Vinlach
CREATURE 8The vinlach represents the overwhelming fear of birds—the sharp beaks, the razored talons, the incessantly fluttering wings, the alien all-seeing eyes, and the haunting shrill cry of the raptor when it spots defenseless prey. They appear as a tangled mass of flapping whippoorwill wings, constantly kicking up dander and dust, with a "head" composed of dozens of shrieking whippoorwill heads, all merged together in a twittering knot of meat and bone, eyes peering in all directions at once. The amalgamation stalks about on four long, stork-like legs tipped with murderous talons, and while their body of wings wouldn't seem to suggest it, they can use them to fly through the air with unnerving grace. Despite their bestial nature, vinlachs are quite intelligent and delight in tormenting sapient creatures, particularly those who have strong beliefs or faiths.
Psychopomp Blasphemers
While all sahkils descended from an initial group of blasphemous psychopomps who betrayed their calling and rebelled against Pharasma, the eerie vinlachs take this corruption one step further in their desecration of Pharasma's sacred animal—the whippoorwill. They take particular delight in haunting fallen churches of Pharasma or serving priests who have turned their back on the Lady of Graves for more sinister patrons.
A monster with telepathy can communicate mentally with any creatures within the listed radius, as long as they share a language. This doesn't give any special access to their thoughts, and communicates no more information than normal speech would.
A vinlach's level is considered 2 lower for the purpose of being conjured by the Binding Circle ritual (and potentially other rituals, at the GM's discretion), but it is always free to attack or leave instead of negotiate unless the primary caster's check is a critical success.
This monster can see in all directions simultaneously and therefore can't be flanked.
The vinlach's warbling voices are a mockery of the rhythmic sound of a flight of whippoorwills whistling away, sending chills into the hearts of those who hear them. A living creature that begins its turn within 30 feet of a vinlach must succeed at a DC 23 Will save or gain weakness 5 to spirit damage until the start of its next turn, as its soul aches to flee its body and retreat along the River of Souls to find peace from the unnerving cacophony.
Effect: Soul-Wrenching Warbling
The sahkil moves from the Universe to the Ethereal Plane or vice-versa. While in the Ethereal Plane, they're unable to affect anything in the Universe, and they cannot be seen by beings or abilities in the Universe, unless these have an ability that can gaze into the Ethereal Plane. While on the Material Plane the inverse is true for anything on the Ethereal Plane. A summoned sahkil can't use Skip Between.
The vinlach's dozens of mouths suddenly shriek in terrifying unison, yet the sound created is not one that can be heard by ears—rather, it's heard by a living creature's soul, as the supernatural sound attempts to rip free the very animus of life. All creatures in a 40-foot cone take 9d6 spirit damage and must attempt a DC 26 Will save with the following results. The vinlach can't Soul Shriek again for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Success The creature takes no damage.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage. If the creature can cast divine spells or has the holy trait, it's also Stupefied 1 for 1 minute.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage. If the creature can cast divine spells or has the holy trait, it's also stupefied 1 for 24 hours.