Barghest

Barghest
(Creature)
Common CE Medium Fiend Level 4 Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of barghests Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 36 Type Outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful, shapechanger) CR 4 Environment Any Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of barghests Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 27

This article might have further canon details available on StarfinderWiki.

See also: Greater barghest

The fiendish barghest is said to be related to the goblinoid races of Golarion. It resembles a cross between a wolf and a goblin and comes to this world to feed on the flesh and souls of mortals.

Appearance

Being shapechangers, barghests can take on the form of a wolf or a goblin. Their natural shape is a worg-sized hybrid of the two. They generally walk on all fours, although their feet bear a greater resemblance to clawed hands than paws. Like goblins, they have oversized, pointed ears, a snub and nearly non-existent nose, and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Their powerful bite can tear through flesh and bone, and they can consume an entire human-sized creature in under six seconds. Their bodies are covered with dark, matted hair, and they posses of wolf-like tail.

Barghests possess a keen intelligence easily equal to that of most humanoids, and possess innate magical abilities that allow them to charm prey, levitate, teleport across short distances, and avoid detection through divination magic. They can also insinuate themselves into the minds of their prey and flood them with thoughts of utterly hopeless despair.

On Golarion

Barghests come to Golarion to feed on humanoid flesh out of more than just hunger (which they certainly do not lack). They can become greater barghests by consuming enough and returning to the Outer Rifts, although their lack of innate planar travel means such a return can take years for them to achieve.

Being creatures of the Great Beyond, barghests can be found in many parts of Golarion. They have been spotted in the hills around Bloodsworn Vale, in the environs of the old Chelish capital of Westcrown, in the Greenbelt region of the Stolen Lands, near Canterwall in Ustalav, roaming the Mana Wastes, and leading goblin tribes in the River Kingdom of Lambreth.

Connection to Lamashtu

Although barghests are disciplined, cunning hunters who generally wish to have no part in the unbridled chaos of demons, they share a special connection with the demon goddess Lamashtu. Scholars claim that in the time before time, the goddess freed a group of barghests kept in a kennel by the god Asmodeus. She elevated them to demigod status and created small realms within her Abyssal realm for them. Goblins believe that the four strongest of these—Hadregash, Venkelvore, Zarongel, and Zogmugot—founded their species. Worshipers of the Goddess of Monsters have been known to be able to summon these creatures as well.

External links

• Barghest (real-world folkloric creature) on Wikipedia