Velstrac, Cantor

Cantor CR 9

XP 6,400
LE Small outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful, velstrac)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17

DEFENSE

HP 120
EAC 21; KAC 22
Fort +8; Ref +10; Will +12
Defensive Abilities regeneration 5 (good or silver);; DR 5/good or silver; Immunities cold

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee claw +18 (2d6+9 S plus lingering touch)
Offensive Abilities unnerving gaze (30 ft., DC 18), waking nightmare
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th)

1/day—nightmare (DC 20), shadow body
3/day—paranoia (DC 19)
At will—lesser confusion (DC 18)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +6; Con +2; Int +1; Wis +4; Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +17, Mysticism +17, Stealth +17
Languages Common, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lingering Touch (Su) A creature that takes damage from a velstrac cantor’s claw must succeed at a DC 18 Will saving throw or the pain lingers in its mind, dealing 1d4 additional damage (2d4 if the cantor scored a critical hit) at the start of each of its turns for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can attempt another saving throw to end this effect. Each of the cantor’s additional successful attacks against a creature suffering this effect extends the duration by 1 round. Any form of magical healing ends this effect immediately. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Unnerving Gaze (Su) A cantor’s appearance causes shock and sympathetic pain. A creature that fails its save against this mind-affecting fear effect is shaken for 1 round.

Waking Nightmare (Su) Once per minute as a full action, a cantor can mouth a soundless scream to create an illusory double of itself that is Large and even more horrifying. Creatures within 30 feet of and able to see the cantor must succeed at a DC 18 Will saving throw or believe this illusory double to be real. At the same moment, the cantor becomes invisible (as per greater invisibility). These effects last as long as at least one creature believes the illusion, but no longer than 1 minute. Both effects also end if the cantor is ever more than 30 feet away from the illusion at the end of its turn. The illusion appears to attack each round on the cantor’s turn, and the cantor usually attacks the same target, gaining the benefits of both invisibility and stealth. After a creature attacks the illusion, the creature can attempt another save to disbelieve the effect. A creature exposed to this effect is immune to the same cantor’s waking nightmare for 24 hours.

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Shadow Plane)
Organization solitary, pair, expedition (3–6)

Only about 3 feet tall and weighing no more than 50 pounds, a cantor resembles a human child or halfling whose skin has been flayed, exposing the underlying musculature and connective tissue. Rather than being a bloody mess, however, its flesh is dull and gray. A cantor’s glossy black eyes burn red when the creature becomes violent or uses its vile powers.

A cantor velstrac is a fiend that uses its horrific appearance as a weapon. It considers itself to be an instrument in an ongoing effort to help mortals accept the velstrac notion of reality—that pain is a tool of self-exploration and development. Cantors pursue this end through subterfuge and by aiding other velstracs as scouts.