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Div, Dulhath
The Corruptors of Hospitality, the Unwelcome Guests
NE; CR 8 [PF1e]
A dulhath is a squat, warty humanoid with a broad face and massive, muscular arms. Standing between four and five feet tall, these fiends are heavy for their size, with short legs and grotesque features. As embodiments of corrupt manners, dulhaths specifically target hospitality and social norms, making them the ultimate bad guests. They infiltrate gatherings through trickery, disguise, or mind-altering magic, then demand food, treasure, and blood, escalating their demands to torment and vex their hosts—before inevitably murdering them.
Dulhaths are distinctive with their warty, wrinkled faces and stocky builds. Despite their squat appearance, their powerful arms are capable of considerable violence. They are excellent swimmers and often haunt oases, river rapids, desert islands, or masquerade as castaways to gain access to ships. In combat, dulhaths are sadistic, toying with their enemies and prolonging their suffering. They prefer fighting from the backs of animals or monsters, which usually perish under the dulhath’s harsh treatment. When no real steed is available, dulhaths can conjure magical phantom steeds, oddly taking the form of ostriches or other flightless birds.
The Ecology of the Dulhath
Even within the society of divs, dulhaths are the disruptors of social order, thriving on the discord they sow by corrupting hospitality. Their presence is a scourge at social gatherings, where they manipulate and exploit their hosts’ generosity. This perverse delight in violating the sacred norms of hospitality sets them apart as particularly insidious among their kind. They thrive on the trust and goodwill of others, turning these virtues into weaknesses. Barely tolerated even by other divs, the dulhath tend to be loners by nature.
Strengths and Weaknesses
A dulhath’s strengths lie in its cunning and physical prowess. Their ability to manipulate and disguise themselves allows them to infiltrate even the most secure gatherings. In battle, their sadistic nature and preference for mounted combat can make them formidable opponents. However, dulhaths have a significant weakness: their talkativeness. They love to boast about their powers and past deeds, often giving away crucial information, which may even give away their disguises. This distractibility can also be exploited by their victims, creating potential opportunities for quick-thinking cutters to escape or counterattack.
Philosophical Musings
Dulhaths are driven by a desire to pervert the sanctity of hospitality. Their ultimate goal is to destroy the bonds of trust and generosity that bind communities together. By making outrageous demands, and detecting and escalating conflicts, they aim to bring ruin to social gatherings and leave a trail of distrust and fear. Their sadistic pleasure in tormenting hosts until the point of murder showcases their deep-seated malevolence.
The dulhath represent the antithesis of the Greek pantheon’s concept of Xenia, and as such are particularly despised by members of the Greek pantheon and culture. This merely encourages the dulhath to target such cutters whenever they get the chance.
Source and stats: Creature Codex [PF1e]
