Narvaezan Fiend
by Jamie BatySCMC
Medium Outsider (Incorporeal, Chaos, Evil)
Hit Dice: 6d8 (27 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armour Class: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 Deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+6
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: 4 Claw +6 melee (1d6) and bite +4 melee (2d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Pounce
Special Qualities: Aversion to Daylight, darkvision 60ft., melt into shadows, outsider traits, shadow lair, spell resistance 12, spell-like abilities, telepathy
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str -, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +13, Diplomacy +13, Gather Information +13, Hide +24, Intimidate +13, Listen +14, Search +11, Sense Motive +12, Spot +14
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Multiattack
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Medium); 13-18 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
This creature of half shadow and half substance intentionally materialises as a being of twisted features, with dark horns and squirming shadows behind it. These shadows alternately appear as a billowing cloak or large bat wings. Its strangely proportioned arms hang almost to its knees, ending in large claws. Its feet also have great, hooking claws that would impede its movement if it did not fly everywhere. The most frightening aspect of this fiend's appearance is its eyes, which burn with an evil black-green intensity always visible unless the creature is hiding in the shadows.
These non-corporeal entities were attracted to Narvaez because of the negative emotions generated by religious persecution. The fiends feed off the fears, paranoia, and destructive thoughts of inquisitors
the Narvaezan priests who are responsible for finding and punishing heretics. The fiends' existence fuels their burning desire to stamp out evil, which to them means rooting out heresy. Wrapped in holy zeal, the inquisitors cause fear and paranoia, utterly delighting the fiends.
To escalate the persecution, fiends use their abilities to tempt the people of Narvaez into compromising situations. They also appear before the inquisitors, tormenting them with lies concerning a secret following the fiends have among loyal Narvaezan people and priests. The fiend's major impact is social, tearing apart the normally strong religious underpinnings of Narvaez. The fiends care nothing about the chaos they cause; it is simply their food supply.
The fiend can communicate through a limited form of telepathy, but does not speak.
Combat
The Narvaezan fiend attacks with stealth, pouncing on a victim from behind. It will then charge foes in order to pounce again or make swooping flyby attacks. Against dangerous prey, it will evade until it can melt into the shadows. It will then regroup and try to strike again by surprise.
Pounce (Ex): When a Narvaezan fiend makes a charge, it can follow with a full attack.
Aversion to Daylight (Ex): If exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), Narvaezan fiends take a -4 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
Melt into Shadows (Su): As a free round action, a Narvaezan fiend may melt into the shadows. A Narvaezan fiend can use the Hide skill to melt into shadows even while being observed. As long as it is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a Narvaezan fiend can hide from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind.
A Narvaezan fiend must wait 2 rounds after spilling a foe's blood (a successful attack) before being able to use this ability.
Shadow Lair (Su): Narvaezan fiends create lairs from shadow substance, usually about 1000 square feet in area. The entrance is no more than a dark shadow, which the fiend can move by at will. If hidden in an alley or other dark place, the door is nearly impossible to find (DC 30 Spot check). Even the special elf abilities grant no chance of recognising the hidden entrance unless the character is actively searching for it. However, detect magic or true sight would reveal the shadow door.
Inside, the lair is filled with dark mist and shadows that automatically confuse anyone other than the fiend. Characters must succeed on a DC 25 Concentration or Survival check in order to move in the desired direction. This check must be made each round. Failure indicates moving in a random, undesired direction. Distances also seem out of proportion, and all doors are considered secret doors.
Inside his shadow-lair, the fiend can manipulate shadow and mist to create illusions as needed. Not incredibly detailed, these illusions appear along the peripheral vision and can be extremely distracting (Will save vs DC17 (Cha based) or suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks).
If it wishes, the Narvaezan fiend can attempt to pull someone into its lair. It accomplishes this by quietly moving the shadow door behind the intended target and making a melee touch attack with each claw. If the victim is surprised and at least two of the fiend's four claw attacks are successful, the victim is pulled into the lair. No damage is actually inflicted by this attack. If all four claw attacks succeed, the being does not even make a sound as it is pulled within the lair. The lair cannot be moved if any creature other than a fiend is inside, so companions may search for the entrance and attempt a rescue. As the shadow-lair is considered a null-dimensional space and not of the Prime Material Plane, light, sound, and magic cannot pass through the door.
If the fiend dies, his lair immediately begins to dissipate. Anyone still inside has five rounds to vacate or be spilled out into a random, alternate plane of existence. The power of confusion dissipates in the first round, allowing easy access to the door. Still, those who lag behind, trying to take too much treasure, are likely to find themselves trapped.
The shadow-lair can be magically enchanted before it dissipates, allowing a wizard to save it. Through the use of a carefully worded wish, the lair essentially becomes a large portable hole. Dimensions can be altered as long as the total area remains the same.
Spells-like Abilities (Sp): 3/day: fear, enthral, bestow curse; 1/day: suggestion; At will: cure light wounds (requires 30 minutes of meditation). All spell-like abilities are treated as if cast by a 6th level caster.
Telepathy (Su): The Narvaezan fiend communicates telepathically but cannot select who it speaks to. It selects a range up to 30ft, and anyone within that radius can hear what it says. The telepathic connection allows it to speak any language. The creature can choose to sound like an enticing whisper or a raspy screech.
Skills: A Narvaezan fiend has a +12 racial bonus to all Hide checks.
Incorporeal Subtype: Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armour. Always moves silently. Please see the 3.5E Monster Manual for additional information on incorporeal traits.
The Red Curse
The Narvaezan fiend never acquires a Legacy or requires cinnabryl to ward off Affliction.