, the leshys intervene even when venomous insects, spiders, or animals attack outsiders that respond in kind. While they prefer to scare off intruders, they have the physical might to back up their threats. They enjoy pelting foes with the fruit growing in their boughs and adding a dash of discomfort to opponents that persist and come close to them. While they wouldn’t admit this, they take a perverse joy in blinding a victim or causing it to double over in pain as exposed eyes or wounds take a squirt of lemon juice.

Lemon leshys are as gentle with their charges as they are violent with trespassers that can’t take a hint. They prepare a batch of lemons into a surprisingly sweet brew which heals wounds and invigorates the drinker. In very rare cases, usually involving the trade of favors benefitting the lemon leshys or their forests, the leshys share this drink with outsiders.

Lemon leshys are 2–1/2 feet tall and weigh 70 pounds, most of which is concentrated among the lemons constituting the top of the leshys.

Growing a Lemon Leshy

Lemon leshys are grown in warm climates or during the heat of the summer months in temperate climates. To grow a lemon leshy, the maker plants a lemon, usually decorated with the semblance of a face to avoid the risk of the lehsy growing up blind and/or mute. The leshy’s disposition varies based on the grower’s disposition.

Lemon Leshy

CL 12th; Price 9,000 gp

RITUAL

Requirements Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, longstrider, plant growth, summon nature’s ally IV; Skill Knowledge (nature) DC 18; Cost 4,500 gp

Frightful Fridays! Eggsemplar

Hey there! It's Friday, so it's time for another monster. Today's monster is a little goofier than usual (I know, the bar is already pretty low), but I think I managed to make it a viable opponent for low-level PCs. You can be the judge!

I hope you enjoy the eggsemplar, and I'll see you next Friday. Thanks for reading!

Eggsactly

A cracked armor-like shell surrounds this orange sphere etched with sketchy facial features.

Eggsemplar      CR 4

XP 1,200

LN Small monstrous humanoid

Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 42 (5d10+15)

Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7

Defensive Abilities fried by fire, shell up; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+3)

Special Attacks walk on egg shells, yolk's on you

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12

Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19

Feats Antagonize[UM], Great Fortitude, Power Attack

Skills Acrobatics +7, Intimidate +9, Perception +11, Profession (cook) +8

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, carton (3–12), omelite squad (13–30)

Treasure eggsidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Fried by Fire (Ex) An eggsemplar takes 50% more damage from fire, as if it had vulnerability to fire, but only from the first source of fire damage. Afterwards, it gains immunity to fire and a +2 natural armor bonus to AC. It reverts to its normal form in 24 hours.

Shell up (Ex) As a move action, an eggsemplar can close its shell armor around itself. It is effectively blinded when it does so and it loses its claw attacks and its yolk’s on you ability. In return, it gains a +2 natural armor bonus to AC, and it gains a slam attack which deals 2d4 points of damage (modified by 1–1/2 times its Strength modifier). It can open its shell armor as a move action, reverting to its typical statistics.

Walk on Egg Shells (Ex) As a standard action, an eggsemplar can shed some of its shell armor, reducing its natural armor bonus to AC by 2. When it uses this ability, all squares within 5 feet of it are treated as if covered by caltrops. The eggsemplar is unaffected by caltrops it creates with this ability.

Yolk's on You (Ex) This is similar to a breath weapon (15-ft. cone, 3d6 acid damage, Reflex DC 15 for half, usable every 1d4+ rounds), and creatures that fail their Reflex saves are covered in sticky, acidic residue. They become entangled and take an additional 1d6 points of acid damage at the beginning of the eggsemplar’s next turn. Removing the entangled condition requires an application of 1 gallon of alcohol.

Eggsemplars belong to a crack warrior caste among a species of otherwise shy and fragile ovoids. While they have considerable combat might, they refuse to take on a overlord role with their more peaceful cousins. To avoid the temptation, they spend much of their time travelling and working to protect the sanctity of their homelands from afar. They take their roles as warriors seriously and prefer combats which are not over easy. During their downtime, however, they like to crack each other up with jokes most outsiders would find unpalatable. When one of their number turns rotten, they reluctantly put the bad egg down and try to commemorate the excellent service provided by their fallen comrade.

Like the rest of their species, they worship a being they refer to as the Great Hen, and hope they prove themselves enough to ascend beyond the Great Wall, from which many notables have taken great falls. They are not theologians, so they refuse to consider questions about the origins of the Great Hen.

A typical eggsemplar stands just over 3 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. They have 60 year lifespans, but their aggressive outlooks shorten this longevity.

Frightful Fridays! Inknull and Voxvoid

Hello and welcome back to another Frightful Fridays! Today's monsters are a tightly related pair. One steals physical words, while the other steals spoken words. Either one can cause havoc with PCs.

I hope you enjoy the inknull and voxvoid, and I'll see you next week with another monster. Thanks for reading!

Glyphs and whole passages made of ink surround this sphere which rapidly alternates between a vantablack solid and a white void.

Inknull      CR 11

XP 12,800

CN Small outsider (extraplanar)

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., inksense 120 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 25, flat-footed 19 (+8 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70)

Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +8

Defensive Abilities ink splash; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee slam +13 (1d6-2 plus 10d6 acid and wordeater)

Special Attacks word eater, writing imperative

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +17)

   At will—arcane mark, erase

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 21, Wis 18, Cha 17

Base Atk +14; CMB +18 (+22 dirty trick); CMD 35 (37 vs. dirty trick)

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +20, Diplomacy +20, Disguise +17, Escape Artist +19, Fly +20, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (planes) +22, Linguistics +22, Perception +21, Spellcraft +22, Stealth +24, Use Magic Device +17

Languages any

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or scriptorium (3–20)

Treasure standard (scrolls and other magical writings)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Ink Splash (Su) If a creature strikes an inknull with a melee weapon or natural attack, it takes 5d6 points of acid damage. Additionally, if the inknull has symbol points built up from its word eater ability, it can expend points to place a glyph or symbol on the creature. A success on a DC 22 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the glyph or symbol (the inknull still expends its symbol points to inscribe the lost symbol). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Inksense (Su) An inknull notices and locates any type of writing within 120 feet, as if it possessed the blindsight ability.

Word Eater (Su) As a standard action, an inknull can devour all writing within 30 feet of it. It can also use this ability on a target it successfully strikes with its slam attack. If the writing is magical or attended, it receives a DC 20 Will save to avoid this effect; otherwise, the inknull absorbs the writing. When it devours writing, it gains symbol points equal to 1 + the level of the highest-level spell associated with the writing (a scroll or spellbook provide the inknull with the highest-level spell inscribed, while a magical book would use the highest-level spell associated with its creation). Mundane writing grants the inknull 1 symbol point. The save DC is Charisma-based.

If a creature presents an item with writing within 30 feet of an inknull (for example, as a result of its writing imperative ability), it can expend one use of its Combat Reflexes feat to use this ability.

An inknull can expend symbol points equal to the spell level to cast any glyph, symbol, or any other spell that creates magical script or symbols. It does this as if it were using a spell-like ability as a standard action (regardless of the spell’s actual casting time). Its caster level is equal to its Hit Dice.

Writing Imperative (Su) As a standard action, an inknull can force all creatures that can see it and that fail a DC 20 Will save to spend their next turn retrieving a book, scroll, or other written material and presenting it to the inknull. An affected target must select a magic item or spellbook in preference to mundane items. If a creature does not have access to any written material, it instead spends its turn writing on an available surface. An affected creature can take no other actions during its turn. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

--------------------

Waves of sound pulsate from this invisible sphere, the core of which incongruously emanates a deafening silence.

Voxvoid      CR 14

XP 38,400

CN Small outsider (extraplanar, sonic)

Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 29, flat-footed 21 (+10 deflection, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)

hp 199 (19d10+95)

Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +10

Defensive Abilities destructive reverberation, natural invisibility, null sound nullifier; Immune sonic

OFFENSE

Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee slam +18 (1d6-2 plus 13d6 sonic)

Special Attacks noise imperative, word eater

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 25, Con 20, Int 23, Wis 18, Cha 19

Base Atk +19; CMB +25 (+29 dirty trick); CMD 44 (46 vs. dirty trick)

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Initiative, Magical Aptitude, Mobility

Skills Bluff +26, Diplomacy +26, Disable Device +26, Escape Artist +26, Fly +23, Intimidate +23, Knowledge (arcana) +28, Knowledge (planes) +28, Linguistics +28, Perception +26, Spellcraft +32, Stealth +30, Use Magic Device +27

Languages any

Special Qualities sound and fury

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or silent cacophony (3–20)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Destructive Reverberation (Ex) If a voxvoid is struck by a melee weapon, the wielder must succeed on a DC 24 Reflex save or the weapon takes 13d6 points of sonic damage. If this destroys the weapon, the wielder takes 6d6 points of sonic damage. If a creature strikes a voxvoid with a natural weapon, the creature takes 13d6 points of sonic damage (DC 24 Reflex save for half damage). The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Noise Imperative (Su) As a standard action, a voxvoid can force all creatures that can hear it and that fail a DC 23 Will save to spend their next turn casting a spell with verbal components, beginning (or maintaining) a bardic performance, or otherwise speaking or making noise. An affected creature can take no other actions during its turn. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Null Sound Nullifier (Su) If a voxvoid starts its turn in an area of magical silence, it casts silent dispel magic, targeting the spell or effect creating the silence, as a free action. Its caster level equals its Hit Dice.

Sound and Fury (Su) A voxvoid will not voluntarily cease the sound it emanates. It gains no benefit to Stealth checks from its natural invisibility against creatures capable of hearing it. It still benefits from total concealment granted by its natural invisibility.

Word Eater (Su) If a creature speaks within 120 feet of a voxvoid (for example, as a result of its noise imperative ability), it can expend one use of its Combat Reflexes feat to use this ability. A creature can attempt a DC 23 Will save to negate this ability. On a failed save, the voxvoid gains sound points depending on the nature of the spoken words: for a spell with verbal components, it gains sound points equal to 1 + the spell level, it gains half the target’s class level or Hit Dice (minimum 1) for bardic performance with audible components, and it gains 1 point for non-magical speech. The spell or use of the bardic performance is lost with no other effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

A voxvoid can expend sound points equal to the spell level to cast any power word spell or any evocation spell with the sonic descriptor (this allows it to use spells with additional descriptors, such as dictum). It does this as if it were using a spell-like ability as a standard action (regardless of the spell’s actual casting time). Its caster level is equal to its Hit Dice.

Inknulls and voxvoids hail from a demiplane of sound and sigils, dominated by the towering Cathedral of Sound and the Ink-Stained Tower. The Cathedral of Sound is an ornate building crafted from solid sound structures. Within the cathedral, and everywhere within 1 mile of the building, sound is so overwhelming it causes deafness in all creatures not composed of sound. The Ink-Stained Tower looks like a mighty fountain pen jabbed directly into the ground. Ink flows like an airborne river to the top of the tower and pools around the tower in a 1-mile-diameter lake. Rumor states that if visitors were to take the time to sift through the symbols composing the inky lake and somehow avoid triggering destructive magical glyphs and symbols (or at least survive the triggering), they would learn the secrets of the universe or the true names of powerful outsiders. The same may hold true of the Cathedral of Sound, but no mortal creature has survived the experience with its sanity intact.

Inknulls and voxvoids spend most of their long lives on their demiplane, but they often leave to gather unique writing and sounds to return to their home. They have similar approaches to their tasks and often stalk powerful creatures to curate the material they desire. Neither inknulls or voxvoids are particularly patient and are never subtle when they reveal themselves. They use their innate abilities to induce their targets to produce writing or sound and focus their attention on targets that can produce magically charged material. Depending on the nature of the potential prize, these creatures fight to the death or give up the fight immediately. It is also possible to parlay with the creatures to give them what they desire without resorting to conflict.