Angler Fish

"cAn I hAve A cIgArEtTe?"

## Description

### Physical Description

The Angler Fish is a huge-sized creature with a body in the shape of a monstrous angler fish with six crablike legs and an armored frame. The creature's massive black eyes are able to stun and render prey immobile after luring them in with facsimiles of other creatures using its dorsal ray. It has a limited ability to vocalize, usually used in conjunction with a dorsal lure, but in close proximity the vocalizations are clearly more guttural sounds.

## Campaign

The Angler Fish was discovered by the Party during their first investigation, looking into disappearances occurring around The Coins, Docks, and The Puddles districts of Absalom. Initially presenting as a fisherman to Felix, and repeatedly asking him for a cigarette, the Angler Fish struck and impaled the monk before trying to escape with him down the alleyway and into the darkness. Fortunately the rest of the Party intervened, cornering and stunning the creature so that they could destroy it.

Although an initial examination of the creature was attempted - trying to collect eyes and teeth if possible - the Angler Fish's unnatural nature lead to its body beginning to dissolve after approximately a minute, leaving nothing but evaporating goo and stains on clothing and stone. Emir was able to collect some of the dissolved Angler Fish goo into an empty flask, which he turned over to Loz and Martin for further examination. During the examination, Ellery was able to intuit that the Angler Fish is actually multiple summoned creatures that were subsequently melded together into one, and that the creature's death caused its collapse without the continuing magic to hold it together.

## Character Information

Impale: The Angler Fish’s dorsal ray (the “fishing rod” on its head) can be used as a weapon, impaling creatures up to 10-ft. away for 2d8+7 (+1 Bleed) with a successful CMB attack. Impaled creatures cannot move closer or further away without escaping the Angler Fish’s grapple, and take +1 Bleed damage per turn spent impaled. Bleed damage continues after being freed.

Cleave: The Angler Fish’s claws can sweep across a 10ft area in front of it, dealing 1d10+5 damage to anyone hit.

Eyes in the Dark: The Angler Fish can target a single creature at a time with the power of its stare. This ability works like Hold Person, with a Will (DC25) save. The Angler Fish can still see through the dorsal ray on its head, and can maintain this ability indefinitely so long as it continues to stare at its target. If it breaks its stare, the target creature is affected as per Hold Person for 5 rounds with a progressively lowering Will save (DC20; DC15; DC10; etc.). Regardless, the target continues to get a Will save every round.

In Shadow: When staying perfectly still, except for its dorsal ray, the Angler Fish gains a +10 bonus to Stealth in low light and a +20 bonus in darkness.

Lure: Alternatively, the Angler Fish can use its dorsal ray to mimic the general shape of any Medium creature, though it has difficulty replicating voices, usually limited to a few words the Angler Fish has overheard. This does, however, give the Angler Fish a +20 bonus on Disguise checks when imitating a creature in this manner.

**VILLAIN ACTIONS** *(1 per round)*

Shield: The Angler Fish can bring up its front legs to shield itself from attacks from the front. It cannot attack while shielding itself, but it gains a DR 20 while shielded.