,:!: PATHFINDER CAMPAIGN XETTINfi: DEMONS EVISITED

t( INVIDIAK ) Tbe bm:est cottJets of tbe Abyss bouse coul]tless tettots. but petbaps tbe most itJsibious ate tbose wbo ate tbe batl]ess it5clf. Tbe sbabowy itJvibia wot5 its evils upotJ tbe wodb witbout tbe impebimetJt of a boby. al]b ca11 slip tbtougb tbe gteate5t of befet]ses a5 5Utely a5 a gbo5t. Yet it is tbis lac of a boby tbat bdves tbe itJvibia mote tbatJ atJy otbet compulsiotJ. fot it is COtJ5UUJeb witb jealou5y of tbe flesb. AtJ itJvibias lusts atJb appetites ate tJOt tebuceb by its immatedality. atJb it is OtJly tbtougb tbe possessiotJ of dpe youtJg bobies tbat it cal] sate tbe5e compulsiotJs-if OtJly f ot tbe mome11t.

-Ftom tbe Bool} of tbe Dazm1eP

inful souls who survive their time spent as larval petitioners in the Abyss without being eaten or worse may be transformed by that realm into demons, but in

some cases, this transformation does not wholly appease. In the case of envious souls, the creatures they become lose more than they gain-they lose even the bodies they possessed as larvae and become shadow demons, known more accurately as invidiaks.

While the invidiak is a dangerous foe, and one that an unprepared adventurer may have no chance to defeat, this power is of little consolation to the invidiak, for the loss of a body only magnifies the sin that brought it to the Abyss in the first place. All creatures around the invidiak are reminders of what it lacks; whether demon or mortal, living or undead, their physicality is a source of biting envy for the demon. The invidiak is thus driven to seek out bodies to possess and control and make its own. Even then, its ability to use ma13ic jar does not grant it a reprievemerely a taste and reminder of what it does not have, for the shadow demon can only inhabit a body for a fraction of a day. This drives many invidiaks to gain power, for there are solutions to this problem for the greatest of their kind.

For eons, the invidiaks were the favored minion of the demon lord Vyriavaxus, the Lord of Shadows. Yet when he was slain by Nocticula and his essence was stolen to craft the largest of her Midnight Isles, the shadow demons found themselves cast adrift. Many of those moved on to serve Nocticula, and some sought out other demon lords, but a few pined and remained loyal to their batlike master, and even now plot the impossible-the resurrection of a murdered demon lord.

An invidiak doesn't directly encourage the sin of envy in its victims. While those who have been possessed by a shadow demon can recall their actions while possessed in the same way one might recall a lucid dream, they also recall the aching, overwhelming sense of jealousy and envy the demon contains within its being. The longer one is possessed by an invidiak, the more likely this insidious envy functions almost as a contagion, leaving behind in those who escape possession the seeds of equally powerful discontents and covetousness.

f"!ioloe@ Without a body to speak of, there is very little to talk about regarding an invidiak's physiology. Even without bodies, however, they can wreak horrific damage upon living flesh, for as they strike with their claws and teeth their shadowy essences solidify into freezing, knife edges capable of inflicting horrid wounds scoured by sub-zero temperatures.

Of curious note is the fact that half-invidiaks exist. These hybrids are not incorporeal (although they have the ability to become so for short periods of time), which raises the question: where do they come from? Certainly

some are magical creations, the results of mad spellcasters or unfortunate explorers infused with just the right kind of Abyssal energies, but others arise from a blasphemous form of impregnation. By possessing a pregnant woman, a shadow demon's essence can also infuse that of the unborn child, and the longer such a demon remains in control of the unfortunate woman, the more likely it is that a sliver of the invidiak's otherworldly essence becomes absorbed by the fetus, transforming it into a half-invidiak. The resulting births are invariably fatal to the unfortunate mothers, who often end up being frozen solid from the inside out during the final hours of their pregnancy.

tmoooloe@ Invidiaks enjoy working with demonic cults, for cultists are often all too willing to allow a shadow demon to possess them for a limited time. Those who resist such use are quick to provide other targets for the allied shadow demon to inhabit and command from within. Many demonic cults use shadow demons as a way to calm and control would-be sacrifices, and many shadow demons enjoy play-acting the role of a "mesmerized sacrifice" who apparently willingly approaches the sacrificial block. Such demons ride their hosts through the act of sacrifice, reveling in the feeling of the body dying around them before emerging to display themselves to the gathered crowd. Lone cultists often use such tactics to impress unknowledgeable recruits with their apparent command over the spirits of the dead.

Shadow demons can be summoned via summon monster VI. While arcanists who use this spell already possess the power to cast ma13ic jar on their own, the convenience of a minion who can do so, leaving the spellcaster in his own body while the target creature becomes possessed, is the primary reason shadow demons are conjured in this manner. They also make excellent combatants, for most foes cannot harm shadow demons, giving the monsters more time during the duration of their summoning to bite and claw at the enemy.

Plots requiring possession are also the primary reason spellcasters call shadow demons to the Material Plane. When such conjurations are cast in areas of bright light or sunlight, the calling of a shadow demon can be one of the safest forms of demonic conjuration, especially when the demon's powerlessness in bright light is combined with a properly crafted magic circle. This conjuration requires components consisting of rare incenses whose smoke behaves more like shadows than vapors and cold iron censers in which strange mosses and lichens gathered from tombstones within the Plane of Shadow are allowed to smolder. An offering of an attractive host body and an almost-as-attractive victim can go a long way toward appeasing a conjured invidiakproviding these as part of any deals forged can account for as much as half of the gp value of the payment or offerings required to secure the demon's aid.

" PATHFINDER CAMPAIGN XETTINfi: DEMONS EVISITED

HALF-1 NV101AK A ha l f- i nvi d i a k is the rarest of the ha l f -demons, for it is on ly under h i g h ly spec i f i c c i rcumstances that a n i nv id i ak can spread its legacy i nto the b lood l i ne of a morta l fa m i l y, due to i t s character ist ic l ack of a phys ica l body. Ha l f - invi d i a ks have da rk g ray sk in, red eyes, fa ngs, and sha rp ta lons . They tend to be pa in fu l ly thin i n appearance, with l a rge shadowy wings that, desp i te the i r g host ly nature, provide exce l l en t f l i gh t capab i l i ty. A ha l f - inv id ia k's envy i s except iona l , and th i s d rives i t to obsessive l eng ths to one-up and exceed the tr i umphs of those with wh ich i t associates. I t exce l s i n ro les where i t ca n be se rved by l a rge g roups, such as cu l t leader o r genera l of a n a rmy.

Speed : A ha l f- i n v i d i a k 's f l y speed h a s pe rfect maneuvera b i l i ty.

Ghostly Form (Su): A ha lf- i nvid iak can become i ncorporeal (a long with gear i t ca rries, up to its l ight encumbrance l im i t) for a number of rounds each day equa l to its H i t D ice as a swift act ion. Return ing to materi a l form is a free act ion. The rounds per day spent i ncorporea l need not be consecutive. This ab i l ity ca nnot be activated i n a reas of bright l i g ht, nor can a n i ncorporea l ha lf- i nvid i ak enter such a n a rea.

Alternate Spel l -L ike Abi l i t ies: Rep lace desecrate with blur. Replace poison 3/day with shadow conjuration 3/day. Rep lace contagion with magic jar. Rep lace unhallow with greater teleport. Rep l ace horrid wilting with telekinesis 3/day.

Abi l i t ies: A ha l f- i nvi d i a k ga i n s Dex +6, Con +4, I n t +2, Wis +2, and Cha +4.

ampaigu

before her death at the hands of a desperate mob of her brutalized citizens, allowing her a fleeting chance as a mortal to enjoy the fruits of rule before she was torn limb from limb. Her body was fed to jackals while Ahabaris watched. The shadow demon has spent much of her time since meddling in the affairs of other worlds, but someday could well turn her attention back to Golarion, especially if she were to be conjured there by a curious historian eager to learn more about the untold history of one of ancient Osirion's darkest eras. Ahabaris prefers offerings of virginal human women.

Bishop Ezrael, The Acolytes (linked trio of standard invidiaks; R.esearch DC zoG; The Harrowin.

" PATHFINDER CAMPAIGN XETTINfi: DEMONS EVISITED

DEMONIC PossEss10N There a re numerous ways demons can possess morta ls, but the s implest and most stra i gh tforwa rd i s v ia the use of a magic jar spe l l - l i ke ab i l i ty. Shadow demons a utomat ica l l y possess t h i s a b i l i ty, bu t o the r demons may ta ke the Demonic Possess ion feat to ga i n th i s power. Add i t iona l feats exist that fu rther enhance th i s nefa rious ab i l i ty.

Demonic Possession You can possess creatu res.

Prerequisite: Demon o r ha l f-demon, Cha 2 1 , Wis 1 7 Benefit: You ga i n the ab i l ity to use magic jar a s a spe l l

l i ke ab i l ity once pe r day. Specia l : You may take th i s feat more than once. Each

t ime you select th i s feat, you ga in the ab i l i ty to use you r magic jar spe l l - l i ke ab i l ity one add i t iona l t ime pe r day.

lmproved Possession You r ab i l ity to possess bod ies is more powerfu l .

Prerequisite: Demon ic Possess ion o r shadow demon, Cha 2 5

Benefit: The d u rat ion of you r magic jar spe l l - l i ke ab i l ity i ncreases to 24 hours . You can choose to act ivate a host body's extraord i n a ry ab i l i t ies, supernatura l a b i l i t ies, spe l l l i ke ab i l i t ies, and spe l l s known or prepared.

Penetrating Possession You r ab i l i ty to possess foes ca n bypass mag ica l protect ions .

Prerequisite: Magic jar as a known spe l l or spe l l - l i ke ab i l i ty, Cha 2 1

Benefit: The f i rst t ime you attempt t o possess a host under the effect of protection from evil spe l l o r a ny s im i l a r s pe l l , you have a chance to d i s pe l t h a t spe l l as i f you had cast dispel magic on t he spe l l .

Spirit Vision You reta i n you r senses when seek ing a possess ion ta rget .

Prerequisite: Magic jar as a known spe l l or spe l l - l i ke ab i l i ty, Wis 1 5

Benefit: When you sense l i fe fo rces wh i le seek ing a host, you can observe them as you cou ld when you were in you r own body. Attempt ing t o possess a body is a sta ndard action .

6t gloom "'i6o This lithe, shadowy creature is obviously feminine, yet the talons and horns leave no doubt as to her fiendish nature.

I LZUNAE CR 1 9 X P 204,800 Fema le shadow demon c le r i c of Noc t i cu l a 1 5 (Pathfinder RPG

Bestiary 67)

CE Med i um outsider (chaot ic, demon, evi l , extrap lanar, incorporea l) l n i t +6; Senses da rkv i s i on 60 ft . ; Pe rcept ion +31 DEFENSE

AC 33, to uch 25, f la t-footed 27 (+8 a rmor, +8 def lect ion , +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 i n s i g ht)

hp 274 (22 H D; 7d 1 0 +1 5d8+1 69) Fort +1 7, Ref +1 6, Wi l l +1 9; +4 vs. b l i n d ness a nd cha rm Defensive Abi l i t ies i n corporea l ; DR 1 0/co ld i ro n o r good;

Immune cold, e l ectr ic i ty, po ison; Resist ac id 1 0, fi re 1 0; SR 1 7 OFFENSE

Speed f ly 40 ft . (pe rfect) Melee bite +24 (1 d6 plus 1d6 co ld), 2 claws +24 (1 d4 plus 1d6 co ld) Special Attacks channe l nega t ive ene rgy 1 1/day (DC 2 5, 8d 6),

pounce, shadow b lend , sp r i n t Demonic Boon Spel l - L ike Abi l i t ies (CL 2 2nd; concentrat ion +30)

3/day-q u i ckened blindness/deafness (DC 20), charm person (DC 1 9)

1/day-dom i nate t h ra l l Domain Spel l - L ike Abi l i t ies (CL 1 5th; concentra t i on +20)

At W i l l-cha rm i ng sm i l e (1 5 ro unds, DC 1 7) 8/day-daz i ng touch, touch of da rkness (7 ro unds)

lnv id iak Spel l - L ike Abi l i t ies (CL 1 0th; concentra t i on +1 8) At will-deeper darkness, fear (DC 2 2), greater teleport (se l f

on l y), telekinesis (DC 2 3) 3/day-shadaw conjuration (DC 22), shadow evocation (DC 2 3) 1/day-magic jar (DC 2 3), s ummon ( leve l 3, 1 shadow

demon 500/o) Cler ic Spel ls Prepared (CL 1 5th; concentra t i on +20)

8th-demand0 (DC 2 3), rift of ruin60102 (DC 2 3) 7th-q u i ckened cure critical wounds, destruction (DC 2 2),

power word blind0 6th-blade barrier (DC 2 1 ), q u ickened death knell (DC 1 7),

geas/quest0, heal 5th-breath of life, q u ickened command (DC 1 6), flame

strike (DC 20), greater command (DC 20), slay living (DC 20), summon monster Vo (su mmons 1d3 shadows)

4th-cure critical wounds, discern lies (DC 1 9), poison (DC 1 9), sending, shadow conjuration (DC 1 9), unholy blight (DC 1 9)

3 rd-bestow curse (DC 1 8), cure serious wounds (2), dispel magic, speak with dead (DC 1 8), suggestion (DC 1 8)

2nd-blindness/deafness0 (DC 1 7, on l y to cause b l i n d ness), cure moderate wounds (2), hold person (DC 1 7), silence (DC 1 7), undetectable alignment

1 st-charm person (DC 1 6), command (DC 1 6), cure light wounds (5), divine favor

O (at w i l l )-bleed (DC 1 5), detect magic, guidance, read magic D Doma i n spe l l; Domains Cha rm, Da rkness

STATISTICS

Str -, Dex 22 , Con 22 , Int 1 4, Wis 2 0, Cha 26 Base Atk +1 8; CMB +24; CMD 44 Feats Bl ind-F ight, Combat Expertise, Demonic Obedience60rn2,

Dodge, Eschew Mater ia ls, Improved Possess ion, L ightn ing Sta nce, Mobi l i ty, Qu icken Spel l , Spr ing Attack, Toughness, Wind Sta nce

Ski l ls Bl uff +33, D i p lomacy +33, F ly +32, Knowledge (p la nes) +20, Knowledge (re l i g i on) +1 7, Percept ion +3 1 , Sense Mot ive +2 3

Languages Abyssa l , D racon i c; te lepathy 1 00 ft . SQ eyes of da rkness (7 ro und s/day) Gear +5 glamered ghost touch studded leather, deep red

sphere ioun stone, dusty rose prism ioun stone, pink and green sphere ioun stone, pink rhomboid ioun stone, manual of bodily health + 1 (used)

SPECIAL ABIL IT IES

Dominate Thra l l (Sp) Once per day, l l z unae may cast dominate monster. She may on l y have one crea t u re dom i nated at a t ime v ia t h i s effect, bu t the effects a re perma nent un t i l s he dom i nates a new ta rget, at wh i ch po i n t the p rev ious t a rget i s re leased f rom dom i na t i on bu t i s s t unned for 1d4 ro unds .

Not all of Nocticula's favored servants are succubi. Ever since her slaughter of the demon lord Vyriavaxus , she has also been served by the invidiaks. Some of these demons, of course, turned away from the murderer of their patron and have gone on to serve other demon lords or even to strike out on their own, but those who became loyal to her found that their new mistress was every bit as dangerous as their old lord of shadows, and quite a bit more forthcoming at rewarding those who served her well.

Ilzunae is the first of these shadow demons to have been awarded stewardship of one of the many Midnight Isles of Nocticula's Abyssal realm. Kovalarue is one of the realm's smaller islands, but in some ways is one of its most beautiful, consisting of rolling hills covered with wildflowers and idyllic streams and lakes . That those flowers drink blood and that those lakes can pull those who look into their waters below to drown them does not mar this beauty, and Ilzunae has proven more than a capable keeper of this land.

The Gloom Widow earned her appellation as a result of her preferred method of preying upon mortals . When she finds herself on the Material Plane, she seeks out young couples who are too shy or hesitant to make the first steps toward forming a relationship, then possesses one of their friends. Using that friend as a proxy, she arranges for the couple to meet, fall in love, and eventually wed, retaining control of the friend the whole time. During the honeymoon, Ilzunae brings

the friend to a distant city via teleportation, informs the friend of her plans before releasing him, then teleports back to the honeymooners , where she possesses one of them to enjoy their first night of wedded bliss . The nonpossessed spouse never survives until the dawn, and if they are lucky, Ilzunae waits until the final hour of the night to shift from sharing blis s to giving pain. She then abandons the possessed widow or widower with a message that all this was made possible through the jealousy of the friend, who has fled to a distant city. In most cases, the surviving spouse either commits suicide or seeks out the "friend" to murder them, and when she can, Ilzunae enjoys intercepting those sinful lost souls when they come to the Abyss so she can harvest and keep them in gilt bird cages in her palace as trophies .

Ilzunae prefers promises of time left to her own devices on the Material Plane, but will accept the bodies of grieving widows or widowers as well. It's a DC 29G check to research the Gloom Widow.