Psychopomp, Algea

This shrill swarm of whip-poor-wills flies in a spiral, their airborne antics infused with streamers of pale blue mist.

Algea CR 11

XP 12,800
N Diminutive outsider (extraplanar, psychopomp, swarm)
Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., greater arcane sight, low-light vision, spiritsense; Perception +26
Aura grief (30 ft., DC 24)

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 24, flat-footed 14 (+10 Dex, +4 size)
hp 149 (13d10+78)
Fort +12, Ref +20, Will +16
Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune death effects, disease, poison, weapon damage; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, sonic 10; SR 22

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)
Melee swarm (3d6 plus distraction)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 22), drain magic, soul cage
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +19)

Constant—greater arcane sight
At will—mass invisibility (self only), speak with dead (DC 21)
3/day—call spirit (DC 23), confusion (DC 22)
1/day—plane shift (swarm counts as one creature; DC 27)

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 30, Con 23, Int 15, Wis 23, Cha 26
Base Atk +13; CMB —; CMD —
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics +26, Fly +36, Knowledge (planes, religion) +18, Perception +26, Sense Motive +26, Spellcraft +18, Stealth +38
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Infernal
SQ spirit touch

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Aura of Grief (Su)

Each creature within 30 feet of an algea must succeed at a DC 24 Will save at the start of its turn or become stricken with intense grief for 1 round. A creature so affected can take no actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses its Dexterity bonus (if any). Once a creature successfully saves against this effect, it is immune to all algeas’ auras of grief for 24 hours. Although this is an emotion and mind-affecting effect, it can still affect undead, despite their usual immunities to such effects. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Drain Magic (Su)

Whenever the algea deals swarm damage to a creature, it also dispels an active spell on the creature or one of the creature’s items as per a targeted dispel magic (CL 11th). The algea can choose which effect to dispel for each creature, targeting the most troublesome first.

Soul Cage (Su)

An algea’s distraction ability works against creatures normally immune to nausea. An incorporeal creature that fails its save against an algea’s distraction is trapped within the algea’s space for 1 round, during which it can’t move out of that space (even via teleportation effects and the like). If the algea uses plane shift on any trapped creatures, they take a –4 penalty to save against the effect.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary or spiral (2–6 swarms)
Treasure none

Algeas protect (and in some cases retrieve) souls that are at risk of being claimed by other entities, particularly spellcasters who dabbled with otherworldly forces but never officially pledged their souls. Algeas are particularly focused on intervening and “rescuing” souls in danger of being trapped within the Material Plane by powerful entities like the Great-Old-Ones or false prophets who have deluded minions into worshiping them as living gods.