Psychopomp, Esobok
Habitat: Graveyards of the Underlands
Alignment: Neutral
Challenge Rating: 3
The esobok are the muscle of the psychopomp world, enforcers who don’t bother with the niceties of soul escorting. They’re more about keeping the peace – or what passes for peace in the afterlife. Standing three feet tall at the shoulder and nearly as wide, weighing over 300 pounds, they’re not exactly subtle.
Their role? They’re the border guards, the feral hunters of the undead. Their hunger for the essence of undeath isn’t about sustenance – it’s more like a passion, a craving for the thrill of the hunt. They might not need to eat, but denying them their prey makes them restless, irritable, and unpredictable.
In the grand scheme of things, esobok are the less brainy lot of the psychopomp family. They’re not ones for chit-chat, save for the occasional growl or threat. And when an esobok threatens, you’d best listen – better believe they don’t repeat themselves.
Their limited intelligence and primal nature make them perfect for patrolling the borders of the afterlife realms, sniffing out intruders or those dabbling in raising the dead. Packs of these creatures roam the Underlands like wolves, defending their territories fiercely against anyone – be they outsider or another psychopomp.
But here’s the twist – while they’re seen as crude animals, some, particularly vanths, have found a way to train them, tapping into their hidden magical abilities. These trained esobok become formidable forces, capable of spell-like abilities like ear-piercing scream, haunting mists, and teleportation.
The philosophical implications of their existence are as stark as their appearance. Esobok embody the uncorrupted essence of duty, unbothered by ethical dilemmas or personal desires. They’re the raw, unrefined guardians of the afterlife, tearing into anything that threatens the order – be it undead, infernal, or celestial intruders. They represent the relentless, unthinking side of the afterlife’s bureaucracy – a contrast to other more cerebral, calculating psychopomps. Their existence is a testament to the fact that, in the multiverse, sometimes brute force is just as necessary as cunning intellect to maintain the balance of life and death.
See Also:
- What are Psychopomps?
- The Castes of the Psychopomps
- The Ushers of the Psychopomps
- The Ecology of the Psychopomp
Sources and Stats:
- Pathfinder Adventure Path #80: Empty Graves [PF1e] p84 here
- Bestiary 2 [PF2e] here
- D&D conversion by d’Artagnan [5e] here
- Origin: Possibly inspired by the Egyptian crocodile-headed power Sobek.
