Fantasy Monster: Invisible Burden

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Invisible Burden

An eerie feeling of intense burden keeps you low...

CR 3; XP 800
NE Small Undead (incorporeal)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 size)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +6

Defensive Traits incorporeal; Immune undead traits

Offense
Speed 5 ft. (crawling on ground only as a full-round action)

Special Attacks crushing weight (3d6, Will DC 15 negates), pass the burden, share the burden

Statistics
Str —, Dex 14, Con —, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 16

Feats Ability Focus (Crushing Weight), Iron Will

Skills Bluff +8, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +8

Languages Common

Ecology
Environment urban, rural
Organization solitary, pair, or a load (3–10)
Treasure none

Special Abilities

Crushing Weight (Su) As a standard action, an invisible burden can laugh at a creature carrying or dragging a heavy or heavier load, or simply carrying a large, heavy object in their hands on their back within 30 feet. The target falls and suffers 3d6 points of crushing damage, dropping the carried objects, and possibly damaging or destroying it in the process. A successful Will saving throw (DC 15) prevents the incident and makes the target immune to crushing weight for the next 24 hours. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Pass The Burden (Su) When an invisible burden witnesses a corporeal creature voluntarily agreeing to carrying a burden or helping with a strenuous physical work within 30 feet, it can attach to that creature as a standard action, seating itself on the victim's back. For as long as the invisible burden is attached, the target remains exhausted, and also suffers any positive energy damage that would be dealt to the invisible burden in its place.

Share The Burden (Su) An invisible burden can point to a single creature as a standard action, making the victim feel tired and overwhelmed by whatever they carry, suffering fatigued condition for as long as they remain in invisible burden's line of sight. An invisible burden can only share the burden with a single creature at a time.

Unseen Form (Su) An invisible burden is supernaturally invisible at all times. Effects that end invisibility, such as invisibility purge or antimagic field reveal small figure holding to the victim's back or curled on the ground.

An invisible burden is a hateful spirit of a person that was worked to death carrying weights, or crushed by one. Now they share their pain by burdening others with their massive, if immaterial, presence.

They sometimes call for help, pretending to be old or injured people, or children lying in bushes, asking passersby to carry them elsewhere, though the agreeing to carry burden doesn't have to be directed at an invisible burden to suffice.

While an invisible burden will never voluntarily attach to a creature immune to exhaustion, they can be tricked to do so with deception, misdirection, or even some illusions.