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Siktempora, Anguish

Image © Paizo, accessed at Archives of Nethys here. For now.

[This is pretty close to the facial expression I made when I read that Archives of Nethys was losing their Pathfinder license. So I made sure to save pictures from all of the monsters in Monster Core 1 and 2 that I was planning to retroconvert. The anguished flame was among them, so a search brought up this siktempora, who I didn't know existed. I'm a fan of the siktemporas and have done retroconversions of all of the ones that were written for 2e only. I wrote those at a pretty rough time; around the time my students bullied me so badly I had a class reassigned, and the triumph siktempora got me harangued by a tumblr user who disagreed with my design decisions. Here's hoping that was a fluke, and I get out of the anguish siktempora without any more anguish.

One of my sources of periodic anguish is that I've been unemployed for more than a year. If you'd like to help make that a little less frightening, please join the Creature Codex Patreon here]

Siktempora, Anguish CR 13 CE Outsider (extraplanar) This creature resembles a malformed, oversized human head, its eyes rolling and its mouth filled with multiple rows of shark-like teeth. Dangling beneath its body are four insectile legs, each ending in a large hook.

Powerful emotions have a tendency to accumulate in the eddies and pools of the Dimension of Time, accruing until they manifest into living embodiments of strong emotions—the siktemporas. Anguish siktemporas are created from the pain and despair of mortals, and tend to gravitate toward areas where such emotions are commonplace. They are less common than the similar misery siktemporas, and the two lineages clash when they overlap, fighting over territory and emotions in an attempt to slake their endless thirst for pain and grief. Anguish siktemporas are stronger and more clever, but rarer and less likely to travel in groups, so the amount of misery siktemporas present often determines the outcome of these battles.

Anguish siktemporas are often called living screams; they cannot speak, but instead wail and moan constantly unless attempting stealth. They sometimes engage in telepathic communication while crying out in anguish, leading to discordant and frightening interactions. They can magnify these screams to the point of causing physical and mental damage, and when they bite down on a foe scream into their flesh to shake it apart. They are slow on the ground, moving with flailing legs more suited to tearing meat than movement, but can fly magically, drifting like sinister balloons. Anguish siktemporas can hit frightened foes harder and more accurately, and prefer to focus their attacks on those who succumb to their fear effects first.

Anguish Siktempora CR 13 XP 25,600 CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, siktempora) Init +16; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +27 Defense AC 27, touch 23, flat-footed 21 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 insight, +4 natural) hp 178 (17d10+85); fast healing 10 Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +17 DR 10/good or orichalcum; Immune disease, emotion effects, pain, poison Defensive Abilities temporal sense Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +24 (2d6+6/19-20 plus 2d6 sonic), 2 claws +23 (1d8+6) Special Attacks foster fear, rend (2 claws, 1d8+9), scream of despair, uncanny snap, wracking despair Spell-like Abilities CL 13th, concentration +17 At will—temporal jaunt3/day—displacementStatistics Str 23, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 20 Base Atk +17; CMB +25; CMD 41 (45 vs. trip) Feats Dazzling Display, Dodge,Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (bite), Lunge, Mobility, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Acrobatics +25, Bluff +25, Escape Artist +25, Fly +29, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana, history, local) +22, Knowledge (planes) +25, Perception +27, Stealth +25 Languages Aklo (cannot speak), telepathy 300 ft. Ecology Environment any land or underground (Dimension of Time) Organization solitary or pair Treasure standard Special Abilities Flight (Su) The flight of an anguish siktempora is a supernatural ability. Foster Fear (Ex) An anguish siktempora treats all creatures suffering from a fear effect as if they were flat-footed. Scream of Despair (Su) As a standard action, an anguish siktempora can wail horribly. All creatures in a 30 foot radius must succeed a DC 23 Will save or take 12d6 damage, half of which is psychic and half of which is sonic, and be frightened for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is shaken for 1 round. An anguish siktempora can use this ability at will, but must wait 1d4 rounds between uses. The save DC is Charisma based. Temporal Jaunt (Sp) As a standard action, an anguish siktempora can vanish into the time stream, reappearing in another location. This ability functions as dimension door (so a typical anguish siktempora can jaunt up to 920 feet), but the siktempora can take other actions that round after reappearing, and the destination must be in a location the siktempora could reach normally by walking or flying. Temporal jaunts are not true teleportation—the siktempora simply travels to a later point in the time stream—so the ability can be used in areas that bar teleportation effects; however, in such areas a siktempora can travel only a distance equal to its speed. Temporal Sense (Ex) A siktempora can sense all the possible futures of the coming seconds. This grants it an insight bonus on its Initiative checks and to its Armor Class equal to its Wisdom bonus (+7 for the typical anguish siktemporas). Uncanny Snap (Su) When it rolls initiative, an anguish siktempora can move up to its speed and make a single bite attack as an immediate action. It can make this attack before or after it moves. Wracking Despair (Su) As a move action, an anguish siktempora can magnify the pain of a creature suffering from a fear effect within the range of its telepathy, dealing 6d6 points of psychic damage (Will DC 23 half). This is an emotion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based.

#pathfinder 1e #pathfinder rpg #pathfinder 2e #anguish siktempora #siktempora #living scream #extraplanar outsider

Siktempora, Love

Image by Brian Despain, © Paizo Publishing. Accessed on Archives of Nethys here

[The last of the siktemporas, and the last monster I had in reserve before shit started really going down at work in the last couple of weeks. I've been so busy playing "Guess Which Students Are Nazis" that I haven't gotten a lot of writing done. So I'm hoping for another new monster by Friday, but I make no guarantees.]

Siktempora, Love CR 16 NG Outsider (extraplanar) This creature appears to be two smallish humanoid fused together, with three legs, two arms and two heads. Its heads are featureless except for a hint of blush about the cheeks. The creature wears fine clothing, albeit in an exotic style, and carries a crossbow in each hand.

Love siktemporas are among the most benevolent of this class of temporal outsiders. They are formed by the impressions of great love that imprints on the fabric of the Dimension of Time. Romantic love is usually the catalyst of a love siktempora’s creation, but not exclusively. They are powerful combatants, capable of starting or ending wars, but are compassionate and fight to protect rather than out of aggression. They are also excellent diplomats and counselors, although they have to use their telepathy to communicate rather than speak.

A love siktempora can create crossbow-like structures at will and fire bolts of emotional energy. Those struck by a love siktempora’s emotional bolt, or who raise a hand to strike the creature, are temporarily overwhelmed by a feeling of intense love and peace. Oftentimes, this emotional cue is enough to start negotiations–a common tactic of a love siktempora is to fire its bolts into multiple enemies at once, and then propose an end to hostilities while its foes are still reeling. If negotiations fail, however, a love siktempora will not hesitate to kill to protect what they love. Love siktemporas are capable of enhancing their allies with telepathic music, but cannot themselves benefit from such abilities. Love siktemporas’ abilities do not affect other siktemporas, as the whole lineage is immune to mind-influencing effects, and love siktemporas may seek allies among mortals or celestials if they find themselves in conflict with crueler siktemporas.

Special Abilities Bardic Performance (Su) A love siktempora can use some bardic performances as a 16th level bard. Its rounds of use per day are as if it were a 16th level bard. A love skitempora cannot use bardic performances except those listed, such as countersong or distraction, unless it takes levels in the bard class. Burst of Uncanny Speed (Su) On the first round of combat, a love siktempora moves as if it were affected by a haste spell. It can use Whirlwind Attack on this first round of combat as a standard action, making one melee attack at its highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Deflect Aggression (Su) As an immediate action when it is the target of any attack, a love siktempora can grant itself a +2 deflection bonus to AC and take 15 less damage from the attack if it does hit. The creature whose attack triggered this ability is affected by the love siktempora’s heartsong ability. A love siktempora can use this ability a number of times per day equal to its Wisdom modifier (6/day for the average specimen). Emotional Bolt (Su) A love siktempora can fire two emotional bolts as an attack action, and four as a full attack action. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Treat these as ranged attacks made with a projectile weapon with a range increment of 80 feet. A creature struck by an emotional bolt takes 2d10 points of piercing damage plus the siktempora’s Charisma modifier, and must save against the siktempora’s heartsong. Heartsong (Su) A creature struck by a love siktempora’s emotional bolt, or that triggers its deflect aggression ability, must succeed a DC 27 Will save or be dazed for one round. A creature affected, whether it succeeds or fails the saving throw, is immune to the heartsong of that siktempora until the end of its next turn. This is a mind-influencing emotion effect. The save DC is Charisma based, and includes a -2 racial penalty. Telepathic Singer (Ex) A love siktempora can use its bardic music abilities telepathically. Creatures must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to receive a benefit from the love siktempora’s bardic music. Temporal Jaunt (Sp) As a standard action, a love siktempora can vanish into the time stream, reappearing in another location. This ability functions as dimension door (so a typical love siktempora can jaunt up to 1040 feet), but the siktempora can take other actions that round after reappearing, and the destination must be in a location the siktempora could reach normally by walking. Temporal jaunts are not true teleportation—the siktempora simply travels to a later point in the time stream—so the ability can be used in areas that bar teleportation effects; however, in such areas a siktempora can travel only a distance equal to its speed. Temporal Sense (Ex) A siktempora can sense all the possible futures of the coming seconds. This grants it an insight bonus on its Initiative checks and to its Armor Class equal to its Wisdom bonus (+6 for a typical love siktempora).

#pathfinder 1e #pathfinder rpg #pathfinder 2e #siktempora #love siktempora #outsider

Siktempora, Triumph

Image © Paizo Publishing. Accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[The triumph siktempora might be my favorite of that flavor of outsider. Look at how smug he is! What a jerk.]

Siktempora, Triumph CR 14 LN Outsider (extraplanar) This creature resembles a small humanoid with four arms and too many joints in their legs. They wear a robe of gold and various medals and badges. Their face is locked into a triumphant grin, never adjusting or changing expression.

Triumph siktemporas are created on the Dimension of Time as reflections of great emotional satisfaction for a job well done. Anything from winning a war to successfully removing a particularly onerous splinter can theoretically spawn a triumph siktempora. They travel the planes in search of victories, as they see their sense of purpose in always striving to win or die trying. Athletics competitions and pitched battles are natural habitats for a triumph siktempora, but they may also intervene in legal battles or other contests of skill. Triumph siktemporas believe in following the rules of a competition very strictly, and go out of their way to punish cheaters and those who manipulate luck.

A triumph siktempora fights with their fists and feet rather than with teeth or claws or manufactured weapons (although they will engage in weapon duels if challenged). They are fond of combat maneuvers, especially against single targets, and are skilled wrestlers despite their small size. Although their facial expressions rarely change, they can add a thrust of emotional energy to their smug grins that literally harms their opponents psychically. Triumph siktemporas are somewhat disdainful of creatures without naturally rapid healing, like themselves, and often go out of their way to harass anyone healing themselves or others.

A triumph siktempora typically stands about three feet tall, and may be mistaken for halflings or gnomes. They rarely disguise themselves intentionally, unless entering a masquerade or other costume contest.

Special Abilities Burst of Uncanny Speed (Su) On the first round of combat, a triumph siktempora moves as if it were affected by a haste spell. It can use Whirlwind Attack on this first round of combat as a standard action, making one melee attack or combat maneuver at its highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Cheaters Never Prosper (Su) A creature gaining a luck bonus to any die rolls, or gaining a reroll from luck effects (such as the Luck domain or the fortune hex) within 50 feet of a triumph siktempora must make a DC 23 Will save or be staggered for 1 round. The save DC is Charisma based. Clinch Victory (Su) A triumph siktempora can make an attack of opportunity against any creature taking an action to heal itself, even if that action (like a channel energy or using a wand) does not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. Pugilist Training (Ex) A triumph siktempora gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. It deals damage with its unarmed strikes, and gains access to the flurry of blows ability, as if it were a monk with character levels equal to its Hit Dice. Temporal Jaunt (Sp) As a standard action, a triumph siktempora can vanish into the time stream, reappearing in another location. This ability functions as dimension door (so a typical triumph siktempora can jaunt up to 960 feet), but the siktempora can take other actions that round after reappearing, and the destination must be in a location the siktempora could reach normally by walking. Temporal jaunts are not true teleportation—the siktempora simply travels to a later point in the time stream—so the ability can be used in areas that bar teleportation effects; however, in such areas a siktempora can travel only a distance equal to its speed. Temporal Sense (Ex) A siktempora can sense all the possible futures of the coming seconds. This grants it an insight bonus on its Initiative checks and to its Armor Class equal to its Wisdom bonus (+5 for the typical triumph siktemporas). Winning Smile (Su) As a standard action, a triumph siktempora can flash a smile at an enemy within 15 feet. The creature targeted takes 10d6 points of damage, and all of its attacks deal nonlethal damage against the siktempora for the next round. A successful DC 23 Will save halves the damage and negates the nonlethal damage effect. This is a mind-influencing emotion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based.

#pathfinder 1e #pathfinder rpg #pathfinder 2e #siktempora #triumph siktempora #outsider

Siktempora, Hatred

Image by Brian Despain, © Paizo Publishing

[Commissioned by @coldbloodassassin. The siktemporas were one of the last outsider categories invented by Paizo during Pathfinder 1e, with the misery siktempora appearing in one of the issues of Return of the Runelords. The Second Edition Bestiary 3 fleshed them out a bit more and invented more members, and so I’ve been commissioned to convert one back to PF1e. My version borrows from the 1e misery siktempora for some of the abilities.]

Siktempora, Hatred CR 18 NE Outsider (extraplanar) This creature appears as a distorted humanoid, its skin missing and exposing its tendons and bones. It has oversized hands and feet, and one joint too many in its legs. Its face is a blank mask, except for a single livid scar. Cords of strange blue material emerge from its hands.

Especially strong emotions can leave lasting ripples in the Dimension of Time, spawning a siktempora—an outsider that is the embodiment of that emotion. Few siktemporas are stronger than the hatred siktempora, spawned from an act of loathing or spite. They are cold-blooded killers that stalk all creatures that cross their paths, even other siktemporas. On rare occasions, a few hatred siktemporas will work together to hunt especially big game, but these associations are brief.

A hatred siktempora can form cords of pure hate from its hands, using them like whips and garrotes. A creature grabbed by a hatred siktempora has the breath magically forced from its lungs, and a hatred siktempora may have two foes grabbed at once, the better to savor the panic in the second when the first begins to suffocate. Although they have the supernatural mobility of other siktempora, a hatred siktempora often loses itself to bloodlust, fighting until slain instead of fleeing a losing battle.

Hatred siktemporas have no way to travel the planes on their own. They may be conjured by spellcasters looking for powerful assassins, or on rare occasions bully another creature into letting them escape the Dimension of Time. Some mortal bigots assume that they can control a hatred siktempora with their particular prejudice, but this is a foolish supposition—hatred siktemporas hate everything other than themselves with the same fervent intensity. Their favorite haunts are the courts of tyrants, sites of hate crimes and other places where acts of great loathing were committed.

Hatred Siktempora CR 18 XP 153,600 NE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, siktempora) Init +18; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +30 Aura frightful presence (Will DC 26, 150 ft.) Defense AC 33, touch 25, flat-footed 33 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 insight, +8 natural) hp 290 (20d10+180); fast healing 20 Fort +14, Ref +19, Will +19 DR 15/good or orichalcum; Immune disease, mind-influencing effects, pain, poison Defensive Abilities temporal sense, uncanny dodge Offense Speed 80 ft., air walk Melee 2 loathing lashes +29 (2d10+9 plus 1d10 cold plus grab) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with loathing lash) Special Attacks burst of uncanny speed, constrict (2d10+14 plus 1d10 cold), multigrab, strangle, suffocating grasp Spell-like Abilities CL 18th, concentration +24 Constant—air walk At will—temporal jaunt Statistics Str 29, Dex 25, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 24, Cha 23 Base Atk +20; CMB +29 (+33 grapple); CMD 46 Feats Blind-fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (loathing lash), Improved Initiative, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Stand Still, Toughness, Whirlwind Attack (B) Skills Acrobatics +30 (46 when jumping), Bluff +29, Climb +19, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (history, planes) +27, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30, Stealth +30, Survival +30, Swim +19 Languages Aklo (cannot speak), telepathy 300 ft. SQ no breath Ecology Environment any land (Dimension of Time) Organization solitary, pair or contempt (3-6) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Burst of Uncanny Speed (Su) On the first round of combat, a hatred siktempora moves as if it were affected by a haste spell. It can use Whirlwind Attack on this first round of combat as a standard action, making one melee attack at its highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Loathing Lash (Ex) Treat a hatred siktempora’s loathing lash as a primary natural weapon that deals bludgeoning damage. Multigrab (Ex) A hatred siktempora does not gain the grappled condition when it is grappling a single foe. It can maintain a single grapple as a swift action, or two as a standard action, and only suffers a -10 penalty when grappling using only part of its body. Suffocating Grasp (Su) Each round a creature is pinned by a hatred siktempora, it must succeed a DC 29 Fortitude save or begin to suffocate. The save DC is Strength based. Temporal Jaunt (Sp) As a standard action, a hatred siktempora can vanish into the time stream, reappearing in another location. This ability functions as dimension door (so a typical hatred siktempora can jaunt up to 1080 feet), but the siktempora can take other actions that round after reappearing, and the destination must be in a location the siktempora could reach normally by walking. Temporal jaunts are not true teleportation—the siktempora simply travels to a later point in the time stream—so the ability can be used in areas that bar teleportation effects; however, in such areas a siktempora can travel only a distance equal to its speed. Temporal Sense (Ex) A siktempora can sense all the possible futures of the coming seconds. This grants it an insight bonus on its Initiative checks and to its Armor Class equal to its Wisdom bonus (+7 for the typical hatred siktemporas).

#siktempora #hatred siktempora #pathfinder 1e #pathfinder 2e #commissions