Howler
Outsiders have darkvision.
Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a
dual nature — its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no
soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise
dead, reincarnate, and resurrection,
don’t work on an outsider. A different magical effect, such as limited
wish, wish, miracle,
or true resurrection, is required to restore it to
life. A native outsider can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as
other living creatures can be.
Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although
they can do so if they wish). Native outsiders breathe, eat, and sleep.
Chaotic: Chaotic creatures are usually outsiders native to the
chaotic-aligned Outer Planes. Most chaotic creatures also have chaotic
alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still remain chaotic
creatures. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a chaotic creature as
if the creature had a chaotic alignment, no matter what its alignment actually
is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A
chaotic creature overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any
weapons it wields are chaotically aligned.
Evil: Evil creatures are usually outsiders native to the evil-aligned
outer planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most evil creatures also
have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they are still
considered evil creatures. Any effect that depends on alignment affects an evil
creature as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment
actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual
alignment. An evil creature overcomes damage reduction as if its natural
weapons and any weapons it wields are evil-aligned.
Extraplanar: Extraplanar is any creature when it is on a plane other than its native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane. Creatures not extraplanar are natives of the Material Plane, and they gain the extraplanar subtype if they leave the Material Plane. No creature has the extraplanar subtype when it is on a transitive plane, such as the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, or the Plane of Shadow.
The howler is a native to the Abyss, an Outer Plane where
madness is the norm and cruelty is expected and often rewarded. The howler
prowls these Abyssal realms, serving the role of a hungry predator like a lion
or tiger, save for the fact that the typical howler is much more intelligent
than a big cat. Worse, howlers have little interest in eating their prey — they
need not feed to live, but rather enjoy the process of stalking, mauling, and
killing living creatures. In a way, the act of inflicting intense pain and
madness upon mortal life is what fills a howler’s life instead of the desire to
feed.
A howler’s constant howling is a grating, exhausting baying
that can drive listeners insane. All beings other than outsiders may become
cursed by the creature’s howl. Once a creature becomes cursed in this way, she
takes no additional penalty for being exposed to additional howlers’ howls
until the current howler curse is lifted. This is a sonic mind-affecting
effect.
The howler’s mane of
razor-sharp quills makes it a poor choice of mount for most creatures, but it
serves quite well as a guardian or sentinel — especially for outsiders, who may
not enjoy the creature’s constant howling, but aren’t adversely affected by the
supernatural sounds. When a howler sees prey, the tenor of its howls changes —
howlers cannot speak, but they can use their howls to communicate quite a bit
of information if required. They understand the Abyssal tongue, and when
serving demons as guardians, their howls can not only alert their masters to
the presence of intruders, but also to their number, appearance, and
weaknesses.
Whenever a creature takes damage from a howler’s quill
attack or its quill defense, one quill might break off in its flesh, causing
the target to become sickened until all embedded quills are removed. Removing
quills requires a Heal check made as a full-round action. The process might
deal damage to the victim.
A howler is about the size
of a tiger — 12 feet from snout to tail and weighing 6,000 pounds. They are normally
pale in color, with darker quills and milky eyes.
Any creature that strikes a howler with a non-reach melee weapon, unarmed strike, or natural weapon takes piercing damage from the howler’s quills and suffers from the howler’s pain attack.
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