Buy me a coffeeKyton, Ostiarius, “Wardens of the Shadowed Gate”
“Enter the seductive darkness with the Ostiarius—a master of forbidden pleasures and exquisite pain, waiting to lead you into the shadows.”
Ostiariuses are grey-skinned, seductive outsiders from the Plane of Shadow, acting as gatekeepers between realms and manipulators of mortal souls.
Appearance: Standing over six feet tall, they possess smooth, ash-grey skin that glistens faintly in dim light, blending effortlessly into shadow. Their physiques are a perfect blend of allure and intimidation, with well-sculpted muscles and graceful curves that hint at both strength and seduction. Their eyes glow a deep, hypnotic crimson, while their bodies are often adorned with intricate tattoos, piercings, and fused metal elements. Some appear androgynous, while others shift their forms to appeal to individual desires, their unsettling beauty heightening their manipulative allure.
Behavior: Patient, calculating, and charismatic, Ostiariuses excel at subtle psychological manipulation. They prefer seduction over force, slowly guiding mortals toward taboo desires and moral decay. They are mesmerizing conversationalists, exploiting insecurities and hidden yearnings. Their behavior is magnetic, creating an intoxicating blend of fascination and fear in their victims.
Habitat: Originating from the shadowy, ever-shifting landscapes of the Plane of Shadow, they visit the Material Plane to seduce and corrupt. They prefer dim, secluded environments where shadows stretch long, blending with their grey skin, allowing them to remain hidden until they strike.
Modus Operandi: Their primary tactic is to tempt mortals into abandoning their moral codes, guiding them toward selfish indulgence and desires. Through manipulation, they erode the boundaries of right and wrong, eventually convincing their victims to enter the Plane of Shadow, where they and their kin feed on their souls.
Motivation: Ostiariuses are driven by the need to corrupt mortals, expanding their influence and feeding on the twisted pleasures of moral decay. They thrive on leading mortals down paths of excess, turning them into instruments of their insidious plans.
Ostiarius 5e
Ostiarius Pathfinder
Ostiarius
Medium Fiend (Kyton), Lawful Evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 20 (+5) |
Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +6, Cha +9
Skills Deception +13, Insight +6, Intimidation +9, Perception +6
Damage Resistances Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Psychic, Necrotic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Infernal, Abyssal; telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Traits
Innate Spellcasting. The Ostiarius’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The Ostiarius can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: darkness, charm person
- 3/day each: phantasmal killer, counterspell
- 1/day each: plane shift, hunger of Hadar
Shadow Step. As a bonus action, the Ostiarius can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see that is in dim light or darkness.
Unnerving Gaze. As an action, the Ostiarius can fix its gaze on one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Regeneration. The Ostiarius regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point remaining.
Kyton Resilience. The Ostiarius has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Additionally, it has resistance to psychic damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The Ostiarius makes two attacks with its Whip of Shadows.
Whip of Shadows. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) psychic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) bleed damage at the start of its next turn.
Compel Courage (Recharge 5–6). The Ostiarius releases an aura of commanding fear. Each creature of its choice within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the Ostiarius for 1 minute. While charmed, the target takes 1d6 psychic damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Dark Embrace (Recharge 5–6). The Ostiarius conjures a sphere of dark energy in a 20-foot radius. Each creature within the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute.
Enthralling Performance (1/Day). The Ostiarius can perform a captivating display of shadows and illusions. Each creature within 60 feet of it that can see the performance must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the Ostiarius for 1 hour. While charmed, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the Ostiarius is within line of sight, ending the effect on a success.
Tactics
- Hit-and-Run Tactics: The Ostiarius utilizes Shadow Step to reposition and attack from unexpected angles. It uses Whip of Shadows to deal damage and inflict ongoing bleed damage while using its teleportation to avoid retaliation.
- Psychological Warfare: The Ostiarius employs Unnerving Gaze to instill fear and disrupt enemy formations. Follow up with Compel Courage to cause further distress and vulnerability among the enemies.
- Area Control: Use Dark Embrace to deal significant necrotic damage to groups of enemies and obscure vision, forcing them into disadvantageous positions or causing them to retreat.
- Performance and Manipulation: With Enthralling Performance, the Ostiarius can incapacitate and control key enemies, manipulating them into a state of helplessness and turning them into pawns in its dark schemes.
The Ostiarius is a master of psychological and magical manipulation, leveraging its unique abilities to control the battlefield, inflict damage, and incapacitate enemies, making it a formidable and strategic opponent in any encounter.
Ostiarius
Cloaked in shadows, every curve and sculpted muscle of this creature suggests some new gasping pleasure or titillating torture.
Source Bestiary 4 pg. 176, Pathfinder #64: Beyond the Doomsday Door pg. 86
Originally posted in Archives of Nethys
Ostiariuses mind the gate between the world of mortals and the delights of the Plane of Shadow. Their role is twofold: admitting their brethren onto the Material Plane and ‘more insidiously’ convincing mortals to willingly journey with them to their shadowed homeland. They are the emissaries of their race, encouraging susceptible mortals to abandon their tired philosophies and embrace the possibilities of a realm of inscrutable darkness. Most proudly stand over 6 feet tall, though their weights range from exceedingly light to grossly heavy.
| Ostiarius CR 5 |
| XP 1,600 LE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, kyton, lawful) Init +6; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dexterity, +2 natural, +4 shield) hp 52 (7d10+14); regeneration 2 (good weapons and spells) Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +11 Immune cold, magic missile |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 touches +2 (1 plus bleed) Special Attacks bleed (1d6), compel courage, unnerving gaze (30 ft., DC 19) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +11) Constant – shield At will – calm emotions (DC 16), darkness, enthrall (DC 16), major image (DC 17) 3/day – crushing despair (DC 17), shadow walk, silence (DC 16) 1/day – plane shift (DC 21; to the Material Plane and the Plane of Shadow only, lawful evil creatures only), shout (DC 18) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 10, Dexterity 15, Constitution 14, Intelligence 19, Wisdom 18, Charisma 19 Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 19 Feats Alertness, Blind- Fight, Improved Initiative, Iron Will Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +14, Escape Artist +9, Heal +14, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (planes) +14, Perception +16, Perform (oratory) +14, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +12 Languages Common, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft. SQ shadow traveler |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Compel Courage (Ex) An ostiarius can inspire courage as a 5th-level bard using bardic performance, granting a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +2 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. This ability has a range of 50 feet and affects those creatures the ostiarius chooses who also willingly accept the benefits of the effect (no saving throw required). The ostiarius’s performance compels creatures to perform at dangerous extremes. Any living non-outsider that benefits from this ability takes 1 point of bleed damage. A creature that accepts these benefits for multiple consecutive rounds gains additional points of bleed damage that stack with one another (to a maximum of 5). This is an audible, mind-affecting effect and can be countered by a bard’s countersong class feature. Shadow Traveler (Ex) When an ostiarius uses plane shift to travel to the Plane of Shadow, it arrives at its intended destination with complete accuracy. When an ostiarius uses shadow walk, it moves at 100 miles per hour. Unnerving Gaze (Ex) A creature that succumbs to an ostiarius’s unnerving gaze becomes sickened for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any (Plane of Shadow) Organization solitary, pair, or synod (5-9) Treasure standard |