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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardDero Strangler

Dero stranglers specialize in capturing living victims, and they are often called upon to aid in abductions.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 18
Unspecific Lore: DC 16
Specific Lore: DC 13

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Dero StranglerCreature 3

Small Dero Humanoid 
Source Monster Core pg. 84
Perception +6; darkvision
Languages Aklo, Sakvroth
Skills Athletics +11, Intimidation +7, Medicine +6, Stealth +10
Str +4, Dex +3, Con +3, Int +0, Wis -1, Cha +2
Items cytillesh toolkit (see sidebar), hand crossbow (10 bolts), lethargy poison (5 doses), rope (50 feet), spiked chain
AC 19; Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6
HP 45; Immunities confused
Ill Glow (disease, light) A non-dero living creature that starts its turn grabbed or restrained by the strangler is exposed to the sickly blue light from the strangler's cytillesh toolkit. It must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become sickened 1. This has no effect if the strangler isn't wearing the toolkit.Vulnerable to Sunlight A dero strangler takes 8 damage for every hour they're exposed to sunlight.
Speed 20 feet
Melee [one-action] spiked chain +11 [+6/+1] (disarm, trip), Damage 1d8+6 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] hand crossbow +10 [+5/+0] (range increment 60 feet, reload 1), Damage 1d6+2 piercing plus lethargy poisonOccult Innate Spells DC 19; 2nd darkness, revealing light; Cantrips (2nd) daze, light, read aura
Dero Medicine [one-action] (healing, manipulate) Requirements The dero is wearing a cytillesh toolkit and has a hand free; Effect The dero excises damaged flesh and crudely stitches wounds shut, healing themself or an ally in reach for 2d8 Hit Points. For 1 hour, the target has slashing weakness 2 and is immune to Dero Medicine.Strangle [one-action] (attack, nonlethal) Requirements The dero must have two free hands or be wielding a spiked chain; Effect The dero attempts an Athletics check to Grapple with a +2 circumstance bonus. On a success, the target also takes 1d6+6 bludgeoning damage and can't speak (including to Cast a Spell) as long as they're grabbed or restrained.

All Monsters in "Dero"

NameLevel
Dero Magister5
Dero Stalker2
Dero Strangler3

Dero

Source Monster Core pg. 84
Deros are short, wiry humanoids with milky white eyes, gray-blue skin, and wild shocks of off-white or gray hair. The descendants of a mysterious type of fey abandoned in the deepest, darkest caverns of Golarion, deros are the subject of fearful legends and folk tales to most of the world's surface races. They skulk beneath major metropolitan areas, performing cruel and twisted experiments on unwilling subjects.

Deros, particularly the leading magisters, are fixated with curing their allergy to sunlight. To understand how the surface dwellers can withstand the light of the sun, deros conduct late-night raids on surface cities, abducting victims and performing terrible experiments on them. Those who survive are often returned with much of their memory erased and their bodies bearing mysterious scars.

The largest dero settlements are built around esoteric machines of floating crystals. As these crystals grind against each other and hum with sickening blue energy, crystal flakes and powdery residue collect beneath the machinery. Dero magisters gather these products, creating tools and repurposing the crystals to power magical items.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Cytillesh

Deros grow and ingest a poisonous fungus called cytillesh, also known as brain mold. Cytillesh gives off a pale blue glow and can cause birth defects and various adverse effects. Deros aren't fazed by these detriments, as prolonged exposure can also slow the effects of aging and, in rare cases, provide occult powers to certain individuals known as “magisters.” Deros can also brew cytillesh spores into lethargy poison, along with many hallucinogenic toxins.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Cytillesh Toolkits

These healer's toolkits are collections of crystalline scalpels and gritty salves made of cytillesh. They all glow the same sickly blue. While the toolkit is outside its opaque container, it sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius. Any non-dero using or wearing the toolkit is sickened 1 until 1 hour after they've stopped, which cannot be reduced during that time.