Horla

Depression and ennui accompany a barely perceptible sensation of something cold and smooth brushing against the skin.

Horla CR 8

XP 4,800
CE Small aberration (extraplanar)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 104 (11d8+55)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +11
DR 5/magic and slashing; Immune fear, fire, poison, sleep

OFFENSE

Speed fly 30 ft. (good)
Melee 3 tentacles +15 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks command somnambulist, ennui, sneak attack +2d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +12)

Constantgreater invisibility
At willdetect thoughts (DC 16), suggestion (DC 17)
3/daycrushing despair (DC 18)
1/daycharm monster (DC 18), deep slumber (DC 17), dominate person (DC 19), status (DC 16)

STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 20, Con 21, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 19
Base Atk +8; CMB +12 (+14 disarm); CMD 24 (26 vs. disarm)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Skills Bluff +15, Fly +25, Perception +18, Sense Motive +15, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Aklo; absorb language; telepathy 200 ft.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Absorb Language (Ex)

When a creature answers a horla’s telepathy, the horla can speak any languages known by that creature for 24 hours.

Command Somnambulist (Su)

Once per day when a horla controls a sleeping creature via dominate person, it can cause the creature to wake and obey it for a number of hours equal to the horla’s Charisma modifier (4 hours for the typical horla). If the creature is allowed to return to sleep before this duration expires, it retains no memories of any of the activities it performed during that time.

Ennui (Su)

Once per day as a standard action, a horla can target a sleeping creature within 30 feet with an insidious curse.

The target can resist the ennui with a successful DC 19 Will save, but regardless of the result of the save, the target is not aware that it has been targeted by this subtle effect. If the victim fails this save, it takes a –2 penalty on ability checks, saving throws, and skill checks for 24 hours. This penalty is doubled to –4 on saving throws against fear effects and for concentration checks. This is a mind-affecting curse effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Ethereal plane)
Organization solitary, pair, or invasion (3–10)
Treasure standard

Horlas are native to the Ethereal Plane. Although they have no inborn ability to traverse the boundaries between planes, all horlas seek ways to slip onto the Material Plane so they can feed on the hopes and dreams of humanoids.

Once on the Material Plane, a horla selects a favored host to plague while remaining invisible, gaining nourishment by consuming hope and leaving the host wracked with ennui.

The horla slowly drives its host mad by forcing him into increasingly destructive acts, yet it is always careful to issue its commands so that the repercussions are what cause lasting harm to a victim’s social life or relationships rather than the specific acts.

When not invisible, a horla appears as spherical mass with several tentacles. A typical horla weighs 40 pounds.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6 © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

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