Akata

Akata
(Creature)
Rare N Medium Aberration Level 1 Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of akatas Source: Bestiary 2, pg(s). 13 Type Aberration CR 1 Environment Any Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of akatas Source: Bestiary 2, pg(s). 23

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Akatas are terrifying, animalistic predators from the Dark Tapestry beyond Golarion's solar system. More terrifying than these predators' hunger is their horrific manner of reproduction, which could only come from a creature born far from the light of any sun.

Description

An akata is about the size of a lion with similar proportions, but it has two tentacular tails, and instead of a mane it boasts tendrils encircling its neck. Its flesh is rubbery, and it weighs around 400 pounds. Akatas lack lungs or vocal cords and are unable to make any sound; they make no sound when they move, no roars or braying even as they close in to tear prey limb from limb.

Abilities

An akata's abilities are alien in nature, and its void bite has no parallel in any natural creature of Golarion. An akata's bite can infect its victim with its own microscopic young as part of the akata's breeding cycle. Once inside the host, their young function like a debilitating disease referred to as void death and gradually kill their host. When the host creature dies, the strongest young akata latches onto a brain cell and re-energizes it, reanimating the creature as a reanimated host. It continues to grow until it forces its way out through the bottom jaw, creating what looks like a horribly oversized, swollen tongue. These host creatures are known as void zombies.

Habitat and ecology

An akata cocoon.

An akata can wrap itself in a cocoon by excreting metallic fibers from its mouth and hibernate indefinitely. The cocoon protects it from fire and impact, making it suitable for its travels on comets through space. While cocooned, it can awaken when it senses nearby living creatures and heat sources.

Akatas live wherever the comets carrying their cocoons land, and can be found throughout the planets of Golarion's solar system. They originated in the asteroid belt known as the Diaspora, but also frequently appear on the nearby dead world of Eox. Akatas begin their life cycle in outer space, where they hibernate on comets and meteors until they crash into a life-bearing planet. When active on a planet, akatas generally hunt in packs of up to thirty, with larger packs led by large akatas known as akata princes.

Akata ecology is totally alien to Golarion. They communicate using both visual means and smell. They can survive without any sort of air, but are burned by salt water as if it were acid and can die if fully immersed in it.

On Golarion

Inscriptions in temples dating back to Earthfall depict akatas falling from the stars. Followers of Groetus have been known to summon akatas.