“Otter Sapiens” © Carlos Elufi, accessed at his deviantArt here
[Commissioned by @werebear95. The kushtaka is a shapeshifter and bogey from the Tlingit culture. Funnily enough, between when I received this commission and when I wrote it, Paizo came out with a new bestiary, Pathfinder 2nd Edition Bestiary 3, that has its own version of the kushtaka in it. I understand a lot of their choices (except making it Small–I’ve seen references to the kushtaka being 6 to 8 feet tall), but I thought it was more interesting to make their ability to turn other people into kushtakas less malicious and more just part of their life cycle. I thought it odd that there were no rules for the PF2e version about how a kushtaka turns someone else into a kushtaka. Especially considering how many fussy, precisely detailed rules exist in PF2e as a whole.
Also, coming back to something I’ve complained about a number of times, there are cryptozoology sites that claim that the kushtaka is an “Alaskan Bigfoot”. Because right, Bigfoot can swim, turn into an otter, mimic voices and turn people into new Bigfoots. Classic Bigfoot power set.]
Kushtaka
CR 5 CN Fey
This creature resembles a bipedal otter the size of a man. They have webbed claws on their hands and feet, and a thick tail.
Kushtakas are fey creatures of icy waters, with traits of both otters and humans. Like otters, they are predatory, feeding on fish, shellfish and small land prey. Because of their unusual reproductive cycle, they do not realize that baby animals are the same type as adults—this extends to humanoids, and kushtakas consider babies a delicacy.
Kushtakas are ambush predators, and usually attack from hiding or invisibility. They use illusions and mimicked voices to separate enemies, then open combat with a mighty roar, panicking and scattering lesser foes. Kushtakas are vainglorious and arrogant, and like to fight only the strongest, bravest opponents. This arrogance evaporates if they are confronted with either fire or dogs, both of which can penetrate their defenses and terrify them. A kushtaka will usually fight to the death unless fire, dogs or both are used against them.
Kushtakas are parasitic on humanoids in a strange way—all kushtakas were once humanoids themselves, and transforming a humanoid is the only way they can reproduce. Kushtakas go out of their way to rescue the stranded, starving and freezing, which begin to slowly change into new kushtakas once the hospitality is accepted. Kushtakas often maintain villages where they keep their semi-captives, often reassuring them with soothing illusions and plenty of rest and relaxation. Someone transformed into a kushtaka is forever lost barring powerful magical intervention, but the kushtaka don’t understand why friends and loved ones are so upset to have lost one of their own—after all, the new kushtaka will never feel cold, live forever and always have plenty of company.
Kushtakas are immortal unless slain by violence. They can assume the form of river or sea otters, giant monstrous otters, and humanoids. They favor appearances in humanoid form that resemble their former lives, but are not beholden to them.
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