Viduus
This dour being has a mostly humanoid form enwrapped in a cocoonlike lower body, and wields a large quill.
Viduus (CR 4)
Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Psychopomp)Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +4
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision, spiritsense; Perception +14
Speed: 30 feet, Climb 30 feet
Space: 5 feet
Defense
Armor Class: 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 natural)Hit Points: 47 (5d10+20)
Saving Throws: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +10
Immunity: death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, poison
Energy Resistance: cold 10, electricity 10
Spell Resistance: 15
Offense
Melee: quill +5 (1d4 plus censor or expurgate)Reach: 5 feet
Statistics
| Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 15 (+2) | 19 (+4) | 16 (+3) |
CMB +5
CMD 15
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills: Bluff +11, Climb +8, Diplomacy +11, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +8
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal
Special Qualities: spirit touch, transformation
Special Abilities
Censor (Su)
A viduus that strikes a living creature with its quill can rewrite that creature's memories. The creature must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or have its memories affected in a manner similar to the spell modify memory. The viduus can rewrite 1 day's worth of the target's memories with a single strike. As a result, the creature is either stunned or confused for the next 1d4 rounds (50% chance of either). At the GM's discretion, this might have longer-term effects. A creature's memories can be restored by lesser restoration, modify memory, or similar spells. Memories lost in this manner are copied into one of the numerous tomes protected by the viduus. This is a mind-affecting effect. The DC is Charisma-based.Expurgate (Su)
A viduus that strikes a dead creature-such as a soul, petitioner, or undead creature-with its quill can obliterate that creature's memories. The creature must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or have all of its memories erased. It retains language and basic knowledge, but no details as to the events of its life. This typically leaves the creature calm and indifferent to all beings around it. This memory loss is permanent, though the memories can be restored by lesser restoration, modify memory, or similar spells. Memories lost in this manner are copied into one of the numerous tomes protected by the viduus. This is a mind-affecting effect. The DC is Charisma-based.Transformation (Su)
A viduus that is reduced to 0 hit points transforms. Its cocoon body bursts open, expelling a swarm of biting white-and-black centipedes (same statistics as a spider swarm) and a bank of mind fog centered on the viduus's square. A viduus can purposefully transform by spending three consecutive full-round actions, in which case it reforms somewhere in the Boneyard 1 month later.Ecology
Environment: AnyOrganization: solitary, pair, or library (3-12)
Treasure: standard
Viduuses occupy the libraries and scriptoriums located atop Pharasma's spire. While lesser psychopomps record every soul's death and ultimate fate upon the planes, viduuses are interested in more extraordinary souls-their lives, deeds, deaths, and secrets. Existence holds many mysteries, and those mortals who had brushes with the extraordinary have their tales and confessions recorded by these semi-cocooned scholars and added to the volumes of the Boneyard's expansive library, known as the Catalogue of Last Days.
Although pretentious in the extreme, viduuses prove quite knowledgeable about many historical and planar secrets, and what they don't know they generally have a decent idea of how to research, potentially summoning assistants from across the planes to aid them.
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