Chained SpiritThis humanoid figure’s body fades into mist below the hips, while its upper, ghostly torso is bound in lengths of writhing chains.Chained Spirit CR 14Source Curse of the Crimson Throne (PFRPG) pg. 468, Pathfinder #11: Skeletons of Scarwall pg. 78
XP 38,400
LE Medium undead (incorporeal)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., spectral sight, spiritsense; Perception +30DefenseAC 30, touch 30, flat-footed 26 (+8 deflection, +4 Dex, +8 profane)
hp 200 (16d8+128); fast healing 20
Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +17
Defensive Abilities incorporeal, spirit anchor; Immune positive energy, undead traitsOffenseSpeed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Melee incorporeal touch +17 (1d6 Charisma drain), 4 chains +23 (2d4+7/19–20 plus 1 Charisma drain)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft. (30 ft. with chains)
Special Attacks 5 ft. (30 ft. with chains)StatisticsStr —, Dex 19, Con —, Int 15, Wis 20, Cha 27
Base Atk +12; CMB +16; CMD 42
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (chain), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch)
Skills Bluff +24, Diplomacy +24, Fly +31, Knowledge (history) +18, Perception +30, Stealth +23
Languages Common, Necril
SQ spectral bindingsEcologyEnvironment any
Organization solitary plus up to 4 spirit anchors
Treasure standardSpecial AbilitiesChain Spirit (Su) As a standard action once per day, a chained spirit can attempt to chain any evil-aligned corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher that it can detect via spiritsense; it need not have line of sight or line of effect to such a creature. The targeted evil creature to must succeed at a DC 25 Will save or take 1d8 points of Charisma drain. On each successful attack, the chained spirit gains 5 temporary hit points. Any creature targeted by this ability is immediately aware of some malevolence attempting to take control of it. If a creature’s Charisma score is drained to 0 by this attack, its fate depends on its Hit Dice. If the victim has half the Hit Dice or fewer of the chained spirit (8 Hit Dice for most chained spirits), it is slain by the attack. If the victim has more than 8 Hit Dice, it becomes a spirit anchor linked to the chained spirit (see below). Even though a chained spirit can use this ability once per day, it can create only one spirit anchor per week. In addition, a chained spirit can use this ability only if it currently has three or fewer spirit anchors, and it can never have more than four spirit anchors. A creature with more than half the chained spirit’s Hit Dice whose Charisma score is drained to 0 by this attack and who doesn’t become a spirit anchor is merely driven unconscious, as per normal for catastrophic Charisma drain. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Numerous chains extend from a chained spirit. A number of these (one for every spirit anchor currently tethered to the chained spirit) are corporeal and can make melee attacks. These corporeal chains are treated as evil, magical, ghost touch weapons and deal bludgeoning damage in addition to Charisma drain. Each chain is treated as if wielded one-handed by a creature with a Strength score of 25. A sundered chain automatically reforms 1 round later.
Charisma Drain (Su) Any creature hit by a chained spirit’s chains or incorporeal touch attack must succeed at a DC 25 Will save or take Charisma drain (1 point if struck by a chain, or 1d6 points if struck by a touch attack). The save DC is Charisma-based.
Create Spawn (Su) Any humanoid slain by a chained spirit becomes a spectre in 1d4 rounds. These spawn are under the command of the chained spirit that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They don’t have any of the abilities they had in life.
Spectral Bindings (Su) A chained spirit is extremely mobile, with only one major hindrance: no matter how far it moves on its turn, as long as it has at least one spirit anchor, it automatically returns to its starting place when its turn ends. This immediate return does not count as an action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, as the spirit simply reappears back in its original position. In essence, the chained spirit is eternally confined to a single square throughout its existence except the distance it can travel in a single round before returning to its starting position. If another creature occupies the space it has left, that creature is shunted to the closest available square. If a solid object occupies its starting square, the spirit’s incorporeal nature allows it to return regardless. Even a force effect cannot thwart it as it simply reappears within the square, though if that square is surrounded by a force effect with no exit, the chained spirit is effectively trapped. Spectral Sight (Su) A chained spirit can see and hear through the senses of any of its spirit anchors whenever it wishes, just as if it were using both effects of clairaudience/clairvoyance.
Spiritsense (Su) A chained spirit can detect both the living and the undead. It can detect living creatures within 100 feet, just as if it had blindsight. It can also sense the dead, as per detect undead, to a range of 500 feet.DescriptionA chained spirit is the tormented soul of one who was charged, cursed, or honor-bound to guard a certain place or object, only to be slain in the course of such duty. Such a dishonored spirit returns as a misty approximation of its living form, except now burdened by loops of constricting chains and inescapable locks, all representing its bonds of duty. Reaching out with these chains, these tormented undead claim allies, binding other unwilling sentinels to the same charge with which they are eternally cursed.
Among the rarest known manifestations of undead, the chained spirit can exist only in an area of extreme misery combined with a potent source of necromantic energy. In the case of Scarwall, the castle’s history of violence, combined with the vengeful attention of Zon-Kuthon, made the castle the perfect cradle for the generation of a chained spirit. Others may well exist on Golarion, or could yet come to manifest, but at this point, the chained spirit of Scarwall may be the only one of its kind.Spirit AnchorsEach time a chained spirit creates a spirit anchor using its chain spirit ability, it gains the following benefits: a +2 profane bonus to Armor Class, fast healing 5, a chain attack, immunity to positive energy, and the spectral sight ability. These benefits stack as appropriate, so a chained spirit with four spirit anchors (the maximum) gains a +8 profane bonus to AC, fast healing 20, four chain attacks, immunity to positive energy, and spectral sight. As long as at least one of its spirit anchors exists, the chained spirit itself cannot be destroyed. If reduced to 0 hit points, the chained spirit reappears with full hit points 1 minute later. A chained spirit can have up to four spirit anchors at any one time. The stats presented above represent a chain spirit with four spirit anchors and include all the associated benefits.
Losing a Spirit Anchor: If a spirit anchor is destroyed or released, a chained spirit’s benefits are reduced as appropriate: its AC is reduced by 2, its fast healing is reduced by 5, and it loses one of its chain attacks. If all of a chained spirit’s spirit anchors are destroyed, it gains no profane bonus to AC, has no fast healing, has no chain attacks, can be harmed by positive energy, and loses its spectral sight. It does gain one benefit—when it has no spirit anchors, it is no longer restricted as much by its spectral bindings, and can move throughout the area in which it is bound (up to a radius of 1 mile) without being returned to its starting point at the end of a round. Each time a spirit anchor is destroyed or killed, the chained spirit loses its chain spirit ability for 24 hours.
Spirit Anchor Effects: A creature that becomes a spirit anchor instantly regains any Charisma drained by the chained spirit to which it is tethered. It is also bound to the location it was at when it was reduced to 0 Charisma by the chained spirit. Spirit anchors typically cannot move farther than 100 feet from this spot, but in the cases of creatures that require wider mobility to fulfill their physical needs, a chained spirit can relax its grip, allowing them to range farther afield. However, the chained spirit can employ a compulsion similar to geas/quest at will, forcing such a spirit anchor to return to its anchor spot. A spirit anchor that ignores the compulsion takes 1d6 points of Charisma damage per day until it returns. The death of the spirit anchor, or the spells dispel evil, dispel law, freedom, miracle, or wish, can release a spirit anchor. Beyond this restraint, a chained spirit holds no special control over its spirit anchors.
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