[ Sahkil ] [ Impostors | Lurkers | Stalkers | Tormentors ]
[ Caseafula | Chakanaj | Erasak | Esipil | Ganerul | Hemnallid | Ijhyeojin | Jichjik | Maatambil | Yatorak | Yogob ]
Esipil Sahkil
Home Planes: Ethereal / Xibalba; Nether
Alignment: Neutral Evil
The Betrayers of Trust (PF1e: CR 2; PF2e: CR 1); ailurophobia — fear of cats; cynophobia — fear of dogs
Among the lesser sahkils that torment mortals, few are as insidious as the esipil [eh-SEEP-il], a creature that perverts the ancient bond between mortal and pet. These abominable fiends feast upon a primal anxiety: the unease that comes from living with beasts, and how it’s impossible to know what they’re really thinking. The esipil is a grotesque mockery of man’s best friend. It can transform into a humble dog—or sometimes a cat—in its initial manifestation, in order to make friends and win hearts. Yet beneath this comforting façade and lurks true horror: the true form of the esipil has a slimy earthworm tail where legs should be, topped by a canine head from which veins dangle like grotesque facial hair. Esipil use these horrid tentacles to attack, attempting to entangle victims before slashing at them with vicious claws.
Esipils seek to create a subtle kind of fear: the creeping doubt that domesticated animals might turn stag on their masters and revert to their wild nature at any moment. They understand that civilisation’s greatest achievement—the taming of beasts—rests upon a fragile foundation. Every pet owner harbours buried anxiety about their beloved animal’s true nature, and esipils cultivate and amplify these fears in order to feed on them.
Esipils ingratiate themselves with mortals by acting like loving pets, at least initially. They particularly favour spellcasters who might take them as familiars, though they will attach themselves to any cutter who shows emotional vulnerability towards a furry friend. During this phase, they display all the behaviours that mortals expect from devoted pets—loyalty, playfulness, and apparent affection. The esipil’s true cruelty lies in its slow descent into aggression. These are not random outbursts but carefully orchestrated performances designed to plant seeds of doubt. The creature will bark, snap, and snarl until called down by its masters, then return to fawning obedience—leaving its victims to wonder whether they imagined the threat or if it will escalate next time. Using its telepathic abilities, esipils enjoy harassing potential opponents with vulgar and disconcerting mental taunts. They use these powers to goad victims into attacking first, allowing the sahkil to present itself as the victim while savouring the fear and confusion it has sown.
There are several behavioural tells that may give away the presence of an esipil. They become visibly agitated around genuinely faithful animals who can sense their corruption. Their telepathic taunts often reveal knowledge only the pet would possess, hinting at the true source of the disembodied voice. Plants wither in areas where the faux-pet usually rests. Their slimy earthworm body makes them vulnerable to salt, which causes them intense pain. They are vulnerable to turning attempts, despite being outsiders and not undead. Finally, holy symbols and consecrated ground can force them to reveal their true nature.
Source and Stats: Bestiary 5 [PF1e] p213; Bestiary 3 [PF2e] p218
Other Sources: Jon Winter-Holt. Canonwatch: These sahkil are a fabulously horrid type of fiend from Pathfinder lore, who make a great addition to the Ethereal Plane and Planescape lore generally. The Creature Codex has done an awesome job of expanding the number of sahkil massively too, and I’ve included all their creations here. Organising the sahkil into three sub-types based on their hunting style was my idea, because the list was unwieldy and their names are (deliberately) hard to remember, and this splits them up into bite-sized chunks.