monster, Kanaima

You see a strong human warrior, running towards you while it swings a Battleaxe above its head. The warrior’s face is distorted by rage and madness; its eyes are lost in the void and its mouth spews flecks of white foam. Then you think you make out the form of a ghostly beast behind the warrior, guiding its actions and howling with delight at his madness’

Monster Encyclopaedia II: The Dark Bestiary

Author J. C. Alvarez

Series Monster Encyclopaedia

Publisher Mongoose Publishing

Publish date 2005

A kanaima is a raging, destructive spirit embodying the darkest and most violent aspects of the human soul. It is always incorporeal and invisible; it needs to possess humanoids to manifest. A character possessed by a kanaima appears as a crazed lunatic, halfway between madness and berserker frenzy. In its natural form, a kanaima is a four-legged Medium beast with sharp fangs and claws, although nobody has ever seen one clearly – except through the eyes of a possessed mortal.

Kanaima speak Abyssal.

Kanaima
Medium outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Incorporeal, Native)
Hit Dice	4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative	+6
Speed	40 ft.(8 squares), Fly 40 ft. (good)
AC	15 (+2 Dexterity, +3 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple	+4/–
Attack	Incorporeal bow +6 ranged (1d10 plus death) or incorporeal touch +6 melee (1d10 plus wrath)
Full Attack	Incorporeal bow +6 ranged (1d10 plus death) or incorporeal touch +6 melee (1d10 plus wrath)
Space/Reach	5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks	Death, possession, wrath
Special Qualities	Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, invisibility
Saves	Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities	Strength–, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 16
Skills	Heal +7, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Listen +7, Search +7, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7, Survival +7 (+9 when following tracks)
Feats	Ability Focus (possession), Improved Initiative
Environment	Warm forests
Organisation	Solitary
Challenge Rating	5
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always chaotic evil
Advancement	5-8 HD (Medium), 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	—

Combat

Kanaima prefer to fight through possessed victims, causing them to rage and battle to death. When this option is not available for any reason, they use their arrows of death and incorporeal wrath touch (in that order).

Death Arrows (Su): A kanaima has a supernatural attack, which takes the form of an incorporeal bow, through which it can shoot a limitless number of incorporeal arrows. Any living, intelligent creature hit by a kanaima’s incorporeal arrows must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15, Charisma based) or be shot through the heart and die on the Spot (–10 hit points).

Possession (Su): A kanaima can possess humanoid creatures as a standard action. The intended victim is allowed a Will save (DC 17, Charisma based) to avoid possession. The kanaima controls the body of a possessed creature. A possessed creature enters a greater rage (as if it was an 11th level barbarian), except it attacks everything in sight, not only enemies, starting with the nearest creature, and the rage state lasts for as long as the kanaima spirit chooses to remain inside the host’s body (usually until the possessed creature dies or there is no other living creature in sight). Otherwise, such a rage can only be ended by somehow expelling the kanaima from the creature’s body. If possession would force a victim to attack a creature it regards as an ally or friend, the creature is allowed an additional Will save to negate the possession effects, up to a maximum of one Will save for each round it would be forced to attack an ally or friend. As soon as the kanaima leaves the creature’s body (either forcefully or willingly), the rage ends and the creature becomes exhausted.

Wrath (Su): Any creature damaged by a kanaima’s incorporeal touch must succeed at a Will save (DC 15, Charisma based) or become affected as per a confusion spell at caster level 9th. A creature thus confused by a kanaima’s touch also enters a greater rage (as an 11th level barbarian) for as long as the confusion effect lasts. When the confusion ends, the creature becomes exhausted.

Invisibility (Su): A kanaima’s natural form is invisible, even when attacking or taking any other action. This ability is always in effect, and not affected by invisibility-dispelling effects such as Invisibility Purge. A detect invisibility spell reveals the vague bestial outlines of the kanaima, though the creature is still affected as per a blur spell (and thus has concealment).