#capelobo
The Capelobo is a strong anteater-like humanoid creature from the brazilian folklore. It’s said to pierce its victims skulls and suck their brains out.
Illustration for “Folcollab” - an art collab between friends in which we draw our versions of a figure from the Brazilian folklore each month
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Image © H. Kyoht Luterman, accessed at their deviantArt here
[The capelobo is a Brazilian monster that has a decent amount of art and internet attention, but very little in terms of reliable sources online in English. Doing some digging into Portuguese language websites with Google Translate, this seems to be par for the course in Brazil as well. Whether it has the head of an anteater or a tapir, is it a shapeshifter or not, does it eat brains or blood, and the like vary in terms of who’s telling the story. So this version takes inspiration from the (not universal) idea that very old humans can turn into a capelobo, as well as their supposed fondness for eating puppies and kittens.]
Capelobo
CR 14 CE Monstrous Humanoid
This creature resembles a bipedal anteater, more than half again the height of a man. Its arms are long and hang below its knees, with huge curving claws. It has circular hooves on its hind feet.
Many people fear death, and there are many ways that people attempt to avert death. Some of these ways are terrible and predatory. Someone who uses arcane methods to prolong their life by draining it from others may transform into a hideous monster—a capelobo. They are functionally immortal, only dying if slain by violence. They continue their hunt for perpetual youth, killing and eating juvenile animals and people and sucking out their brains and glandular tissue. They will also eat the brains of adults who come hunting for them or whom they stumble upon, but capelobos complain that such meals are bland by comparison.
Capelobos enjoy causing terror, and they mix stealthy movements with ear piercing screams. Those close to a screaming capelobo become temporarily insane with panic, and may either flee into the wilderness or begin attacking their own friends and loved ones. In the confusion, the capelobo strikes. It grabs the youngest looking creature, tearing into it with its claws before extending its long tongue into an ear, nostril or wound. It rapidly sucks out the brains of its victims, leaving them dead with an empty skull. A capelobo cannot be tracked by anything less than magical means, but will sometimes leave a single, perfectly circular hoof print as a mocking calling card.
A capelobo stands between eight and nine feet tall.
Capelobo CR 14
XP 38,400
CE Large monstrous humanoid
Init+9;Sensesdarkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +19, scent
Defense
AC29, touch 15, flat-footed 23 (-1 size, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +14 natural)
hp195 (17d10+102)
Fort+13,Ref+15,Will+14
DR15/cold iron; Immunecurses, disease, fear, poison; SR25
Defensive Abilities freedom of movement,hungry for life
Offense
Speed40 ft.
Melee2 claws +23 (2d8+7/19-20 plus grab), bite +22 (1d6+7)
Space10 ft.; Reach10 ft.
Special Attacks brain drain, maddening scream, rend (2 claws, 2d8+10)
Spell-like Abilities CL 14th, concentration +19
Constant—freedom of movement, pass without trace
Statistics
Str26,Dex21,Con22,Int13,Wis19,Cha20
Base Atk +17;CMB+25 (+29 grapple); CMD41
FeatsBlind-fight, Combat Reflexes,Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth), Vital Strike
SkillsAcrobatics +17 (+21 when jumping), Climb +22, Intimidate +20, Perception +19, Stealth +23, Survival +19, Swim +223
LanguagesAbyssal, Common
Ecology
Environmentwarm forests and plains
Organizationsolitary
Treasurestandard
Special Abilities
Brain Drain (Ex) When a capelobo begins its turn grappling an opponent, it can eat that creature’s brains, dealing 1d6 points of Intelligence and Wisdom drain per round. A successful DC 24 Fortitude save reduces the damage taken to 1 point of Intelligence and Wisdom drain. A creature reduced to 0 of either of these abilities is killed and cannot be returned to life with any effect that requires an intact body. The save DC is Constitution based.
Hungry for Life (Su) A capelobo heals from both positive and negative energy effects.
Maddening Scream (Su) As a standard action, a capelobo can give a maddening scream. All creatures within 60 feet must succeed a DC 23 Will save or be shaken and confused for 17 rounds. A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to that capelobo’s maddening scream for the next 24 hours. A creature that takes damage while under this effect must succeed an additional DC 23 Will save or be panicked for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a mind-influencing sonic, fear effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Capelobos are immune to this effect.
