Monster Monday: Tikoloshe, Evil African Leprechaun

Today's Monster Monday entry is the tikoloshe, an evil water spirit from Zulu mythology.  They are somewhat like leprechauns, equipped with an array of mischief-making spell-like abilities including at-will invisibility, but where leprechauns are tricksters, tikoloshe are purely evil.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is (C)2013 Jonah Bomgaars.
Tikoloshe     CR 2

XP 600

CE Small fey (aquatic)

Init +7; Senses blindsight 90 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)

hp 18 (4d6+4)

Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +6

DR 5/cold iron; SR 13

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.

Melee 2 claws +7 (1d3-1) and bite +7 (1d4 -1)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4^th, concentration +7)

   Constant – magic fang

   At will – dancing lights, disguise self, ghost sound (DC 13), invisibility (self only), mage hand, major image (visual and auditory elements only, DC 16), prestidigitation, ventriloquism (DC 14)  

   3/day – hypnotism (DC 14), sleep (DC 14), ray of enfeeblement (DC 14), expeditious retreat

   1/day – beast shape I, enlarge person (self only)

STATISTICS

Str 7, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 16

Base Atk +2; CMB -1; CMD 10

Feats improved initiative, weapon finesse

Skills Bluff +10, Escape Artist +10, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +14, Swim +12; Racial Modifiers +8 Swim

Languages Sylvan, Common

SQ amphibious

ECOLOGY

Environment warm plains, warm rivers

Organization solitary

Treasure none

Tikoloshe are malign water sprites that resemble dark-skinned, unusually hairy dwarves with empty eye-sockets.  They venture forth from their aquatic homes to cause mischief and mayhem in nearby villages.  If discovered, they defend themselves violently, using their beast shape and enlarge person abilities, but they are quick to flee and hide if the tide turns against them.  Tikoloshe who take class levels usually become necromancers. 

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It seems most fey monsters in the Monster Manual/Bestiary come from Celtic mythology, which makes sense given the Western cultural origins of most fantasy settings, but it puts a damper on things when your campaign takes place in (or visits) somewhere else.  Cultures around the world have legends of fey spirits and malicious tricksters.  The tikoloshe is one of many fey creatures from sub-Saharan Africa that you can now throw into your campaign if your PCs ever find themselves stalking through the hot veldt.  

-your culturally-sensitive d20 despot

Edit: Apparently, this blog is the #1 Google result for "how 2 see if u stalked by a tikoloshe."  In fact, according to Google Analytics, 100% of the people who found my site through that search have not yet been killed by a tikoloshe.  Don't say I never helped anyone.