This grotesque, emerald-scaled creature resembles a crossbreed of an eel, a viperfish, and a clawed humanoid.
Iku-Turso CR 8
XP 4,800
NE Medium aberration (aquatic)
Init +7; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12
Defense
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural)
hp 102 (12d8+48)
Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +11
Immune disease
Weaknesses light blindness
Offense
Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +16 (1d8+7 plus disease), 2 claws +16 (1d6+7)
Special Attacks light lure
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 17
Base Atk +9; CMB +16; CMD 30 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Perception +12, Stealth +14, Survival +12, Swim +15
Languages Aklo, Aquan, Undercommon
SQ amphibious
Ecology
Environment cold or temperate water or underground
Organization solitary, pair, or cell (3–8)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Disease (Su) An iku-turso’s bite inflicts a strange, supernatural disease called tursas. This disease causes the victim’s skin to grow painfully scaly, causes strange hallucinations, and eventually transforms the victim into an iku-turso.
Tursas: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 20; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Wis damage and 1d6 Cha drain; cure 2 consecutive saves. As long as a victim suffers any ability damage from tursas, it gains the ability to breathe water. A creature reduced to 0 Charisma by this disease transforms into a fully grown and healthy iku-turso—it immediately forgets its previous life and abilities and seeks out the nearest iku-turso community to join it. A wish or miracle can reverse this transformation. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Light Lure (Su) As a standard action, an iku-turso can call forth a few small points of light, functioning like a dancing lights spell (CL equals the iku-turso’s HD) except as described here. Creatures within 100 feet of one of these lights must make a DC 19 Will save upon sighting them or be compelled to approach them by the safest and most direct path. A creature that successfully saves is immune to the same iku-turso’s light lure for 24 hours. If a subject of this effect has to move through hazardous terrain to reach the lights, that subject receives another saving throw to end the effect before entering the hazardous terrain. This effect ends once the character reaches the light or takes any form of damage. This is a visual mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Iku-tursos are hideous denizens of the deep sea. There, they venerate sinister gods of plague and contagion and torment victims plucked from ship and shore in special air-filled torture chambers. Disease is sacred to the iku-tursos, and those who suffer from sickness are considered blessed—an iku-turso often chooses to leave obviously diseased victims to their fates rather than attempt to capture them.
