Monster: Darklight Remnant

Darklight Remnant

A dried, almost skeletal humanoid husk with pieces of blackened crystal embedded in its skull.

CR 4; XP 1,200
CE Medium Undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
Aura darklight aura (60 feet)

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7
Defensive Abilities absorb light; Immune blindness, undead

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +8 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks black breath (15-ft. cone, Ref DC 15 negates, blindness for 1d4 rounds)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 14, Con —, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 15
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Dodge, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (claws)
Skills Perception +9; Stealth +11
Language Luminarian

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–12)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Absorb Light (Su) When a darklight remnant touches a target of a spell or spell-like ability with light descriptor, or enters into direct contact with an effect of such spell or spell-like ability (such as orbs of light created with dancing lights spell), the spell is subject to a targeted dispel magic with a caster level equal to darklight remnant's HD. A darklight remnant heals 1 point of damage per level of spell or spell-like ability dispelled in such way.

Black Breath (Su) A darklight remnant has a breath weapon that covers the target with clinging darkness blinding for 1d4+1 rounds on a failed Reflex saving throw (DC 15). A darklight remnant can use its breath every 1d4+1 rounds (using the same roll for refresh of the ability and its duration). This is a darkness effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Darklight Aura (Su) A darklight remnant reduces strength of all lights within 60 feet by one step, turning bright light into normal light, normal light into dim, dim light into darkness, and darkness into supernatural darkness that blocks darkvision.

When a luminar dies, its light bursts for a one last time and then extinguishes forever. If its light was tainted with a negative energy, though, that final eruption is followed by an implosion of darkness, forcibly sucked into the now dead luminar's crystals as a light-consuming force. After some period of time, the corrupted corpse raises as a darklight remnant—a hateful undead that is attracted to light upon which it feeds.

Monster: Conflagration Of Forbidden Lore

Conflagration Of Forbidden Lore

This human-sized pillar of dark smoke, with strands of purple, green, and sickly yellow color moves around like a living entity, forming shapes of grinning skulls where a human would have head.

CR 8; XP 4,800
CE Medium Outsider (air, chaotic, elemental, evil, extraplanar, fire)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., aura sight; Perception +15

Defense
AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 95 (10d10+40)
Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities gaseous body; DR 5/—; Immune elemental traits, fire

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee 4 claws +15 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks breath weapon (3/day, 30-ft. cone, 10d6 fire, Reflex DC 19 for half, blinds for 1 round on failed save), trail of embers
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +12)
Constant—aura sight, comprehend languages
3/day—dispel good or law, modify memory (DC 16), suggestion (DC 15)

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +10; CMB +15; CMD 30
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills Fly +26, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Knowledge (religion) +16, Linguistics +16, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +18
Language Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Giant, Infernal, Ignan, Protean, Terran, Undercommon; telepathy 100 feet
SQ dark lore

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Dark Lore (Su) A conflagration of forbidden lore is elemental incarnation of dark knowledge. It can bestow a +1 profane bonus to caster level to a willing recipient touched, (+2 profane bonus to caster level when casting spells with chaotic or evil descriptors), though the recipient also suffers –4 penalty to saving throws against conflagration's abilities and is under a geas to seek forbidden knowledge. The conflagration can communicate with the recipient of this ability with its telepathy as long as they are on the same plane and can dismiss this effect at will as a standard action regardless of the distance. Dark lore can be also removed with break enchantment, dispel chaos, or dispel evil, or atonement cast on a willing recipient.

Gaseous Body (Ex) A conflagration of forbidden lore has a body  that really is a cloud of ash and smoke held in coherent shape by its dark will. It can pass through small holes and narrow cracks, and cannot be bull-rushed, dragged, entangled, grappled, repositioned or tripped. It cannot enter antimagic field and if captured within one, it loses coherency and raises up like a normal smoke until it leaves the affected area.

Trail Of Embers (Su) When a conflagration moves, it leaves a trail of burning embers on the ground underneath, turning the squares over which it flew into a difficult terrain that inflicts 2d6 points of fire damage to anyone moving into one of its squares or beginning its turn in one. The embers last until the start of the conflagration's next turn. The conflagration can suppress this ability as a free action.

Books burn, even most of those which are dedicated to dark secrets. Burning tomes of forbidden lore might not be best way of disposing them, though. Dark knowledge has power, power that might not simply dissipate when burned, instead suffusing the ash and smoke of the burned books, coalescing them into elementals of the unholy secrets known as conflagrations of forbidden lore.

Conflagrations of forbidden lore are malicious beings that love to spread dark secrets to the promising sages and magicians, tempting them with more knowledge and more power and making them turn to dark research, creating and writing down more forbidden lore. At the same time, they often work to spread misinformation and confuse those who appear to be beyond their temptation, and destroy books containing information that would help fight forces of evil and chaos.

Planar NPC: Khyzzos That Is Four

Khyzzos That Is Four

An enormous spider made of stone, crystal, coral, molten lava, and crackling lightning.

CR 9; XP 6,400
N Large Outsider (air, earth, fire, water)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +17

Defense
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +8
Defensive Abilities fourfold mind, unrestrained by elements; Immune cold, fire; Resist acid 10, electricity 10; SR 20

Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect), burrow 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee Bite +17 (2d6+6 plus elemental rip), 2 claws +17 (1d8+6)
Ranged 4 elemental rays +16 touch (3d6, 19-20/x2)
Special Attacks elemental rip

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD 33 (45 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (elemental ray), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Craft [weaving]), Weapon Focus (elemental ray)
Skills Climb +29, Craft (weaving) +23, Fly +25, Knowledge (planes) +17, Perception +17, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +15, Swim +29
Language Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran
SQ no breath, weave elements

Ecology
Environment any
Organization unique
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Elemental Rays (Su) Khyzzos can project up to four bolts of energy with a range of 60 feet and no range increment. Each bolt deals 3d6 points of acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage on a successful ranged touch attack. Khyzzos can fire single bolt of each energy type at the same time.

Elemental Rip (Su) Khyzzos's bite pierces through the magical effects that grant resistance to acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, or absorb such types of damage, affecting them as targeted greater dispel magic with CL 12th.

Fourfold Mind (Ex) Khyzzos four minds are hard to control. It can roll a saving throw against mind-affecting effect twice and pick the better result.

Unrestrained By Elements (Ex) Khyzzos is never hindered or stopped in its movement by obstacles made of air, earth, fire, or water, nor can be trapped with them as if protected by freedom of movement.

Weave Elements (Su) Khyzzos can shape air, earth, fire, and water into weird shapes, semi-solidifying them until disturbed. Each 5-ft cube requires a hour or more of work, depending upon the intricacy of the designs and patterns imbued into the elements.

Khyzzos That Is Four is a spidery entity travelling the verges between the elemental planes and adorning them with beautiful but eerie elemental sculptures. It seems to be driven by four distinct minds, sharing single body, single set of memories, skills, and abilities, and a sense of identity as Khyzzos. However, they are unable to share thoughts directly and have to communicate with each other by speaking—often quietly murmuring to oneself. Each of the minds is capable of speaking at the same time, making listening to Khyzzos argument with oneself a confusing task. Each of the individual minds speaks in a different elemental language and Khyzzos minds often switch during conversation, sometimes even in the middle of sentence.

Khyzzos That Is Four loves to work with elements and create its sculptures, and is sometimes called by genies, elemental lords, and powerful conjurers to serve as an artist.

Planar NPC: Dhunbarr The Gentle

Dhunbarr The Gentle

A stocky giant with hair made of kelp and partly slimy, partly scaly blue and green skin, darker and duller on the arms, shoulders, and the back, and lighter on the belly.

CR 6; XP 2,400
NG Large Outsider (good, water)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

Defense
AC 19, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+10 natural, –1 size)
hp 69 (6d10+36)
Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities aquatic rejuvenation, pacifist; DR 5/—; Resist acid 10, cold 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft.; swim 40 ft.
Melee Slam +12 (1d8+9 plus grab)
Special Attacks constrict (1d8+9)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th, concentration +6)
Constant—ant haul
At will—create water
1/day—water breathing

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB +13 (+17 grapple); CMD 23
Feats Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Perception +10, Profession (fisherman) +10, Profession (porter) +10, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +10, Swim +23
Language Aklo, Aquan, Celestial
SQ tranquil demesne

Ecology
Environment any
Organization unique
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Aquatic Rejuvenation (Su) Dhunbarr has fast healing 10 when immersed in water. After spending a day immersed in waters of the elemental Plane Of Water he recovers from any negative effects as if exposed to heal, regeneration, and restoration spells.

Pacifist (Ex) Dhunbarr is peaceful and gentle being and violence is unnatural to his heart. While he is able to take offensive action of his own volition, forcing him to do so is very hard. Whenever he is compelled to act violently, he can make a Will saving throw each round with a +4 bonus to break the controlling effect. When he should perform a violent action because of confusion or similar effect, he is dazed instead. When geas or similar effect would demand him to act violently, he will suffer the negative consequences of the effect instead. He gets a +10 bonus to opposed Charisma checks when charmed and asked to take violent action and to opposed Charisma checks while negotiating terms of planar binding if the task would likely require him to resort to violence. Once such request is made he also adds this bonus to following daily Charisma check to escape the magic circle he is trapped in.

Tranquil Demesne (Su) Dhunbarr can return to his demiplane as if using plane shift as a standard action. He can take up to seven willing creatures with him, though they will be automatically ejected after 24 hours back to a random island or coastal location on the same plane they were before visiting Dhunbarr's demiplane (or a random Material Plane containing such environments if the plane they were on lacks any oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes). The tranquil demesne contains enough fruits and products of the sea to feed the visitors for a day and all the natural healing taking place there is doubled.

Dhunbarr is a gentle giant that lives in a pocket demiplane attached to the Plane Of Water. His home dimension is a small tropical island in the middle of a shallow ocean—a welcoming paradise for a visit, though no one except Dhunbarr can stay there continuously.

Dhunbarr is very friendly entity, though a bit lonely, and will gladly help others, especially with actions that can benefit from his ability to carry significant weight at once (his medium load is 1,044 lbs, his heavy load is 2,082 lbs, and his max load is 3120 lbs), though he is pacifist at heart, and won't resort to violence except when defending oneself or innocents from unjust attack—trying to force or trick him into situation where he will need to use violence will offend him and make him leave.

Planar NPC: Ibriss The Seer

Ibriss The Seer

A hunched monkey-like entity with pale blue fur and white skin. Its face completely lacks eyes, having a smooth skin where they should be. Both its arms and legs end in hand-like appendages.

CR 4; XP 1,200
LN Small Outsider (lawful)
Init +8; Senses blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +12

Defense
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 insight, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 37 (5d10+10)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Defensive Abilities precognition; DR 5/silver; Immune cold
Weakness blind

Offense
Speed 30 ft.; climb 30 ft.
Melee 4 slams +8 (1d4+2)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th, concentration +6)
At will—augury, plane shift (self and 10 lbs only)
3/day—divination

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness
Skills Bluff +12, Climb +18, Perception +12, Profession (soothsayer) +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +16, Swim +18
Language Aquan, Auran, Common
SQ cosmic prophecies, personal predictions

Ecology
Environment any
Organization unique
Treasure negligible (a string of bone tokens used for divination, a few colorful pebbles, and possibly other mostly worthless trash)

Special Abilities

Cosmic Prophecies (Su) Occasionally, Ibriss's spell-like abilities give clues regarding the bigger picture, reaching beyond the regular limits of both spells. They will hint which actions might have long-term, large-scale consequences

Personal Predictions (Su) While using using his augury or divination on behalf of another creature, Ibriss can incorporate an item of a personal value offered by the seeker as an additional material component giving the spell 50% chance of providing a cryptic clue to the situation at hand, or a prediction relevant to the recipient even if unconnected to the specific question.

Precognition (Su) Ibriss supernatural foresight gives him an edge in combat granting him his blindsight ability and a +2 insight bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and AC (already included in his statistics). He is never surprised or flat-footed.

Ibriss is a blind seer travelling across the planes as his divinations lead him. He is a haughty being as he believes himself an important force of order, shaping the worldly events taking place in the world. He gladly offers his advice, often unasked, though he sometimes veils it in cryptic forms. While he does not lie about his divinations, he often misdirects, confuses, and leads others to misinterpretations if it suits his aims.