Charau-Ka

This limber, shrieking creature has the visage of an enraged monkey, but it walks upright like a man.

Charau-Ka CR 2

XP 600
CE Small humanoid (charau-ka)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +2

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee club +5 (1d4+3), bite +0 (1d3+1)
Ranged rock +5 (1d4+2/19–20)
Special Attacks shrieking frenzy, thrown-weapon mastery

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Throw AnythingB
Skills Climb +14, Fly +0, Perception +2, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Languages Abyssal, Polyglot

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Shrieking Frenzy (Su)

Once per day, a charau-ka can enter a state of shrieking frenzy as a free action. While in this state, the charau-ka automatically fails Stealth checks and cannot speak or cast spells that use verbal components (or use items that require command words to activate), but functions as if under the effects of a haste spell. The charauka can continue shrieking for up to 3 rounds, after which it is staggered for 1 round.

Thrown-Weapon Mastery (Ex)

Charau-ka are masters of thrown weapons. All charau-ka gain Throw Anything as a bonus feat. In addition, a charau-ka gains a +1 racial bonus on all thrown weapons, and their threat range for thrown weapons is doubled, as if the charau-ka possessed the Improved Critical feat for all thrown weapons. This effect doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, pair, patrol (3–8), or tribe (9–20 plus 1–3 dire apes, 1–3 fighter sub-chieftains of 2nd level, 1 cleric of 3rd–5th level, and 1 chieftain of any class of 4th–8th level)
Treasure standard (see below)

Although they call themselves the charau-ka, these dangerous jungle dwellers are often known to colonists and explorers as ape-men. Legend holds that the charau-ka stem from a demon lord who transformed the bodies of the first humans that tried to wage war against his cult, causing the dead to rise as the first apemen. Rumors that charau-ka clerics have perfected a hideous ritual to force those slain to reincarnate as new charau-ka are popular tales among jungle explorers—but proof of such a magic spell has yet to reach civilization.

Today, the charau-ka are one of the most fecund and widespread races.

Charau-ka generally dwell in small tribes of a few dozen members. They often keep dangerous jungle creatures as pets or guardians, trusting to their druids or animal handlers to keep the deadly beasts under control. A typical charau-ka village extends from the jungle floor up into the canopy above, and usually includes several treehouse-style structures connected by vines or rope bridges.

Charau-ka carry little treasure. They have no interest in silver or gold. Metal has value only in the form of weaponry—and then it becomes very valuable indeed. Most individual charau-ka own little more than a few crude weapons—most often spears and throwing clubs of wood, stone, and bone—combined with some cured hide armor, and perhaps a few shiny pebbles or small relics from lost temples as curios and tokens used for courting.

Charau-Ka Encounters

Source PCS:ISMC

While charau-ka can be encountered alone, they typically travel with other simians as either a hunting party or an entire tribe, using superior numbers against whatever quarry they find in the wilderness. Hunting parties may include as few as two hunters or as many as eight. When a charau-ka tribe traverses the jungle, members move in hooting and whooping groups ranging from 12 to 25 adults, attempting to panic outnumbered enemies before overwhelming them. As many as three lieutenant warriors lead the attack, supported by a demon-worshiping cleric and directed by a powerful and experienced chief who commands up to three dire apes. Charau-ka pelt opponents into submission with rocks expertly thrown from trees above their targets, and with a gesture by their leader, they disappear into the foliage in an instant. Fiercely territorial, they respond to any sizable incursion on their hunting grounds and engage any group deemed weak enough to defeat.

Charau-ka attack as a pack, aiming to separate the weakest target from a group of enemies. They focus their assault to subdue opponents one at a time in order of perceived frailty. Should their foes respond with powerful magic or potent physical attacks, they disappear into the jungle and wait for another chance for an ambush. Tribal leaders allow infighting only when within range of a blood totem; as a prelude to internal conflicts, lieutenants often attempt to capture powerful opponents and force them to battle for sport in front of the charau-ka before challenging the chief for leadership of the tribe.

Charau-Ka Traps

Source PCS:ISMC

The charau-ka litter the jungles with traps, imperiling unwitting travelers. The following are but a sampling of the devious traps they devise throughout their jungle territories.

Blood Totem’s Gaze CR 9

Type magic; Perception DC 21; Disarm Disable Device DC 21

EFFECTS

Trigger visual (arcane eye); Duration 1 minute; Reset automatic (1 hour); Effect totem gains a gaze attack with a range of 30 ft.; targets affected by the gaze suffer the effects of moonstruck (target gains 2 claws and a bite attack and is dazed for 1 round, then attacks nearest creatures for 7 rounds; Will DC 16 negates); multiple targets (all creatures susceptible to gaze attacks within 30 ft.)

Blood totems are stone fetishes, often depicting apes, charau-ka, or girallons; they’re designed to scare intruders away from charau-ka territory. Some blood totems are magically treated to send trespassers into a frenzy.

Demonic Chime CR 4

Type magic; Notice Perception DC 25; Disarm Disable Device DC 18

EFFECTS

Trigger location; Reset none; Effect spell effect (sonic scream, 4d4 points of sonic damage on 1st round, 2d4 points of sonic damage on 2nd round, 1d4 points of sonic damage on 3rd round, each round Reflex DC 13 half); multiple targets (all targets in a 15-ft. cone)

Demonic chimes serve the charau-ka both as weaponized defenses and alarms, and the hysterical simian shrieks of a triggered chime can be heard up to 1 mile away.

Exploding Monkey Tree CR 3

Type magic; Notice Perception DC 23; Disarm Disable Device DC 23

EFFECTS

Trigger proximity; Reset none; Effect monkey tree oil (creatures gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to track target for 24 hours); multiple targets (all targets in a 30-ft. radius)

This trap uses alchemical explosives to burst the trunk of a monkey tree when a creature moves past it. Monkey tree oil is extremely foul and allows charau-ka trackers to more easily detect prey that have triggered the trap.

Hydrophobia Bomb CR 4

Type mechanical; Notice Perception DC 23; Disarm Disable Device DC 23

EFFECTS

Trigger touch; Reset none; Effect Atk +10 ranged (target gains a phobia against water, Will DC 14 negates); multiple targets (all creatures in a 20-ft. radius)

This explosive is filled with a concoction of dead brainworms and digested boggard brains that causes a dire fear of water in creatures within the blast radius.

Sanguine Sack Trap CR 4

Type mechanical; Notice Perception DC 20; Disarm Disable Device DC 20

EFFECTS

Trigger location; Reset none; Effect exploding pouch of blood (gore imposes –8 penalty on Stealth checks against creatures with scent for 10 minutes, doubles target’s detectable range, and grants the benefits of grease to the target; Reflex DC 20 negates); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft. square)

This trap features an exploding sack of gore. Those coated in the rotting offal are easier for predators with the scent ability to detect.

Wrecked Menhir Circle CR 6

Type magical; Notice Perception DC 26; Disarm Disable Device DC 26

EFFECTS

Trigger location; Reset none; Effect spell effect (murderous command, targets attack the nearest ally, Will DC 12 negates); multiple targets (all targets in a 50-ft. radius)

This ring of ruined standing stones has been desecrated by the charau-ka and repurposed to spread frenzy to all unlucky creatures who walk within it.

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