Nuri-botoke

This grotesque creature is a flabby corpse-like humanoid from the waist up, and a flopping fish from the waist down. Its head is bald like a monks’, and its entire body is covered in a layer of black lacquer. Its eyes dangle from their sockets, thrashing about as it moves.

Source Demiurge113
Originally posted on Probing the Membrane of Science

The shrine is a common item in many households, serving as a center for religious activity and a place for minor offerings to the gods and Kami. Some lucky people have a Kami inhabiting their shrine, bestowing minor favors and boons if pleased and guarding the household from dangerous spirits. Unlucky persons may have one of those dangerous spirits instead—a lacquer coated monster known as the nuri-botoke.

Nuri-botoke are created from the souls of those who, in life, disrespected the gods and Kami alike. In death, envious of the love and respect offered to the divine, these creatures mimic those they formerly scorned, posing as an ancestral spirit, small god or the like. Families who appease these monstrous ‘gods are rewarded with riches and favors scored at the expense of others, whereas those who see through the alternating honeyed and threatening words of the nuri-botoke are instead terrorized before being slain.

Those nuri-botoke not bound to a household shrine are found in the plane of Shadow, rummaging through its catacombs and ossuaries for treasures. Greedy creatures, they are adept at using any magical properties of the gear they find, and will gladly sacrifice a valuable treasure in exchange for their lives.

Nuri-botoke CR 7

XP 3,200 LE Medium undead (extraplanar) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +16

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+2 Dexterity, +10 natural) hp 82 (11d8+33), fast healing 4 Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9 DR 10/magic and slashing; Immune undead traits; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., Climb 20 ft Melee 2 claws +13 (1d4+5), tail slap +11 (1d8+2) Spell-like Abilities CL 11th, concentration+14   3/day – charm person (DC 14), invisibility, major image   1/day – deceptive divination (DC 18), dimension door (self only), plane shift (self only)

Statistics

Strength 20, Dexterity 15, Constitution -, Intelligence 16, Wisdom 15, Charisma 16 Base Atk +8; CMB +13 (+15 to trip or disarm); CMD 25 (cannot be tripped) Feats Blind-fight, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Multiattack Skills Bluff +14, Climb +13, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (religion) +17, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +16, Use Magic Device +14 Languages Common, Celestial, Infernal SQ false ward, flexible gaze, merge with ward, trick item

ECOLOGY

Environment Plane of Shadow or urban Organization solitary Treasure double standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Deceptive Divination (Sp) This ability functions as a divination spell, except that one creature that hears the answer to the question asked must succeed a DC 18 Will save or be affected as by a suggestion spell, suggesting a course of action of the nuri-botoke’s choice. This is a language-dependent mind-influencing effect. This is the equivalent of a 5th level spell. The save DC is Charisma based.   False Ward (Su) Once per week, a nuri-botoke can spend 1 minute to designate an object of Medium size or larger as its ward. This functions as the Kami ability of the same name. The nuri-botoke only gains use of its fast healing if it is within 120 feet of its ward. A nuri-botoke can dismiss this designation as a full-round action.   Flexible Gaze (Ex) A nuri-botoke ignores any cover bonuses to AC and saves of adjacent opponents. It treats adjacent opponents with total cover as if they had cover instead.   Trick Item (Su) A nuri-botoke can take 10 on Use Magic Device checks, even if rushed or threatened.