#amixsak

[dawginabottle]

Content Warning: Blood, Unsettling imagery

Another painting! This time of the Yup'ik monster Amixsak! These creatures are born from walrus carcasses who are not given fresh water to drink, food, and are disected after being hunted for food. These leftover walrus carcasses will return as vengeful and angry walrus husks called Amixsak :]

[thecreaturecodex]

Amixsak

Image © @a-book-of-creatures​, accessed at his site here

[”Hollow skin monster” is a not uncommon body horror trope, but does have some folkloric bonafides, albeit obscure ones. The amixsak is another Yupik monster. I can tell you, it is tempting to just make the World Tour series an “A Book of Creatures” series, but I’m trying to mix it up, and draw art from other sources as well.]

Amixsak CR 8 NE Undead This creature resembles the hollow skin of a walrus, blood oozing from the tears in its flesh. Without muscle or bones, it still moves with grim purpose, slithering along.

If a marine mammal is killed by hunters without the proper rituals to appease its spirit being performed, an amixsak can result. These undead are single minded hunters of humanoids, stalking them from the water and either sinking their boats or pulling them in to drown.  Creatures grabbed by an amixsak are thoroughly entwined in their folds of skin, and others trying to help them escape may deal as much damage to the grabbed victim as to the undead monster. Although they form from aquatic creatures, they are surprisingly fast on land, crawling along in an inchworm-like motion.

Amixsak have a dim sapience, enough to help them avoid common ambush tactics and understand the speech of their prey. Like the marine mammals they once were, they often gather together in pods. Because of the variety of sizes of pinnipeds and whales, amixsak come in many sizes, represented with the young or giant templates. A whale that spawns an amixsak is more likely to spawn multiple of the monsters, with each arising from a different sheet of flensed skin and blubber. Only through truly wasteful harvests can a Gargantuan amixsak, the hollow skin of an entire whale, be created.

Amixsak               CR 8 XP 4,800 NE Large undead Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 30 ft., Perception +10 Defense AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural) hp 102 (12d8+48) Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +10 DR 10/ magic and piercing or magic and slashing; Immune cold, undead traits Offense Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee 2 slams +15 (2d6+7/19-20 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks capsize, constrict (2d6+10), smother Statistics Str 25, Dex 15, Con -, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 18 Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 30 Feats Defensive Combat Training, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Stealthy Skills Escape Artist +9, Perception +10, Stealth +13, Swim +19 Languages Common (cannot speak) SQ compression, entwine Ecology Environment any aquatic or coastal Organization solitary, pair or pod (3-12) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Entwine (Ex) An amixsak wraps so closely against its victims that any attack that targets a grappling amixsak deals half damage to the forsaken shell and half damage to the grappled victim. Apply damage reduction or energy resistance after splitting the damage.