unreluctantone

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Shrine Skelm

Image © Paizo Publishing, accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[The shrine skelm, like all of the skelms, rules, but I didn't like how it doesn't have any ability to magically conceal its alignment. Considering that spells like misdirection and nondetection exist in 2e (although now they have non SRD names like "veil of privacy"), it seems a bit of an oversight to have a monster whose whole deal is deceiving religious figures whose cover can be blown by any 1st level paladin. So I gave it the "feign faith" ability, and some spell-like abilities to synergize with it.]

Shrine Skelm CR 5 LE Monstrous Humanoid This gray-skinned figure is nearly human, except for his yellow eyes and rack of antlers. He wears priestly vestments and expensive-looking holy symbols.

Shrine skelms are skelms that specialize in abusing religious authority. Regardless of what faith they feign, they are skilled at interpreting its doctrines and stories in the most restrictive and cruel lights, using them as excuses for the abuse they heap onto their followers. All of their parishioners are at risk, of course, but shrine skelms focus their ire on those who question their authority, or those who have something that they envy. Exorbitant tithing is often the first sign that a shrine skelm has infiltrated a church. Shrine skelms are skilled at seeming like a wise counselor one minute and a cruel adjutant the next, listening to their followers at prayer and probing their minds to learn their hopes and fears. Worshipers or clergy especially prone to hatred, rage or anger may find themselves groomed to become a skelm themselves, and a church can rapidly be converted into a front for a synod of shrine skelms.

Shrine skelms prefer not to fight themselves, instead letting their minions get their hands dirty while supporting them with spells. A shrine skelm’s most formidable ability is the ability to steal divine spells cast by real clerics, paladins, inquisitors, etc., which can both be used as a combat tactic and to denigrate anyone who tries to display the truth of their faith versus the skelm’s disguises and lies. Once the chips are down and their true nature revealed, however, a shrine skelm is just as hateful and violent as any skelm, using their antlers and fists to gore and bash enemies.

Shrine Skelm CR 5 XP 1,600 LE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +3; Senses Perception +11, scent

Defense AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural) hp 57 (6d10+24) Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7; -2 vs. emotion effects DR 5/cold iron

Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee gore +11 (1d8+5 plus trip), slam +11 (1d4+5) Special Attacks feign faith,seize prayer Spell-like Abilities CL 6th, concentration +11 3/day—aid, castigate (DC 17), command (DC 16), detect thoughts (DC 17) 1/day—enthrall (DC 17), retribution (DC 18)

Statistics Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 19, Wis 15, Cha 21 Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 25 Feats Deceitful,Dodge, Magical Aptitude Skills Bluff +13, Disguise +13, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +11, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +12, Use Magic Device +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate Languages Aklo, Common, telepathy 30 ft. SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self),skelm traits

Ecology Environment any land and urban Organization solitary or synod (2-7) Treasure standard (holy symbols, other treasure)

Special Abilities Feign Faith (Su) When a shrine skelm wears a holy symbol, its alignment detects as the alignment of that god, and its castigate and retribution spell-like abilities treat the shrine skelm as a worshipper of that god. A creature attempting to detect the skelm’s true alignment must succeed a DC 18 Will save to do so. The save DC is Charisma based. Seize Prayer (Su) As an immediate action, a shrine skelm can attempt an opposed caster level check to steal a divine spell cast within 30 feet of it. This spell must have a verbal component. If the shrine skelm succeeds this check, both the skelm and the caster take 1d8 points of damage per level of the spell, but the shrine skelm becomes the spell’s sole target. Skelm Traits (Ex) A shrine skelm gains a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks and a -2 racial penalty on saving throws against emotion effects.

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