Monster: Soul Moth

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Soul Moth
A fluffy translucent giant month flitters through air.

CR 1/2; XP 200
N Tiny Undead (incorporeal)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., thoughtsense 60 ft.; Perception +4

Defense
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 size)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +2
Defensive Abilities final flashback, incorporeal; Immune undead

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (good)
Melee tongue +2 incorporeal touch (1d3 plus flashback)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Statistics
Str —, Dex 10, Con —, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 13
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 10
Feats Ability Focus (final flashback)
Skills Fly +8, Perception +4, Stealth +8
SQ incorporeal

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, cloud (3–20)
Treasure standard

Final Flashback (Su) Any sentient creature that drops a soul moth to 0 or less hit points with attack, spell, or other direct ability, is temporarily overwhelmed by the moth's essence and becomes dazed for 1 round and staggered for the next 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Will saving throw (DC 13) renders the creature staggered for 1 round instead. Destroying multiple soul moths with a single ability accumulates, increasing saving throw DC by 1 and the duration of daze on failed saving throw, or being staggering on a successful one by 1 round. Creatures with animal intelligence are usually confused by the emotions and memories they can't comprehend until they make a successful Will saving throw, repeated each round. If the soul moth is dropped to 0 or less hit points by an effect that was not directly caused by a sentient creature, it will rejuvenate at the next dusk or dawn. This is an emotion mind-affecting effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Flashback (Su) A lick of soul moth's tongue deals 1d3 points of nonlethal damage from negative energy and forces living creatures to make a Will saving throw (DC 11). On a failed saving throw they see a short flashback of the soul moth's memory or a burst of emotion borne by it and become staggered for 1 round. This is an emotion mind-affecting effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.


Soul moths are manifestation of particularly powerful emotions and memories shed by a dying creature. They don't form often, requiring the dying to be in very strong emotional state other than a desperate desire for survival and presence of enough negative energy to infuse those feelings.

Soul moths are not aggressive entities, but still terribly inconvenient ones for the mortals, as their mere presence slowly infect emotions and memories of the living with those of the dead. After an extended exposure, mortals haunted by soul moths occasionally give in to those feelings, turning their lives, often for worse. They are particularly dangerous to people already suffering from suppressed psychological baggage, especially if related to the emotions and memories borne by soul moths, or in direct opposition to them.

Soul moths show no interest whatsoever in unconscious people, though they seem to be attracted to sleeping ones, especially if the sleep in haunted by dreams and nightmares.