Japalisura

Japalisura
(Creature)
Common LE Medium Asura Fiend Level 12 Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Source: Bestiary 3, pg(s). 23–24 Type Outsider (asura, evil, extraplanar, lawful) CR 12 Environment Any (Hell) Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Source: Temple of the Peacock Spirit, pg(s). 84

Japalisuras are asuras born from demigods who were killed by their own divine mothers supposedly marked for death by their hands in prophecies.

Appearance

A japalisura resembles a lithe, six-armed, tusked humanoid carrying a pair of bows. A japalisura is seven feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.

History

When a goddess once asked an oracle to identify her enemies, the oracle said that her doom would come from enemies within. When the goddess returned to her realm and found her three demigod children practicing archery, she tore them to pieces, convinced that they were the doom the oracle had spoken of. The first japalisura formed from their corpses.

Ecology

Japalisuras are exceptionally dexterous and capable of controlling their two bows simultaneously. They can pluck their arrows from thin air even when summoning is otherwise inhibited, and every japalisura's arrows look identical; it is theorised that they are replicas of the arrows of the demigods that spawned the first japalisura.

Japalisuras are capable of divination and reading the emotions of humanoid clients, but twist their prophecies to convey betrayal and confirm their clients' paranoia.

Society

Japalisuras usually live in temples or churches associated with prophecy, usually those of Pharasma, Magdh, or Sivanah, and especially those that still attract pilgrims seeking answers. They also delight in disguising themselves as Naderi's servants and secretly presenting someone in a perilous romantic relationship with prophecies of difficulties in order to encourage self-destructive behaviour.

Japalisuras delight in training the downtrodden for revenge and inciting violence with false prophecies. Since japalisuras cannot fully hide their fearsome appearance from clients, they usually speak from dark alcoves or screens, only emerging when they need to convince someone to cooperate or destroy a threat to the asura. Others ally with hags, or control small cults of devoted followers who speak on their behalf and avoid revealing themselves. These cults tend to operate in isolated areas with little scrutiny, although some japalisuras operate openly and attract disciples with a monstrous allure or reputation.

On Golarion

The japalisura Holkomion of Iblydos claims to have rediscovered myth-speaking. Its prophecies usually goad clients to kill hero-gods, though few warriors claim to have attained mythic power with its help. Zalmiac, another japalisura, poses as a Varisian harrower, never leaves her wagon, incites numerous murders (especially between followers of Desna and Pharasma), and uses former Sczarni assistants to ensure that nobody asks too many questions.