What is an Obrousian in Pathfinder 2e?
What is an Obrousian in Pathfinder 2e? Spawned from sorrow and hatred, obrousians are undead merfolk who lurk in shallow places to prey upon hated land dwellers. The genesis of an obrousian is a tragic one: some merfolk forsake their aquatic homes when they fall in love with a land dweller, only to be spurned or rejected. Having given up their entire world for another and then feeling that new world closed off to them as well, merfolk can become emotionally overwhelmed. When such merfolk die, often overcome with sorrow and regret, they rise as obrousians.
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Table of Contents
Hatred for Land Dwellers
Obrousians think of little other than taking revenge upon the land dwellers who specifically wronged them, and then upon anyone else with the misfortune to cross their paths. They can contort their bodies to take the guise of other humanoids, but doing so is painful, so obrousians use this ability only when absolutely necessary to enact their schemes. While they are capable of long-term planning, their underlying mental turmoil simmers beneath any careful preparation, and many obrousians foil their own plans with unexpected outbursts of emotion.
Undead Merfolk
Obrousians are recognizable as the merfolk they once were before they died, though their bodies show obvious decay and their hands have elongated into sharp claws. Their voices are melodic and entrancing, belying their rotting bodies and turbulent minds, so some obrousians hide in tall reeds or under docks before speaking to their victims, lulling them into false comfort with a pleasant voice. Obrousians train aquatic monsters like sharks and bunyips, both to provide cover for their more subtle attacks and to dispose of any evidence left behind in their assaults. Clever obrousians can convince locals that simple monsters are responsible for their attacks.
The Deceptive Docks
A series of gruesome murders has left the bustling harbor town of Seawatch in terror. The victims are all men, found with their throats cut and bodies tossed into the sea. The only clue is a haunting melody heard around the docks on the nights of the murders. The killer is an obrousian, driven by a hatred for land-dwellers, especially those who spurned its love in life.
Echoes of a Broken Heart
A noblewoman in the city of Port Riva has been receiving anonymous letters filled with sorrow and hate. The letters speak of a past love and a longing for revenge. The noblewoman is terrified and seeks help from adventurers. The perpetrator is an obrousian, who was once a merfolk in love with her, now seeking revenge after death.
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Foe from the Deep
The coastal city of Ocean’s Crest is under attack by a series of unexpected and inexplicable aquatic raids. The city guard is baffled, as the attacks seem to be led by a merfolk who can take the form of a human. The truth is much darker – an obrousian is behind these assaults, manipulating local aquatic creatures to carry out its vengeance.
The Unrequited Love
The players hear of a haunting, beautiful voice singing on moonlit nights around the fishing village of Nautica. Fishermen have gone missing, only to be found days later washed up on the shore, brutally mangled. The villagers believe a cursed siren is responsible, but they are wrong. It’s an obrousian, an undead merfolk, seeking revenge on the villagers, who once rejected its mortal form’s love.
Need more stats?
If you want the full stats of this creature go here: https://2e.aonprd.com/Monsters.aspx?ID=1888
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Adventure Ideas
The Reef’s Revenge
In the coastal town of Windhaven, the local fishermen have noticed that their usual fishing spots near a reef have become perilous. Sharks and other dangerous creatures, not usually seen so close to the shore, are now abundant. The reef, once a favored place of a lovelorn merfolk, is now the domain of an obrousian, commanding these creatures as part of its revenge on the town that caused its despair.
Lament of the Lost
The small coastal town of Tide’s End has been plagued by a series of eerie, sorrowful songs heard echoing across the waves late at night. These haunting melodies have been accompanied by increasingly hostile aquatic wildlife near the shore, posing a significant threat to the local fishermen. The town council suspects an obrousian’s influence and seeks aid to uncover the truth and restore peace.
The Phantom of the Lighthouse
The lighthouse of Beacon’s Point has been abandoned after the keeper was found dead, his body gruesomely mangled. Locals report hearing a beautiful, melancholy song emanating from the lighthouse on the night of his death. It’s suspected that an obrousian, harboring a grudge against the townsfolk, is using the lighthouse as its lair.
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About the Author:
Dwight Scull has been playing tabletop role-playing games (starting with Dungeons and Dragons 3.5) back in 2001. He started being a dungeon master around 2005.
He loves to play many different types of TTRPGs, including Pathfinder, GURPS, Shadowrun, Vampire: The Masquerade, Mage: The Ascension (and other White Wolf Games), Nights Black Agents, and others.
Fan of mysteries, light horror, co-op board games, true crime, sci-fi, and fantasy.
