Kuryn, Wicked Mermaid CR 4 (Unique Bog Nixie Witch 2)

Kuryn, Wicked Mermaid (Unique Bog Nixie Witch 2 [Ley Line Guardian]) CR 4

XP 1,200
NE Medium fey (aquatic, shapechanger)
Perception +0; Senses low-light vision

Offense

Init +4 Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee unarmed +8 (1d3+2) or dagger (1d4+2 plus poison)
Special Attacks captivating song (DC 19)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +12) 3/day—charm person (DC 17; traumatic) At will—minor wish (any effect equivalent to a 3rd-level spell in exchange for a gift) 1/day—water breathing (CL 12th)

Witch Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +8)

1st (4/day) – obscruing mist (DC 12), sleep (DC 12), summon monster I

0 – dancing lights, detect magic, guidance, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 11)

Defense

AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+1 deflection, +4 Dex, +2 natural) hp 39 (6d6+16) Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +10
DR 5/cold iron ; SR 12

Tactics

Before Combat If expecting a fight, Kuryn applies her oils of barkskin and mage armor and consumes her potion of cat’s grace (adjusted statistics: Init +6, AC 25, Ref +10, atk +10, CMD 20). After this, she casts summon monster I to summon a fiendish viper. If able, she also selects the strongest looking opponent to be the target of her traumatic charm person spell-like ability.

During Combat Kuryn uses her captivating song to then proceeds to alternate the use of her traumatic charm person spell-like ability with singing until gaining at least one ally or running out of daily uses. If all of her opponents are captivated, she may attempt to kill any that she finds ugly or displeasing before continuing to “entertain” the rest. If unable to avoid or end combat, she will summon one fiendish viper each round until she has one spell remaining and directs any summoned vipers to attack those characters most resistant to her song, particularly spell casters (and especially healers). If threatened in melee, she attempts to stab her attacker with her poisoned dagger.

Morale If subject to 20 points of damage or more, Kuryn moves away from any attackers and then casts obscruing mist. If she has 10 or fewer hit points left, she withdraws first. Once out of immediate danger, she flees at top speed (usually changing into either a hippocampus or horse) to the river, her pool, or the castle depending on which option seems safest at the time. She relies upon her summoned allies as well as stealth and obfuscation to make good her escape.

Other Statistics

Str 15 Dex 18, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 22
Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 18
Feats Brew Potion, Stealthy, Traumatic Spell-Like Ability (charm person), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff 5 (c; +14), Craft (alchemy) 3 (c; i; +11), Escape Artist 4 (c; f; +13), Handle Animal 4 (+10), Perform (sing) 5 (c; +14), Sense Motive 1 (c; +4), Stealth 4 (c; f; +13), Swim 4 (c, r; +16), Use Magic Device 4 (c; +8)
Languages Aquan, Sylvan
SQ amphibious, change shape (Tiny, Small, Medium or Large aquatic animal or horse, beast shape II; Small or Medium humanoid, alter self), conduit surge (9/day), hex (cauldron), patron (nightmares) wild empathy +14
Gear 4 doses of soothe syrup, 2 vials of greenblood oil, crypt key (occupies neck slot; functions as a ring of protection +1 when worn), oil of barkskin +2 (2), oil of mage armor (2), poisoned dagger (greenblood oil), potion of cat’s grace (2)

Kuryn is typically found in the guise of an attractive female elf

or half-elf (+2 size bonus to Strength which is taken into account above) dressed in fine (but damp) clothing and adorned with water lilies. When in need of improved speed, she takes the form of either a hippocampus (when underwater) or a horse. In either case, apply -1 to armor class and attack bonus, +1 to Combat Maneuver Bonus, and -4 to Stealth due to size. In addition, her size bonus to Strength and natural armor bonus each improve to +4 (17 Strength), but she suffers a -2 penalty to Dexterity (AC 18). Though evil, she is not particularly bloodthirsty and enjoys charming company, but only among those she can charm or captivate. She has been tasked by the lord of the castle to entice interlopers away and she typically fulfills this demand by beguiling or tricking passers-by.

If she succeeds in this and develops a rapport with any of the heroes, Kuryn may offer to grant boons using her minor wish ability in exchange for services. For example, the presence of the castle has drawn a number of monstrous creatures into the area near the mermaid’s lair and she would like them driven away. In addition, local poachers sometimes irritate her by leaving refuse behind and otherwise disturbing the natural beauty she surrounds herself with. While she can (and does) eliminate such annoyances herself, she prefers to avoid mortals altogether and won’t stray far from the river to pursue such defilers in any case.

Kuryn’s crypt key, which she looted years ago from the castle ruins, opens a number of doors in the catacombs section of the castle. The deflection bonus it provides only works while the castle is manifest on this plane.

Treasure Kuryn maintains a camp a short distance from the river’s edge. Here she keeps her cauldron and a few woven mats covered with a simple structure of tree limbs and sticks. She often maintains bunches of bog-myrtle leaves and lingonberry along with casks of fermenting honey (materials she uses for brewing). The stick structure contains a few decorations including a feminine figure of carved bone adorned with an inlay of lapis lazuli and silver (35 GP) and a dozen tindertwigs. A few small barrels of spiced mead may also be kept near here in shallow water depending on the time of year.

In addition to this, Kuryn’s pool contains the remains of past victims in various states of decomposition. There are whole corpses and skeletons as well as body parts representing two score individuals in all. Numerous items can be looted from the pool but most are mundane, water-logged, and valueless. There is also a broken (but repairable) dagger, a fragile short bow, and 8 arrows with rotten shafts (treat as broken). There is also a small chest at the deepest area of the pool where 5 quartz gems (various colors; 50 GP each) can be found. Careful searching through the muck and refuse can also uncover 1d10 SP and 2d20+60 CP.

Notes on Poisons

See the diseases and poisons optional rules from Pathfinder Unchained for more information

A character fulfilling the cure requirement is no longer poisoned but must recover gradually. For every day of bed rest (or 2 nights of normal rest), a victim recovers one step; this recovery is doubled as normal by Heal checks, and tenacious poisons might require a longer recovery period. Usually, neutralize poison or remove disease immediately moves the victim to a healthy state on the respective track, and a heal spell will work for both. However, once the disease or poison has reached its end state, only a more powerful spell such as miracle or wish can remove its effects .If a victim is exposed to additional doses, a failed save progresses the poison track by one step and increases the duration by 50%, but doesn’t increase the DC.

Viper poison
save Fort DC 9; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect Constitution poison track; cure 1 save; W: –2 penalty to Fortitude saves and Constitution checks. I: penalties increase to -4; D: disabled; hit points drop by 1 or to –1, whichever is worse, when taking a standard action; U: enters a state of shock; D: dead

Greenblood Oil

save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect Constitution poison track and 1 point of damage; cure 1 save; W: –2 penalty to Fortitude saves and Constitution checks; 1 point of damage with each save attempt. I: penalties increase to -4; D: disabled; hit points drop by 1 or to –1, whichever is worse, when taking a standard action; U: enters a state of shock; D: dead

See the diseases and poisons optional rules from Pathfinder Unchained for more information.

Note: Kuryn fills the role of the “wicked mermaid” stage 1 boss from Haunted Castle although the in-game sprite was clearly a classical gorgon. Since this version of Castlevania’s Medusa does little more than toss snakes at the hero, it seemed more compelling to explore the wicked mermaid concept more thoroughly. Kuryn can be replaced with standard medusa or perhaps a version without a gaze attack for a more comparable challenge.

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