Pyske 2 (6)

Planar Bestiary

A lone pyske might spy on a new homestead, keep, or village, and perhaps cause a serious mishap or two to frighten the locals. If the pyske is inconvenienced in any way, they might return later with a mob of five or more of their kind to inflict sustained and murderous revenge on the culprits.

Older, archaic fey creatures of the unseelie, pyskes are malicious whereas pixies are mischievous. Only a handful of inches tall, with wings like ragged cobwebs crusted with past meals, pyskes move between the Feywild and worlds of the Material Plane to trouble other creatures for their own twisted pleasure.

Like their pixie kin, pyskes are inherently magical. They can fade from view merely by thinking about it. They leverage that to sneak up on other creatures just to hurt them; they are fey but fell. One of a pyske's favorite tactics is to shadow another creature invisibly, then jostle them at an inopportune moment, trip them while they're crossing a high bridge, or steal an important document right when it's most needed.

As pyskes erratically flutter through the air, a reddish trail stains the air in their wake. This fell dust has all manner of ill effects on living creatures, especially their minds. With just a sprinkle, a pyske can send a victim into a nightmare-infused sleep, poison them, or scare them nearly out of their minds. Pyskes can also use the fell dust as a shield to help them avoid being targeted by magical effects.

Motive: Malicious interference

Environment: The Feywild, worlds of the Material Plane, alone or as part of a vengeance mob of five of more

Health: 6

Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (3 points)

Armor: 1

Movement: Immediate; short when flying

Modifications: Speed defense as level 4 due to tiny size; perception, deception and trickery, and defense against magic as level 5

Combat: A pyske attacks twice each round with their dagger or bow. They can become invisible as an action, and like to approach foes invisibly so they can attack with surprise.

The pyske can sprinkle fell dust on a creature within immediate range every few rounds. The pyske chooses from the following effects.

• The target that fails a level 4 Intellect defense task is frightened for one minute and spends that time either cowering or running away. The victim can repeat the defense task each round, (hindered if the pyske is visible to the target), ending the effect on a success.
• The target that fails a level 4 Speed defense task takes 3 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) from poison, and their tasks (including attacks and defenses) are hindered for one minute. The victim can attempt a new defense task each round, ending the poison's effect on a success.
• The target that fails a level 4 Might defense task falls asleep and has horrific nightmares for one minute. The creature wakes up if they take damage or if another creature takes an action to shake them awake.

Interaction: Able to communicate in common languages or the language of the fey (Sylvan), a pyske may interact with others. But they will never agree to aid anyone but another pyske; they are relentlessly cruel and murderous.

Use: The village well was poisoned; several fatalities resulted. Those who tried to determine the cause were all found dead, throats cut. The village is in trouble unless someone can clear the poison from the well and keep it from happening again.

Loot: A pyske often carries a few cyphers, such as detonation (gravity) powder and eagleseye powder in pockets spun from webs.

GM Intrusion: A magic attack or other effect that should've worked on the pyske is repelled in a puff of fell dust, and the character making the attack is subject to a fell dust attack immediately.