Shining Child

Surrounded by a nimbus of near-blinding light, this strange creature looks something like an emaciated child with clawed hands.

Shining Child (CR 12)

XP 19,200
CE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +25
Aura blinding light (60 feet)

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 21, flat-footed 24 (+7 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural)
hp 152 (16d10+64)
Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +10
Immune blindness, fire, poison; Resist cold 10, sonic 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 touches +19 (4d10 fire plus burning touch)
Ranged searing ray +19 touch (10d6 fire)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +19)

At will—greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), light, major image (DC 20)
3/day—greater dispel magic, mirage arcana (DC 20), rainbow pattern (DC 22), spell turning, sunbeam, wall of force
1/day—scintillating pattern (DC 25), screen (DC 25), symbol of insanity (DC 25)

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 11, Cha 24
Base Atk +16; CMB +16; CMD 37
Feats Ability Focus (blinding light), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Skill Focus (Perception), Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills* Bluff +26, Diplomacy +23, Fly +11, Intimidate +26, Knowledge (arcana) +21, Knowledge (planes) +21, Perception +25, Spellcraft +21, Use Magic Device +26
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
SQ radiant armor

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blinding Light (Ex)

A shining child can radiate a 60-foot-radius aura of blinding light as a free action. Creatures within the affected area must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or be permanently blinded. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same shining child’s aura for 24 hours. The save is Constitution-based.

Burning Touch (Su)

A shining child corrupts the positive energy within a living creature into an unnatural burning light. For the next 5 rounds after a successful touch attack by a shining child, the target takes 2d6 points of fire damage. The burning light can be “extinguished” by casting darkness or deeper darkness on the target, or by entering an area of natural darkness (not counting the light from the burning target).

Radiant Armor (Su)

The light that surrounds a shining child grants a deflection bonus to its AC equal to its Charisma bonus. The bonus is negated as long as the shining child is in the area of effect of a spell with the darkness descriptor that is at least 3rd level.

Searing Ray (Su)

A shining child’s primary attack is a ray of searing light. This attack has a range of 120 feet. The ray deals double damage to undead creatures.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land (extraplanar)
Organization solitary, visitation (2–9), or incursion (11–20)
Treasure none

Creatures of burning light and strange geometry, shining children are a terror to behold. Beyond the flares of energy that constantly burst from their forms (particularly in beam-like gouts from their eyes and mouths), the creatures are vaguely humanoid, with strange hands that each bear four fingers. Occasionally summoned by powerful wizards in search of rare arcane knowledge, the shining children (who disdain individual names) communicate via telepathy, a psychic roar like metal tearing that sometimes resolves into strained and raspy words.

Though they harbor many secrets, their greatest secret may be their own origin. Numerous theories abound—that the shining children are beings from another dimension, avatars of a dying star grown sentient, or creatures of light battling living darkness at the edge of reality. A shining child stands just over 4-1/2 feet tall and weighs 85 pounds.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.