New PF1e Creature: Flyðrumóðir
Alright, this is a brand new creature, which I have taken from Icelandic folklore! If you have trouble with pronouncing the name, you can just call it "halibut mother". ^^
I am fairly confident about the stats, but I'm not really sure whether the creature's death curse ability is balanced. It causes a pretty huge penalty, and it's pretty hard to remove, but it's a very specific penalty, and depending on the campaign type, it might end up not mattering that much. In any case, I'd very much appreciate if you could tell me how to make this better.
Image taken from "A Book of Creatures", artist unknown. Original image here
Looking like a flatfish the size of a fishing boat, this creature’s mouth is filled with sharp teeth, and most of its body is draped in seaweed.
LN Gargantuan Magical Beast (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., keen scent, low-light vision; Perception +26
AC 26, touch 8, flat-footed 24(+2 Dex, +18 natural, -4 size)
Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +13;
Immune cold, pressure damage; Resist electricity 10
Melee bite +24 (3d8+18 / 19-20 plus grab)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks capsize, death curse, swallow whole (3d8+18 bludgeoning damage, AC 19, 19 hp)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th, concentration +17)
1 / day – summon nature’s ally VI (aquatic or water elemental only)
Str 35, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 17, Wis 22, Cha 19
Base Atk +16; CMB +32 (+36 grapple); CMD 44 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Ability Focus (death curse), Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth) (B), Vital Strike
Skills Intimidate +16, Knowledge (geography) +16, Knowledge (nature) +16 (+20 for sea creatures), Perception +26, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +18, Swim +30; Racial Modifiers +4 Knowledge (nature) for sea creatures, +4 Perception
Special Qualities deep dweller, wild empathy +17 (aquatic creatures only)
Organization solitary or pair
Death Curse (Sp): When a flyðrumóðir dies, the creature who caused its death must make a Will save (DC 24) or suffer from the creature's death curse. The victim suffers a permanent -12 penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate and Sense Motive checks opposed to creatures with the aquatic subtype, and a permanent -12 penalty to all Survival checks related to aquatic environments. All creatures of the aquatic subtype also have a permanent +4 circumstance bonus to all attack and damage rolls against any suffering from the death curse. The duration of this curse is permanent until removed.
Removing a flyðrumóðir's death curse is harder than most other curses. A successful remove curse or break enchantment spell only suspends the curse for 1d4+1 days, unless the flyðrumóðir is resurrected or the culprits have succeeded in a task that will benefit the creatures of the ocean that the flyðrumóðir was protecting. The GM is encouraged to come up with possible tasks, but it should be something that requires several days and involves considerable danger to the offender. Once this quest is successfully completed, the flyðrumóðir's death curse may be removed normally - and is automatically removed if the duration of the suspension hasn't ended yet. Limited wish, wish and miracle can remove the curse as normal. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 bonus from Ability Focus. This is a curse effect.
Deep Dweller (Ex): A flyðrumóðir is immune to cold and damage from water pressure.
Wild Empathy (Ex): A flyðrumóðir's wild empathy works like the druid's similar class feature, but can only affect aquatic creatures.
Tales abound of mystical, mysterious sea creatures that act as protectors of certain species of fish, even styling themselves as "mothers" of their smaller kin. The flyðrumóðir, or halibut mother, is one such creature, said to protect all sorts of fishes, but especially flatfish like soles, plaices and halibuts. When a community turns to overfishing or marine life in its territory is threatened in any way, a flyðrumóðir will act to remove the threat, by any means necessary. Though a flyðrumóðir is not inherently violent, they tend to have a rather pessimistic view of humans and other surface races, as most such races tend to consider the flyðrumóðir as just another sea monster to be feared and reviled. At times, however, some flyðrumóðirs have been known to reach amicable, even cordial, terms with nature protectors like druids, rangers or shifters.
A flyðrumóðir usually opens hostilities by summoning water elementals to restrain foes and keep them occupied. If possible, the creature stays hidden on the ocean floor, only to surge and attack as soon as its foes are within range. Despite their size, flyðrumóðirs are surprisingly stealthy and can stay hidden for days waiting for the right time to strike, often swallowing an enemy in a single voracious gulp. Their teeth are sharp enough to cause deep, bleeding wounds on their enemies, and their size is such that they can often capsize boats, sending would-be slayers to a watery doom. Even if a flyðrumóðir is slain, it might still get the last laugh - it is said that those who have killed an halibut mother will never again catch a fish in their entire life, and such transgressors have been known to perish at the hands of enraged marine creatures eager to avenge their fallen protector.
A flyðrumóðir averages about 40 feet in length and weighs a few tons. They are carivores and ambush predatores, mostly feeding on crustaceans, mollusks and even small sea mammals when available. They are quite long-lived, and may reach 500 years of age if left undisturbed.
