Byakhee

demon

Foul flying creatures, minions of the Golden Lord

Description:

Byakhee are foul, flying beings from the Outer Dark. They are vaguely humanoid in shape, with large bat-like wings. Their feet end in talons alike to a bird of prey and their hands have sharp claws. From their lower body extends a long stinger capable of injecting horrible, rotting poison. Their features mix insectoid parts with rotting carcass of a human. They seem to possess malevolent intelligence. Larger versions of the same creature can be big as a horse. The large ones often possess mark of the Golden Lord upon their forehead and are capable of sorcery.

Bio:

The heroes first encountered byakhee after leaving Messantia for the second time. In the corrupted temple island of Ishtar, the local cultists had summoned several of the flying creatures as their eyes in the sky. As the heroes fled the island in a leaking boat, they were harassed by the flying creatures. Later, they were pursued by them as they fled north. The supernatural poison of the creatures almost killed several heroes several times.

While traveling through the Karpash Mountains, they were assaulted by a large group of byakhee. Here they met for the first time the larger kind, whose sorcerous abilities proved very dangerous. After moving into Nemedia proper, no byakhee was sighted again. Only during the final confrontation in Shadizar did they reappear, obviously stronger as the stars were right.

Before his disappearance, Barathus demonstrated a disturbing ability to summon and command byakhee of his own. Based on experience so far, the cult uses byakhee only in the wilderness and rural areas, preferring a more stealthy approach near civilization.