Back in January, I gave my patrons on Patreon a preview of all the rewards tiers available for backers. Those who pledge $5+ per month get access to a new Monster Monday every week, and $8+ backers get to vote on the final monster of every month. At the end of January, backers chose the strix harpy (which won out over the bone thief and the pricoloci) and they got it! Now, three months later, you're getting it too! Big thanks to my patrons - if you'd like to join their ranks in supporting d20 Despot, head on over to patreon.com/d20despot and make a pledge. Or if you'd like to help us out without spending any hard-earned copper pieces, like d20 despot on facebook and share us with your nerdy friends!
Okay, enough self-promotion; here's your strix harpy.
The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2016 Jonah Bomgaars.
Harpy, Strix CR
6
XP 2,400
CE Medium monstrous
humanoid
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2
armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural)
hp 68 (8d10+24)
Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +9
Immune disease, fear
Weakness light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+2 plus 1 bleed),
bite +5 (1d4+1 plus 1 bleed)
Special Attacks doom song (DC 17), rend
(2 claws, 1d6+3 plus 1 bleed)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th)
at will – ill omen (DC 14)
3/day – cause
fear (DC 14), charm person (DC 14),
hold person (DC 15)
1/week – augury,
bestow curse (DC 16)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 17
Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 23
Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Great
Fortitude, Toughness
Skills Fly +13, Intimidate +11,
Perception +15, Perform (song) +5, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
Languages Common
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Doom Song (Su)
The strix
harpy’s song has the power to instill the chilling fear of death and ill-omen
in all who hear it. When a strix harpy
sings, all creatures aside from other harpies within a 300-foot spread must
succeed on a DC 17 Will saving throw or become shaken. A creature that successfully saves is not
subject to the same strix harpy’s song for 24 hours. The effect continues for as long as the strix
harpy sings and for 1 round thereafter.
This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma based.
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, flight
(1-3 plus 2-8 harpies), coven (2-8 plus 1 spellcaster of at least 3rd level)
Treasure Standard (leather armor, other
treasure)
More bestial
and hideous than even normal harpies, the strix harpy is a bloodthirsty
creature who delights in inflicting fear and torment on her victims. She resembles an owl, with large eyes set in
even larger sockets and a hooked nose that gives the impression of a beak. Her wings move as silently as an owl’s,
allowing her to sneak up on prey without warning and adding to her species’
ghostly reputation. Strix harpies are
renowned for their cunning and brutality.
With their chilling doom song and host of spell-like abilities, they like
to toy with their prey’s emotions, letting them stew in fear before swooping in
to tear them apart with sharp teeth and talons.
Even more than other harpies, strix harpies revel in blood. Their attacks leave seeping wounds, which the
strix eagerly drink from. By the time the
strix harpy is finished feeding, she is red with gore and truly terrifying to
behold.
Strix harpies are loners by nature, but
sometimes see the benefit of joining together in hunting pairs or even covens
to better prey on sentient life. Some
normal harpies seek out strix harpies to flock with, for the strix harpies’
doom songs make their prey more susceptible to the harpies’ captivating
song. Sometimes a brave mortal will seek
out a strix harpy and placate it with gifts in hopes of gaining an augury from
the creature. According to legend, a
strix harpy’s feathers can be used to brew a potent love potion, but such a
love is doomed to a tragic end.
-your ominous d20 despot
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