Asura, Addus
“Night catcher” © Denis Zhbankov, accessed at his ArtStation here
[Commissioned by @cupofsorrows, from the Neural Network Pathfinder Monster Names. ]
Asura, Addus CR 8 LE Outsider With its fleshy torso and spindly limbs, this creature seems somehow unfinished. This is especially clear in the face—it doesn’t have one, only an oversized maw studded with teeth. Moth-like wings grow from its back. It wears a skirt of skinned faces, their empty eyes and mouths twitching as if alive.
Adduses are a breed of asura created by the simplest of divine mistakes—they are literally unfinished. Their creation was left incomplete and eventually forgotten, rendering them completely faceless. As revenge, they steal the faces of others. An addus can access the thoughts, desires and memories of any being whose face they possess, living or dead. As such, adduses are coveted among the asuras as information brokers, torturers and jailers.
An addus on the hunt often scans potential prey with detect thoughts, looking for anything that indicates a learned or experienced mind. They enjoy drawing out the suspense and suffering of their quarry, frequently using their eerie moan from hiding or invisibility to render enemies jumpy and distracted before striking. Taking the face off of an enemy requires utmost concentration, so they usually wait until enemies are routed or weakened before attempting to harvest from a fallen or paralyzed foe.
The faces an addus wears are as much a part of its body as its hands and feet. They blink, can see, and mouth words as an addus speaks. Adduses view their faces as prized collectibles, and may buy, trade or steal preserved heads and faces as well as claiming their own trophies directly. When adduses are together, swapping faces serves as an act of solidarity, allowing the two to share memories and experiences, albeit vicarious ones lived by their victims.
An addus is short for a Medium sized creature, and heights of around 5 feet are most common.
