Screaming Devilkin

 

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary or band
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil

N° APPEARING: 1-4
AC: 2 [18]
MOVEMENT: 12 (flying only, maneuverability D)
HIT DICE: 3
THAC0: 17 [+3]
N° OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: tail slash (1d6)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: screaming
SPECIAL DEFENSES: none
SPECIAL ABILITIES: none
MAGIC RESISTANCE: none
SIZE: S (60-90 cm)
MORALE: Average (8-10)
EXPERIENCE: 420

ORIGIN: Fiend Folio (1981), created by Philip Masters

Appearance
This small, imp-like creature has maroon or ash-grey leathery skin, small horns atop its head, two large bat-like wings and a long, muscular tail ending in a wicked barb. The vile little creature usually measures between 60 to 90 cm. Its leathery wings have a 1.5-meter span and provide its only means of movement – its legs and arms being disproportionately small and useless for movement or combat.

Combat
Devilkin are extremely aggressive creatures. They will attack without provocation and never will never break off a fight willingly. They usually will attempt to swoop in from above and strike with its barbed tail for 1d6 points of damage.

Their unusually high armor class is a result not only of their thick hides, but also of their small size and maneuverability – a devilkin who cannot fly for any reason is completely defenseless, and its AC will fall to 10.

When confronted with strong opponents, particularly those armed with ranged weapons, or spellcasters the devilkin will employ its scream attack. It begins as a low moan, but quickly reaches its apex. Once it does, its loud, pandemonious din wreaks havoc to all within 30 meters. Verbal communication is impossible, even if screaming, and spell casters are unable to cast any spell with a verbal component.

Also, those within 20 meters from the creature must attempt a saving throw vs. paralyzation every round – if the save is not successful the victim will be stunned (-2 on attacks and AC, no shield or Dexterity AC bonus, and a +1 penalty on initiative) for as long as the devilkin keeps screaming.

Note that, even if a person makes his save in one round, he must attempt it again in the next if he is to take any action, as long as he is within the scream’s area of effect.

The creature can keep screaming for as long as it wants to. If there are other devilkin around, they are not affected and will keep attacking the unfortunate victims with their tails while one of the creatures maintain the constant scream.

Habitat/Society
Although they are most commonly found in mountainous or hilly regions, these creatures can live anywhere, and prefer to inhabit abandoned or desolated ruins. Predators or scavengers living in the areas where screaming devilkins dwell quickly learn that the creatures’ shrieks mean that food might be nearby.

Sometimes they will cooperate with and offer their allegiance to evil overlords or necromancers, particularly those who serve an evil archfey, such as the Queen or Air and Darkness, and an evil warlock may even gain a screaming devilkin as his familiar.

Ecology
Despite their appearance and name, screaming devilkin are not fiends, but visitors from the gloomiest regions of the Faerie Realm. While the real reason they are sent to the material plane is unknown, many sages theorize that they are embodiments of fear and panic whose goal it is to strike fear into the normal populace and spread its evil to as many as it can.