Peryton (Heretical)Creature 4
Source Pathfinder Society Scenario #3-13: Guardian's Covenant
Perception +13 (darkvision)
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +11, Intimidation +11, Stealth +11
Str +4, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +5, Cha +3
AC 21; Fort +8; Reflex +11; Will +13;
HP 60 (void healing)
Speed 25 feet (fly 50 feet)
Weaknesses Holy 5
Antler
+14 (+9, +4) to hit (deadly d8) 1d12+7 PiercingFangs
+14 (+10, +6) to hit (agile) 1d8+7 SlashingVoid Healing
A creature with void healing draws health from void energy rather than vitality energy. It is damaged by vitality damage and is not healed by vitality healing effects. It does not take void damage, and it is healed by void effects that heal undead.
Abjure the Blessings of VitalityDespite not being undead, this creature gains void healing. Its Strikes deal an additional 1d6 spirit damage to creatures that can cast divine or primal spells.
Heart Ripper
(attack, emotion, fear, visual)The peryton rips out the heart of an adjacent corpse with their jaws. The creature must have died in the last minute. As the peryton rips the heart free and swallows it whole, they regain 2d6 healing HP, and any non-peryton that witnesses this event must succeed at a DC 21 will save or become Frightened 1 (or Frightened 2 on a critical failure).
Mimic Shadow
(emotion, fear, occult, shadow)Requirements The target must be casting a shadow
Effect The peryton Flies, going no higher than 20 feet over the target creature. The target creature must succeed at a DC 21 will save or the peryton's shadow changes to match that cast by the target creature. With their shadow so transformed, the peryton gains a +2 status bonus to attack and damage rolls against that creature.
In addition, each time the peryton successfully Strikes that creature, the creature must succeed at a DC 21 will save or become Frightened 1, or increase its frightened condition by 1 if it's already frightened. This is an emotion and fear effect. The shadow remains transformed for 1 hour or until the peryton Mimics a Shadow again, whichever comes first.
The monsters have a visceral hatred of good deities and their servants, particularly Arcadia's benevolent couatls.
The peryton is an amalgam of horror, merging the features of a stag, wolf, and hawk. They love using shadows to stalk their victims before ripping out their still-beating hearts and relishing the dying pulse as they swallow them whole, so the doomed victims spends their last moments watching as their flesh is consumed.
Despite perytons' animalistic appearance and brutal behavior, they are viciously cunning and as intelligent as humans. Their preferred tactic is to find a lone traveler and stalk it from on high. Most perytons are loners who loathe all other creatures. These feelings extend to other perytons as well, and adult males attack each other on sight as surely as they attack anything else.
Once per year, perytons mate. The males offer up hearts they have collected from humanoids to attract females. Those that manage to secure a mate rarely survive long though, as their mating ritual is short and violent. Female perytons generally abandon their eggs after laying them, so newly hatched perytons must fend for themselves from the moment they emerge.
A lone peryton typically builds a nest in a rocky overhang or an exceptionally tall and strong tree where they can observe nearby lands. Although they aren't particularly interested in wealth, perytons do like to collect small objects from their victims. During those times between hunts, they sometimes study these trophies in order to relive the memories of victims' last moments and the taste of victims' hearts.
Traits
Something of uncommon rarity requires special training or comes from a particular culture or part of the world. Some character choices give access to uncommon options, and the GM can choose to allow access for anyone. Less is known about uncommon creatures than common creatures. They typically can't be summoned. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to these creature is increased by 2.
BeastA creature similar to an animal but with an Intelligence modifier of –3 or higher is usually a beast. Unlike an animal, a beast might be able to speak and reason.
UnholyEffects with the unholy trait are tied to powerful magical forces of cruelty and sin. They often have stronger effects on holy creatures. Creatures with this trait are strongly devoted to unholy causes, and often have weakness to holy. If a creature with weakness to unholy uses an unholy item or effect, it takes damage from its weakness.