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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardAsp Of Grief

On the Plane of Metal, a soft whisper and gentle jingle often accompany the tempestuous winds, while what appear to be gold ribbons twist and writhe through the air. In actuality, these are asps of grief—intelligent, snakelike creatures drawn to strong emotions. The iron irises of their eyes allow them to see the ever-shifting magnetic fields of the Plane of Metal, which the asps can use to sail across the skies.

Asps of grief prey on sorrow and heartache, and times of loss, mourning, and bereavement attract them. Wearing delicate iron bells to announce their arrivals at funerals, battlefields, and the traditional columbaria built for the plane's dead, asps of grief shake their heads, making their bells chime and alerting mourners to their presence. “Will you share your sorrow with me?” they ask, their gentle voices low and sibilant.

If the bereaved agrees, the asps' tongues flick out, tasting the anguish of the living, sipping on sadness and fear, and providing a temporary reprieve from suffering. Though the asps are associated with death, most denizens of the Plane of Metal see them as good omens.

Intensely curious creatures, asps of grief crave information about magic and the multiverse. They might attach themselves to adventuring parties or ask wanderers they meet for any obscure arcane knowledge they may have come across on their journeys. In exchange, the asps of grief offer to help these travelers work through any anguish or trauma they may be carrying— or at least ease their emotional pain for a time.

Recall Knowledge - Beast (Arcana, Nature): DC 27
Recall Knowledge - Elemental (Arcana, Nature): DC 27
Unspecific Lore: DC 25
Specific Lore: DC 22

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Asp Of GriefCreature 10

Small Beast Elemental Metal 
Source Rage of Elements pg. 150
Perception +21; low-light vision, magnetic vision
Languages Common, Empyrean, Talican
Skills Acrobatics +21, Arcana +21, Nature +19, Psychology Lore +19, Survival +21
Str +4, Dex +7, Con +3, Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +3
Magnetic Vision An asp of grief can see magnetic fields, allowing it to detect large sources of magnetic metal (Bulk 1 or greater) as a precise sense.
AC 31; Fort +15, Ref +21, Will +21; +1 status vs. emotion
HP 150; Resistances physical 10 (except adamantine)
Curtain of Calm (arcane, aura, emotion, mental) 20 feet. The asp of grief consumes the emotions of the creatures around it. An enemy that begins its turn in the aura must attempt a DC 29 Will save. If it fails, the asp consumes its grief. The creature feels a lack of feelings and motivation, reducing its frightened value by 1 and becoming stupefied 1 (or stupefied 2 on a critical failure) for 1d4 rounds. Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to curtain of calm for 1 minute. The asp becomes charged with grief (see iron grief) for 1 minute whenever a creature fails this saving throw.
Speed 20 feet, fly 50 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +21 [+17/+13] (agile, finesse), Damage 2d12+10 piercingArcane Innate Spells DC 29; 5th magnetic attraction, magnetic repulsion; 3rd magnetic acceleration (at will; see iron grief); Cantrips (5th) detect magic, read aura
Iron Grief If the asp casts magnetic acceleration while charged with grief, it can either heighten the spell to 5th rank or target up to three creatures instead of one, rolling separately against each. After casting the spell, the asp is no longer charged with grief.Magnetic Traveler An asp can ride magnetic fields to travel long distances. In a location with strong magnetic fields (including the Plane of Metal and Golarion), its travel Speed is doubled if it's flying.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Calling the Asps

In the Plane of Metal, funeral rites often include placing the deceased upon tall towers surrounded by dishes of water. Chunks of sodium, a silvery-white alkali metal, dance across the surface of the water and catch fire, sending plumes of hydrogen gas into the air. As the asps of grief skate upon the magnetic fields, they can sense this announcement of death and sorrow and follow the trail back to the mourners.