Image
©
Carli Ihde, accessed at her deviantArt page here
[Of all of the fearsome critters I’ve statted up, the squonk is the one I’m most surprised to see hasn’t ended up in a Pathfinder Bestiary yet. My take is, yet again, rather iconoclastic.]
Squonk
This misshapen little quadruped is as ugly as it is
pathetic. Its wrinkled skin seems to fit poorly over its frame, bunching in
some places and sagging in others. Warts and skin tags of all sizes cover the
thing’s entire body, from its wide head to its stubby little tail. It looks at
you with wet eyes and begins to sob uncontrollably.
Deep in the hemlock woods,
loggers and travelers might hear the out-of-place sound of sobbing as they go
about their business. Those who know a thing or two about the woods will tell
that that is the sound of a squonk, crying about its hideous appearance and
ill-fitting skin. The truly knowledgeable know that the squonk cries not for
itself, but for the world. Blessed or cursed by a god of prophecy, all squonks
from the moment they are born are forever assaulted with visions of the deaths
and misfortunes of thousands of creatures. This overwhelming sadness leaves
squonks dejected and miserable, and they spend most of their time trying to
avoid contact with other beings, not wishing to be confronted with myriad
conflicting images of suffering. If a squonk can be found and convinced to
converse, it will generally prove to be friendly, albeit depressing company. If
a squonk concentrates, it can receive a more concrete vision of the future, but
such divinations tend towards the
most pessimistic answers possible. Squonks will accept payment in exchange for
using this power—after all, inanimate objects tend to have less tragic futures
and thus make better company.
Squonks are able to use
despair as a weapon, defending themselves by sharing a tiny fraction of their
visions with their assailants. Their ability to see their own forthcoming pain
gives them a modicum of defense, allowing them to react to injuries before they
occur. Wicked men of all races seek to capture and enslave squonks, either as
zoological curiosities or to try to exploit their prophetic powers. A squonk
can allow its body to dissolve into liquid, however, making them very difficult
prisoners. In addition, the other intelligent denizens of the hemlock woods
tend to view squonks with pity and affection, and a would-be squonk hunter may
find his expedition meeting with violent resistance.
Squonk CR 4
XP 1,200
N Small magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision, Perception +10
Aura sobs
(20 ft., Will DC 14)
Defense
AC 18, touch
15, flat-footed 17 (+1 size, +1 Dex,
+3 natural, +3 insight)
hp 34
(4d10+16)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +6
DR 5/slashing
or bludgeoning
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite
+6 (1d6+1)
Spell-like Abilities CL 6th, concentration +8 (+12 casting defensively)
At will—doom (DC 13)
1/day—bestow curse (DC 15), divination, scare (DC 14), speak with dead (DC 15)
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 17, Wis
16, Cha 14
Base Attack +4;
CMB +4; CMD 18
Feats Combat
Casting, Iron Will
Skills Diplomacy
+6, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +10, Sense Motive +7, Survival +7
Languages Common,
Elven, Gnome, Sylvan
SQ fluid
form, insightful visions
Ecology
Environment temperate
forests
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Aura of Sobs (Su) all living creatures within 20 feet of a squonk must succeed a DC 14
Will save or be overcome by supernatural sadness, taking a -2 penalty on all
attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks.
This penalty lasts as long as the creature remains within the aura of sobs, as
well as for 1 minute thereafter. A successful saving throw against a squonk’s
aura of sobs does not grant immunity to further exposure. This is a mind-influencing
curse effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Fluid Form (Su) as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a
squonk may dissolve into a puddle of bubbles and tears. This acts as the spell gaseous form, except that the squonk
retains its land speed and gains a Swim speed of 10 feet instead of a fly
speed. A squonk can remain in fluid form indefinitely, and changes in form
cannot be dispelled.
Insightful Visions (Su) a squonk adds its Wisdom modifier as an insight bonus
to Armor Class and to Combat Maneuver Defense. It gains this bonus even when
flat-footed; only a helpless squonk loses its insight bonus.
The Creature Codex 