Tokoloshe

Originally Posted by Mulletmanalive of the Giant in the Playground Forums.

On this Thread

A kind of “zombie spirit,” the Tokoloshe is an undead fairy created by the skills of an angry and vindictive shaman or priest amongst the Zulu. The process of creating a tokoloshe involves selecting a human corpse and using a hot iron to burn a hole through its forehead, put out its eyes and sew its mouth shut. When this is completed, the corpse distorts and tears its mouth open, revealing a new horror.

An animate tokoloshe is around nineteen inches tall with a bloated pot belly, overlong, thumbless arms that drag on the ground and a penis so long they sling it over their shoulder. Its muzzle resembles that of a chimpanzee and its body is covered in long, black, grass-like hair; its teeth are sharp and lopsided and its grin is a terror to behold.

Tokoloshe are not only difficult to control, they are outright sadistic. When not on a specific mission or freed by the completion of the torment they were created for, they like to wander, seeking new, unsuspecting victims and ruining their lives forever more. They use their horrible strength to carry off those they take a shine to, commit rape of startling violence and return night after night until they have claimed all of your digits…one by one…

Tokoloshe
Tiny undead [Fae]
Hit Dice	6d12 + 12
Initiative	+3
Speed	30ft (6 squares), Swim 20ft
Armor Class	20 (+2 Size, +3 Dexterity, +5 Natural), touch 15, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple	+3/+9
Attack	Slam +12/+12 melee (1d3+6) OR +7 Bite (1d8+3, 20/x3 plus Sever plus Mosquito’s Bite)
Full Attack	Slam +12/+12 melee (1d3+6) OR +7 Bite (1d8+3, 20/x3 plus Sever plus Mosquito’s Bite)
Space/Reach	2.5 ft / 5 ft
Special Attacks	bestow curse, Mosquito’s Bite, Sever
Special Qualities	Dissolve, DR 10/Slashing, DR 6/Natural, Fearless, greater invisibility, Horror DC 14, Nexus [Head], Tweening, undead Traits
Saves	Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities	Strength: 22/+6 Dexterity: 16/+3 Constitution: – Intelligence: 3/-4 Wisdom: 10/- Charisma: 15/+2
Skills	Move Silently +12, Swim +14
Feats	Dodge, Mobility, Improved Grapple
Environment	South African Lowlands
Organization	Solitary, Master/Servant [1-4 plus Shaman]
Challenge Rating	4
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement	7-20 Tiny

Combat

• Dissolve: When slain, the grotesque Tokoloshe reverts to the human corpse that was used to make it; it becomes recognisable as the original person, albeit with a hole burned in his skull.
• Goofer Vulnerability: Because it was designed originally to deal with similar spirits and creatures, Goofer Powder [the Voodoo equivalent of Unholy Water] is highly effective against Tokoloshe. If any of the powder comes into contact with the creature, it loses all of its DR for 1d6 rounds and must make a Fortitude save, DC 15, or be Dazed for the duration.
• Greater invisibility [Sp]: As a Full round action, the Tokoloshe can swallow a pebble which renders it invisible to all creatures that it has not cursed. Attacking does not affect this ability but they are fully visible to any creature that they have cursed. see invisibility requires a DC 16 caster level check to penetrate this effect.
• Horror [Ex]: Seeing a Tokoloshe is a terrifying experience; twisted, mutilated and disfigured beyond all mortal recognition. On first laying eyes on the creature, all characters must make a Will save, DC 15, or become Shaken for the rest of the encounter. This save is Charisma based.
• Mosquito’s Bite [Ex]: The bite of a Tokoloshe is renowned for its ability to take the toes off a sleeping person or the finger off a nosey child without the target feeling it. Any critical hit with its bite that causes the Sever ability to activate requires a Will save, DC 15 to notice because of the numbing poison of its saliva. The save is Charisma based.
• Nexus [Head]: The head of a Tokoloshe is vulnerable to attack because of the exposed spark that animates it. It is vulnerable to both Critical Hits and Precision damage if the attacker takes a -4 penalty to hit in aiming for the burned eyehole.
• Sever [Ex]: The teeth of a Tokoloshe are impossibly able to liberate small portions of its target from the body, often without notice. Rolls the tokoloshe makes to confirm Critical hits are considered to have a Threat range of 16-20. If a threat is rolled, another confirmation roll may be made, resulting in a Wound for the target.
• Tweening: The Tokoloshe is a fæ creature, after all else is said and done and can tween through Physical Boundaries and the Space beneath, along with Shadows during Dusk and Dawn.

Special Abilities

• Dissolve: When slain, the grotesque Tokoloshe reverts to the human corpse that was used to make it; it becomes recognisable as the original person, albeit with a hole burned in his skull.
• Goofer Vulnerability: Because it was designed originally to deal with similar spirits and creatures, Goofer Powder [the Voodoo equivalent of Unholy Water] is highly effective against Tokoloshe. If any of the powder comes into contact with the creature, it loses all of its DR for 1d6 rounds and must make a Fortitude save, DC 15, or be Dazed for the duration.
• Mosquito’s Bite [Ex]: The bite of a Tokoloshe is renowned for its ability to take the toes off a sleeping person or the finger off a nosey child without the target feeling it. Any critical hit with its bite that causes the Sever ability to activate requires a Will save, DC 16 to notice because of the numbing poison of its saliva.
• Sever [Ex]: The teeth of a Tokoloshe are impossibly able to liberate small portions of its target from the body, often without notice. Rolls the tokoloshe makes to confirm Critical hits are considered to have a Threat range of 16-20. If a threat is rolled, another confirmation roll may be made, resulting in a Wound for the target.
• Tweening: The Tokoloshe is a fæ creature, after all else is said and done and can tween through Physical Boundaries and the Space beneath, along with Shadows during Dusk and Dawn.

Note: the Tokoloshe is made using the Compact upgrade, hence retaining it’s medium size for Grappling modifiers. However, lacking thumbs puts it at a real disadvantage here and so it suffers a -4 penalty on Grapple checks.

Lore

DC	Lore
6	Tokoloshe are little monsters that eat children and toes
11	Putting your bed up on paper wrapped bricks or tin buckets will protect from Tokoloshe in the night
16	While imbued with fairy power, Tokoloshe are a kind of undead made by shamans from corpses in a horrible ritual
21	Tokoloshe are invisible and attack people near rivers. They bite off toes and you might not even notice
26	Goofer powder is effective against Tokoloshe as the similar magics interfere with each other. Tokoloshe can’t Climb refined materials, hence why standing your bed on paper or tin can protect you
31	The heart of a tokoloshe is its key weakness and is help by the shaman commanding it. Tokoloshe that break free of a shaman hide their heart amongst the stones of their favoured watery lair. Destroying the heart slays the creature instantly.