Daemon, Venedaemon

APPEARANCE

Silken robes drape this androgynous fiend’s form, providing only an outline of the body beneath. Claw-tipped tentacles emerge from the cuffs, clutching wands and soul gems, while below its robe’s margins, its multiple-jointed legs—almost like a reptilian insect’s—end in clawed, three-toed chitinous feet. Its face remains perpetually covered by a dark veil, and a trio of long, forked tongues periodically emerges from its rounded mouth and tastes the air around its thin lips.

Venedaemon CR 5

XP 1,600
NE Medium outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar)
Init +6; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 51 (6d10+18)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +8
DR 5/good or silver; Immune acid, death effects, disease, poison; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 16

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (average)
Melee 2 tentacles +6 (1d6)
Special Attacks arcane soul-crush
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +11)

• Constant—arcane sight
• 3/day—dimension door, dispel magic, slow (DC 18)
• 1/day—summon (level 3, 1 cacodaemon, 75%)

Spells Known (CL 6th; concentration +11)

• 3rd (4/day)—hold person (DC 18)
• 2nd (6/day)—invisibility, scorching ray (DC 17)
• 1st (8/day)—charm person (DC 16), mage armor, magic missile, shield
• 0 (at will)—acid splash, arcane mark, bleed (DC 15), mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost (DC 15), read magic

STATISTICS

Str 11, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21
Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Combat Casting, Eschew Materials^B, Improved Initiative, Magical Aptitude
Skills Bluff +14, Disguise +11, Fly +11, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (planes) +15, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +11, Use Magic Device +16
Languages Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Ignan, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Arcane Soul-Crush (Su)

A venedaemon may consume a held soul gem as a swift action, allowing it to cast any of its spells known without using a spell slot. For the daemon to use this ability, the consumed gem must contain the soul of a creature with Hit Dice equal to or greater than the spell level of the desired spell.

ABOUT

Environment any (Abaddon)
Organization solitary, pair, or cabal (3–6)
Treasure standard

The venedaemon personifies death by magic, and so possesses an inborn talent for all manner of sorcery. As hungry for souls as any other member of its daemonic brethren, the venedaemon thirsts equally for intangible wealth through the acquisition of knowledge, so that it can best utilize the arcane magic lurking within its blood. In particular, venedaemons yearn for the secrets and magical lore held within the bindings of wizards’ tomes, knowing that these arcane formulae are the key to unlocking their mysterious powers. In the process of acquiring such tomes of knowledge, venedaemons invariably come across other forms of information—whether it be info regarding a rival daemon’s weaknesses, lore that hints at a wealth of unclaimed souls hidden in one of Abaddon’s vast caverns, or a rumor of some hidden and terrible source of daemonic power—that they can make use of in trading with other daemons. These rumors and smatterings of advice can be sold to other daemons for captured souls, and the trade often goes both ways, as venedaemons are also inclined to trade their hard-earned soul gems for tomes of magic other fiends may have chanced upon. Venedaemons are gaunt, and despite standing close to 7 feet tall, they rarely weigh more than 150 pounds.

In addition to its myriad magical abilities as a daemon, a venedaemon casts spells like a sorcerer with a caster level equal to its Hit Dice. A venedaemon can gain additional levels as a sorcerer in order to bolster its arcane powers, in which case it gains a bloodline (usually Abyssal or Infernal) as well as a sorcerer’s other class features and special abilities.