ShasalquA ridge of jagged ice runs down the back of this glistening, desertdwelling
lizard.Shasalqu CR 3Source Bestiary 5 pg. 229, Pathfinder #79: The Half-Dead City pg. 84
XP 800
N Small magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
Aura trapping cold (10 ft., DC 14)DefenseAC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2
Defensive Abilities heat absorption; Immune fire; Resist cold 10OffenseSpeed 30 ft.
Melee tail slap +8 (1d8+4 plus 1d6 cold)StatisticsStr 17, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Initiative, Step Up
Skills Climb +7, Perception +6, Stealth +10
SQ frigid fleshEcologyEnvironment warm deserts
Organization solitary, pair, or cluster (3–6)
Treasure noneSpecial AbilitiesFrigid Flesh (Ex) A creature that hits a shasalqu with a natural
attack or an unarmed strike takes 1d6 points of cold damage.
Heat Absorption (Ex) Shasalqus are immune to fire damage.
Instead, the shasalqu gains 1 temporary hit point for
every 3 points of fire damage it would have taken, which
disappear after 1 hour.
Trapping Cold (Su) A shasalqu exudes a heat-sapping aura.
Any creature that begins its turn within 10 feet of a shasalqu
takes 1d6 points of cold damage and becomes entangled. A
successful save negates both effects. An affected creature
is entangled for as long as remains within the aura’s area
plus 1 additional round. Creatures whose cold immunity or
resistance prevents all cold damage are not entangled. When
a shasalqu dies, this aura persists around its corpse for 1
hour. The save DC is Constitution-based.DescriptionWhile some reptiles bask in the sun’s warm embrace to
raise their body temperatures, a shasalqu is ravenous in
its search of warmth. Even in equatorial deserts, it never
seems to have enough heat. Instead of just relying on the
sun, a shasalqu gathers energy by sapping the heat from
the air around it. It then uses the intense cold generated
from this heat absorption to trap its prey. A shasalqu is
3 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs about 40 pounds.
Most desert scholars believe the strange biology that
fuels a shasalqu’s heat absorption is the same as that of
brown mold, and some even claim that the creatures carry
brown mold spores in their bodies. This could account for
shasalqus’ ability to sap heat from their surroundings even
after they die. Because of their sandy environs and the drops
of water that melt off their icy ridges, shasalqus’ bodies are
often caked in a layer of gritty mud. Motionless shasalqus
are often mistaken for rocks or small muddy clumps from a
distance—a mistake desert travelers quickly come to regret.
Shasalqus who settle near oases make their lairs far
enough away to escape immediate notice, allowing them to
sneak up on drinking or bathing creatures and then retreat
to their lairs with little risk. Shasalqus that find a trade
route within their territory also digs lairs far enough away
to prey on travelers without betraying their presence.
Regardless of their locations, shasalqu lairs are
often extremely damp since the desert’s heat melts the
accumulated ice that crusts on the creatures’ hides. This
makes shasalqu lairs breeding grounds for a variety of
mosses and plants, especially those that can withstand
colder temperatures. These tiny oases rapidly become too
mossy and cool for shasalqus, forcing them to leave in
search of new dens. Shasalqus frequently keep multiple
dens within their territory and rotate between them.
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