Unnatural intelligence glows in the bright green eyes of this large, jet-black crow.
Witchcrow CR 3
XP 800
CE Small magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, low-light vision; Perception +9
Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)
hp 32 (5d10+5)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4
Resist cold 5
Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee 2 talons +7 (1d6+1)
Special Attacks hexes (cackle, evil eye, misfortune)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8; Intelligence-based)
Constant—detect magic, speak with animals (birds only)
3/day—perceive cues, vanish, ventriloquism (DC 14)
1/day—ill omen, mirror image
Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 13
Base Atk +5; CMB +5 (+7 steal); CMD 19 (21 vs. steal)
Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Steal
Skills Bluff +5, Fly +15, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Perception +9, Sense Motive +6, Sleight of Hand +12, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +8 Sleight of Hand
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Auran, Common; speak with animals (birds only)
SQ apportation
Ecology
Environment cold or temperate forests or plains
Organization solitary, pair, covey (3-12), or murder (13-30)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Apportation (Su) Once per day, in large enough groupings (such as a murder), witchcrows can perform cooperative magic to open a glowing ring that leads to somewhere else. This entails a raucous aerial ritual centered on those that wish to make use of this ability. The ritual functions like a teleportation circle (CL 17th), except it requires 1 minute of uninterrupted casting time. The circle doesn't need to be placed on a horizontal surface, and is both visible and easily detected. The effect stays in place for 1 minute. Most witchcrows loathe using this power, but some offer it as a service, demanding a high price—usually something cherished, extremely valuable, and magical.
Hexes (Su) A witchcrow can use the hexes listed in its special attacks entry as a 5th-level witch. The save DC to resist a witchcrow's hex is 15.
The dread witchcrow, renowned as a harbinger of ill deeds and misfortune, preys on the weak and spies on the unwary. Clever, manipulative, and avaricious in the extreme, these birds have no conscience and know no fear. Witchcrows strive to steal not only victims' most cherished possessions, but their hopes and dreams as well. They delight in bringing anguish and sowing doubt even as they offer falsely friendly advice designed to tear down alliances, dupe the gullible, and compromise the virtuous. Despite their deceptive nature, witchcrows can also hold valuable information—or come by such if paid to retrieve it.
Witchcrows value arcane magic above all else, not simply as practitioners, but also as collectors. In exchange for their services or information, witchcrows trade for scrolls, potions, and other lesser magic items. Even if such items go unoffered, an intense covetous streak drives witchcrows to pilfer these things if they sense them among a bargainer's possessions. Often, they single out arcane casters as targets for thievery, closing on casters from a distance with their vanish ability and executing flyby attacks to snatch away any baubles they desire. They carry such loot back to their nests to preen and proudly share stories of their daring raids under the adulation of their peers. Regular, prolonged spellcasting (casting spells with a casting time greater than 1 round) often attracts witchcrows to the area. They stalk spellcasters in groups, watching for opportunities to steal from them.
