Agathion, SilvansheeThis black cat has gray stripes, violet eyes, and an unusual white blaze on its chest.
Silvanshee CR 2Source Bestiary 2 pg. 20
XP 600
NG Tiny outsider (agathion, extraplanar, good)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10
DefenseAC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2; +4 vs. poison
DR 5/evil or silver; Immune electricity, petrification; Resist cold 10, sonic 10; SR 13
OffenseSpeed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (good)
Melee bite +6 (1d3–4), 2 claws +6 (1d2–4)
Special Attacks heroic strength, pounce
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +3)
Constant—know direction, speak with animals
At will—dancing lights, prestidigitation, stabilize
1/day—dimension door (self plus 5 lbs. of objects only)
1/week—commune (6 questions, CL 12th)StatisticsStr 3, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 8 (12 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB
Skills Acrobatics +11, Climb +7, Fly +6, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (planes) +5, Perception +10, Stealth +19; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; speak with animals, truespeech
SQ cat’s luck, flight, lay on hands (1d6, 1/day, always as a 2nd-level paladin), spectral mist
EcologyEnvironment any land (Nirvana)
Organization solitary, pair, or clowder (3–10)
Treasure standard
Special AbilitiesCat’s Luck (Su) A silvanshee adds its Charisma modifier as a luck bonus on all its saving throws. Once per day as a standard action, it can also grant this bonus to one ally within 30 feet for 10 minutes.
Heroic Strength (Su) Once per day, a silvanshee can grant itself a +8 enhancement bonus to Strength for 1 minute.
Spectral Mist (Su) A silvanshee can assume an eerie, mist-like form roughly the size and shape of a cat. This ability has the same effect as a gaseous form spell, except the silvanshee retains its own DR and supernatural abilities and can move at its normal speed. It can remain in mist form up to 5 minutes per day. This duration does not have to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments.
DescriptionSilvanshees are curious but reclusive cat agathions. Unobtrusive and able to blend in among normal animals (unlike the more anthropomorphic agathions), they are the eyes and ears of the good planes in the mortal world. Most roam hills, forests, and plains, keeping an eye out for evil influences. They can be taken as familiars by 7th-level good spellcasters with the Improved Familiar feat and meet the proper prerequisites. As familiars, silvanshees act as moral guides and steer their mortal allies toward corruptive forces that must be eliminated. In some mortal lands, they are called cat sìth or cath sidhe, and are believed to be disguised witches or fairies—and not necessarily benign creatures, which only encourages silvanshees to avoid strangers.
Silvanshees are not fond of open combat, even against demons, devils, or other fiendish threats, and they’re likely to run away if confronted. When they must fight, they prefer greater numbers and the element of surprise, using their magic to temporarily overcome their physical weaknesses, and melting away into mist if the battle turns against them.
A silvanshee is the size of a large domestic cat, though almost always sleek rather than fat, and weighs 20 pounds on average.Creatures in "Agathion" CategorySource Bestiary 2 pg. 15
Agathions are a race of beast-aspect outsiders native to the plane of Nirvana, a realm of pure good unconcerned with the dogma of law (represented by Heaven) or chaos (represented by Elysium). Though Nirvana is a place of rest where blessed souls seek enlightenment, agathions are aggressive and interventionist in the mortal world when it comes to dealing with evil. Created from the souls of good mortals who have managed to achieve the enlightenment they sought in life (or in some cases, after death), agathions embody the principles of a peaceable kingdom while marshaling their strength to defend that kingdom from any who would despoil it. Because they strike an ethical balance between the chaotic, fey-like azatas and the lawful, rigid process of the archons, agathions are often liaisons between the celestial races, soothing hot tempers and working toward mutual goals of vanquishing evil and protecting good.
All agathions have an animal-like aspect. Some are more humanoid in appearance, while others spend their entire existence in a form nearly identical to that of a true animal. Each type of agathion serves a particular role in Nirvana, and their duties on other planes echo these responsibilities: leonals watch over Nirvana's portals and have a guardian-like aspect in other worlds, draconals carry the wisdom of the ages and observe and guide exceptional mortals, vulpinals are bards and messengers and bear important news to celestial generals and mortal heroes, and so on. Agathions are proud of their feral aspects and don't take kindly to the suggestion that they are cursed folk like lycanthropes or nothing more than magical talking beasts. Every agathion was once a mortal who aspired to goodness and was rewarded in the afterlife with a form suiting her talents and personality; suggesting that an agathion's form is a kind of punishment is a terrible insult.
The following pages describe only a few of the best-known kinds of agathions, but other types exist, corresponding to other conventional animals (bears, dinosaurs, fish, wolves, and so on), with a few having shapes that resemble insects (particularly beetles, butterflies, and mantises); a handful resemble stranger creatures (such as basilisks and owlbears) or unique “animals” native to extreme environments on distant worlds. Certain animals, particularly those associated with scavenging activities (such as hyenas, buzzards, or jackals) or parasitism (like lampreys or ticks) specifically do not have agathions associated with them—these animals are not intrinsically evil, but their habits and ecological niches are far from the noble and proud traditions that most of the souls who seek enlightenment upon Nirvana would associate with themselves.
Individual agathions may be male or female, but they do not reproduce among their own kind—every agathion is a unique individual made from the soul of a good mortal. This does not prevent them from falling in love or having affairs with mortals, and a few aasimar and celestial sorcerer bloodlines derive from past contact with agathions, particularly among communities not averse to anthropomorphic humanoids. Indeed, many mythologies tie numerous races of this kind to the inevitable result of human tribes forming strong emotional attachments to visiting agathions.
Agathions speak Celestial, Draconic, and Infernal, though they can communicate with any intelligent creature because of their truespeech ability. They can also communicate with animals using a similar, silent ability. Even the weakest agathion is able to heal itself or others using a power similar to a paladin's ability to lay on hands. All agathions have a number of similar traits, as detailed in Appendix 3 of this book.
Agathions serving a particular deity or empyreal lord may have additional abilities depending on the role their deity assigns them. For example, a cetaceal serving a goddess of volcanic islands may be able to change shape into a more human-like form to walk on land, and may be immune to fire to tolerate and tend to the life-rich thermal vents at the ocean floor.
Agathion Leaders
Though agathions lack an organized hierarchy, each type of agathion has a few individuals invested with power by the gods of Nirvana or the plane itself. Common agathions look to these exceptional examples for leadership, wisdom, and inspiration; these enlightened folk do not openly claim any responsibilities or rank over their fellows, but welcome the obligations this added power places upon them and do not deny their status or shirk their duties. Part of a category of powerful outsiders known collectively as empyreal lords, these leaders are often significantly larger than common agathions (up to double the normal size, in some cases), and have unusual coloration (such as iron-gray fur) or unique sensory manifestations associated with their presence (such as illusory birds, a constant melody, the scent of oranges, or a calming aura). No agathion fails to recognize their presence when not disguised. Agathion leaders can serve as heralds for deities, although they tend not to encourage religions based on their teachings. The following is but a selection of notable agathion leaders.
Chavod Broken-Spear (cetaceal)
Kelumarion the King Over the Mountain (leonal)
Korada of the Dream Lotus (avoral)
Lady Taramyth the Singing Flame (vulpinal)
Sixlife the Violet Fury (silvanshee)
Walks with Golden Stars (draconal)
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