#zaramuun

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[The last PF2e monster I have planned for the time being, but I do intend to circle around and cover more of them in the future. The zaramuun didn’t jump out at me the first time I read through the Bestiary. It’s yet another vaguely humanoid elemental, and the art is nothing special. The flavor text, though, is pretty interesting, and I grew to like these guys. I did swap their Wisdom and Charisma from the PF2e version--something about being stuck in an unwinnable situation and suffering from self-delusion strikes me as a low Wis situation.]

Zaramuun CR 16 CE Outsider (elemental) This giant creature appears to be the oversized head and torso of a humanoid figure composed of sand. Bits of rock and metal are studded throughout its form.

The zaramuuns are beings of elemental earth stranded in the Material Plane. Although they are violent and hostile to the living, they are more interested in robbing enemies than killing them. Treasures of metal and stone are especially prized, and zaramuuns often position themselves near caravan routes in order to have a regular supply of victims. Although zaramuuns claim that they are taking what is rightfully theirs as beings of Earth, their motivations are tinged with self-delusion. The zaramuuns are the exiled descendents of earth elementals that sided with Ahriman, and they serve the Lord of Divs in the hope that he will someday allow them to return to the Great Beyond.

A zaramuun usually attacks from ambush, disguising itself as a mundane sand dune in the hopes of being walked over. Prey is engulfed and their possessions removed from them, as the zaramuun shifts them around like a prospector panning for gold. Once it has a few valuable items, the zaramuun retreats back beneath the surface, leaving engulfed creatures behind but carrying away their weapons, shields and gems. Although zaramuuns prefer to fight ground-bound targets, they are not helpless against those that fly; a zaramuun is a crack shot with thrown rocks, and they can spray lines of shredding, blinding sand against their enemies.

All zaramuuns are anchored permanently to the Material Plane. Although some use their ill-gotten gains to attempt to teleport or plane shift, such efforts are futile. This anchoring effect is even contagious. It doesn’t persist long on other creatures, but can prove a nasty surprise to grabbed mages attempting to dimension door their way free. Many zaramuuns use their treasure as offerings to Ahriman and the divs, delivered back to Abaddon by divs conjured with planar ally spells. Zaramuuns typically see others of their species as competition, but can be found in association with cults of Ahriman and div communes. A zaramuun is typically deferential to even minor divs, and downright obsequious in the presence of sepids and other divs of rank.

The nosoi on the left is a psychopomp, the beings who guide you to the afterlife when you die. These are the scribes, messengers, and clerks, directing the freshly dead and witnessing the judgement. Most are really chatty and like talking about all the cool things they're doing. They can turn invisible, read future omens, and turn into a different type of songbird or raven. Thier song is also supernaturally fascinating, keeping your attention solely on them.

On the left is the zaramuun! Sand dune elementals, banished from thier own planes after thier deals with fiends. While aggressive, most actually don't kill you, just steal all your metal and rocks (supposedly taking what was stolen from the earth, actually to bargin with fiends to try freeing themselves). They also can mentally manipulate you and engulf you in themselves!