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Pothos

Pothos
“Dama Fatali” by Alberto dal Lago, © Asterion Press.

This statuesque humanoid has fine features and perfect proportions. The only disturbing addition to their beauty is the four long tentacles that grow in place of their arms.

Taken from the creature codex.tumblr

A pothos, also known as a lethal lover, is a fey creature that represents obsessive and destructive love. Pothoi delight in driving humanoids to madness and violence with love—their very presence is like a drug to their victims, who willingly sink into the lethal lover’s embrace even as the creature drains their life force.  A mere glance is enough to initiate this love madness, and pothoi tend to live in places where the unaware are likely to stumble upon them—dappled glades, pristine waterfalls and other wild areas that stir the passions of travelers.

A pothos typically prefers to work its insidious magic over extended periods of time. First they inflict a creature with their bewitching magic, and then kill them slowly over days of intimate contact. The drawn out nature of the death is what a pothos most enjoys; sending their dupe back home to pine for a while before deigning to meet them for another tryst, using their spell-like abilities to torment and vex their victim, and even magically encouraging them to commit crimes to appease their lethal lover. If forced into direct combat, a pothos will render enemies dazed with their beauty, then grab and crush any creature that resists. They will readily flee for their lives from a foe unaffected by their mind-influencing magic.

Lethal lovers can assume the physical appearance of any gender or sex they choose. They can change their appearance by wrapping themselves in a cocoon of tentacles for 24 hours, during which time they gently mold their features into whatever form they please. Pothoi hate other fey, especially nymphs, whom they view as a manifestation of balanced and healthy love. Unlike most fey, they have no particular affinity for animals, and may torture and kill animals in their territory specifically to antagonize other fey creatures.

A pothos typically stands as tall as a human, although some are sized to prey on Small creatures.

In myth

Pothos, is one of the Erotes, who were aspects of or associated with Eros. Pothos specifically was the god of yearning and unrequited love

Pothos Boons and Banes (CL 8th, level 4, DC 18)
A pothos typically inflicts their boon and bane on the same target, the better to drive them into a frenzy of lust and wear down their sanity and morality. Their boon is particularly treacherous; though it seems like a benefit, it makes it more and more difficult for the allies of their victims to get the help they need.

Boon: You become deadened to any emotions, save for those inspired by a pothos.You gain a +4 morale bonus on all saves against emotion and fear effects, except for those cast by the pothos that bestowed this boon. This boon lasts for 1 week.

Bane: You are in constant telepathic contact with the pothos that inflicted this bane. You may communicate with them telepathically at any range, as long as you are on the same plane. She may use any of her spell-like abilities, or her bewitching glance, on you as a standard action through this link. This bane lasts for 1 month.  

Pothos                  CR 7
XP 3,200

NE Medium fey
Init +5; Senses low-light vision, Perception +12
Defense
AC 
21, touch 20, flat-footed 15 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 deflection, +1 natural)
hp 68 (8d6+40); fast healing 3
Fort 
+6, Ref +11, Will +9
DR 
10/cold iron; SR 18
Defensive Abilities uncanny grace
Offense
Speed 
30 ft.
Melee 
4 tentacles +9 (1d4+2 plus grab)
Space 
5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)
Special Attacks bewitching glance, constrict (4d4+3), drain life, gaze
Spell-like Abilities 
CL 8th, concentration +12
At will—reckless infatuation (DC 17), unnatural lust (DC 16)
3/day—dimension door, sending, suggestion (DC 17)
1/day—nightmare (DC 19), terrible remorse (DC 18)
Statistics
Str 
14, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 15, Wis16, Cha 18
Base Atk +4; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 26
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Dodge, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +14, Diplomacy +14, Disguise +14, Knowledge (local) +12, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +14, Survival +12, Swim +11
Languages Common, Gnome, Sylvan
Ecology
Environment 
temperate forests
Organization 
solitary
Treasure 
double standard
Special Abilities
Bewitching Glance (Su) 
As a standard action, a pothos may cast a glance at a living creature within 30 feet in order to make the creature to become obsessed with them. If the creature fails a DC 18 Will save, it is treated as having a moderate addiction to the pothos’ touch. Unlike a normal drug addiction, a remove curse can remove this effect, rather than a remove disease. A creature that succeeds its save is immune to the bewitching glance of that pothos for the next 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based.
Drain Life (Su) 
A pothos can use drain life by touching a willing, helpless or pinned living creature as a standard action. Doing so inflicts one negative level; this negative level can be removed 24 hours later with a successful DC 18 Fortitude save. A creature addicted to the pothos’ touch via its bewitching glance ability is always treated as a willing target. The save DC is Constitution based.
Gaze (Su) 
30 ft., Will DC 18 negates, dazed 1 round. The save DC is Charisma based.
Uncanny Grace (Su) 
A pothos gains its Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to its AC and CMD.

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