Buy me a coffeeIjiraq
Its head the skull of a caribou, this humanoid has wicked claws, and wears wrappings of ragged fur adorned with scrimshaw talismans.
Wardens of the north, ijiraqs protect the frigid beauty and placidity of their arctic homes against all who would trespass, regardless of race or intentions. They are creatures of icy resolution, merciless and unflinching as the arctic winds, bringing doom to both vicious and innocent interlopers equally.
Aloof and mysterious, they prefer not to be seen in their natural form, instead cloaking themselves in the fur and shape of swift elk or caribou. Yet even then they’re usually only glimpsed as fleeting shadows. Those who lock gazes with ijiraqs see the world around them begin to swim, seeming unreal to the extent that even a skilled forester might be unable to determine which way is north, and a life-long native of a place might become lost within sight of home.
Few can honestly claim to have ever seen an ijiraq’s true face, as the creatures wear skulls taken from impressive specimens of their alternate forms as masks. Ijiraqs typically stand about 5 feet tall—though that height reaches over 6 feet including their impressive horns—and weigh approximately 175 pounds.
Ijiraq
A bipedal caribou adorned with spiked horns stalks the edge of the forest. Its melodious voice calls to hunters, telling them of clean springs, a fine honeycomb, and easy prey just a little further ahead.
While their true forms are invisible to most, ijiraq are often seen wandering the wilds in the form of beasts or terrible caribouhuman hybrids. If seen in their true forms, they resemble short humans with horrifying features.
Medium fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 19 (+4) | 11 (+0) | 15 (+2) | 9 (-1) |
Skills Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Special Traits
- Magic Weapons. The ijiraq’s weapon attacks are magical.
- Memory Loss. After encountering an ijiraq, a creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to remember the events. On a failure, the details of the encounter rapidly fade away from the creature’s mind, including the presence of the ijiraq.
Actions
- Multiattack. In its true form, the ijiraq makes two claw attacks. In its hybrid form, it makes one gore attack and one claw attack.
- Gore (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage and 9 (2d8) poison damage.
- Claw (Hybrid Form or True Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage.
- Invisibility (True Form Only). The ijiraq magically turns invisible until it attacks, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). It may choose whether equipment it wears or carries is invisible with it or not.
- Change Shape. The ijiraq magically polymorphs into any beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, into its caribou-human hybrid form, or back into its true from. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the ijiraq’s choice). While in its true form or its hybrid form, its statistics are the same. When in a beast form, the ijiraq retains its alignment, hp, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.
Hunters of Man. Ijiraq are known to abduct humans to use for sport. Many will carry skulls of their kills as trophies, and they have a fondness for the taste of human meat. At times, they do pretend to be guides to some hidden shrine or a flock of fat geese, to lure a hunter away from others. However, they view it as poor form to attack humans that come to speak with them and will treat such people with respect during a moot.
Loathing of the Sea. The ijiraq detest open waters, the creatures that live within them, and goods that come from them.
Many villages have found safety from ijiraq by relocating close to the water’s edge.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.
Ijiraq CR 9
XP 6,400
CN Medium fey (shapechanger)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +21
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 22 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural)
hp 105 (14d6+56)
Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +13
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (2d4+3), bite +10 (2d6+3), gore +10 (2d6+3)
Ranged javelin +9 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks disorienting gaze
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +20)
At will—dimension door, fly, hallucinatory terrain (DC 20)
3/day—baleful polymorph (DC 21), control winds, cure critical wounds (DC 20), ice storm (DC 20), sleet storm (DC 19), summon nature’s ally IV
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 22
Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 23
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Nimble Moves
Skills Escape Artist +19, Handle Animal +20, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (nature) +19, Perception +21, Stealth +19, Survival +18
SQ change shape (elk, beast shape II), hide in plain sight
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disorienting Gaze (Su)
An ijiraq can level an icy stare at a creature within 30 feet. That creature takes a –20 penalty on Perception checks and Survival checks for 24 hours (Fortitude DC 23 negates). The save DC is Charisma-based. An ijiraq can use this ability while in the shape of an elk.
Hide in Plain Sight (Su)
An ijiraq can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as it’s standing in terrain covered in ice or snow, an ijiraq can hide itself from view in the open without actually hiding behind anything. An ijiraq can’t use this ability while flying, and the ability has no effect when the ijiraq isn’t in icy terrain.
ECOLOGY
Environment cold forests or plains
Organization solitary
Treasure standard (mostly valuable scrimshaw carvings)
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 4 © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Ross Byers, Adam Daigle, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, James Jacobs, Matt James, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Tork Shaw, and Russ Taylor.