NornCreature 20
Source Pathfinder Bestiary 2
Perception +41 (detect magic, greater darkvision, lifesense 120 feet, true seeing)
Languages Common, Jotun, Sylvan, Tongues
Skills Crafting +36, Deception +35, Intimidation +37, Lore +28, Medicine +38, Occultism +34, Performance +31, Religion +34
Str +7, Dex +6, Con +6, Int +6, Wis +10, Cha +7
AC 46; Fort +34; Reflex +30; Will +38; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 375 (regeneration 20 (deactivated by cold iron)
Speed 35 feet (fly 35 feet)
Immunities flat footed, negative
Weaknesses Coldiron 20
Norn Shears
+38 (+33, +28) to hit (magical, reach 10, versatile p) 5d6 Negative + 4d6+15 SlashingHand Of Fate
+38 (+34, +30) to hit (agile, magical, reach 10) 4d10+15 NegativeGreater Darkvision
A creature with greater darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. Some forms of magical darkness, such as a 4th-level Darkness spell, block normal Darkvision. A creature with greater darkvision, however, can see through even these forms of magical darkness.
LifesenseLifesense allows a monster to sense the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range. The sense can distinguish between the positive energy animating living creatures and the negative energy animating undead creatures, much as sight distinguishes colors.
Sense Fate (fortune)A norn automatically rolls a 20 when she rolls initiative.
TriumvirateThis functions as the Coven ability, except only norns can join a triumvirate, and it functions only as long as exactly three norns are part of the triumvirate. A triumvirate grants the following spells: Alter Reality (once per day), Cataclysm, Discern Location, Foresight, and Revival.
At-Will SpellsThe monster can cast its at-will spells any number of times without using up spell slots.
Constant SpellsA constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires.
+1 Status to All Saves vs. MagicRegeneration 20 (deactivated by cold iron)This monster regains the listed number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn. Its Dying condition never increases beyond Dying 3 as long as its regeneration is active. However, if it takes damage of a type listed in the regeneration entry, its regeneration deactivates until the end of its next turn. Deactivate the regeneration before applying any damage of a listed type, since that damage might kill the monster by bringing it to Dying 4.
Fated (fortune, misfortune)When a creature is subject to a fortune effect from a norn and a misfortune effect from any source other than a norn (or vice versa), the norn's effect automatically counteracts the other effect and then takes place normally, rather than the two effects canceling each other out. If both the fortune and misfortune effect are from a norn, then the two cancel each other out as normal. At the GM's discretion, powerful entities related to fate or luck, like Desna, Magdh, or Pharasma, count as a norn for the purpose of this ability.
Sever Fate (necromancy, occult)When a norn deals negative damage with a Strike, she regains 10 Hit Points. The target must succeed at a DC 39 fortitude save or become Drained 1 (Drained 2 on a critical failure).
Further negative damage dealt by the norn increases the drained condition value by 1 on a failed save (or by 2 on a critical failure), to a maximum of drained 4.
Shift Fate
(divination, occult, misfortune, fortune)Trigger A creature within 120 feet attempts a saving throw
Effect The creature rolls the saving throw twice, and then the norn decides which result applies. If the norn chooses the lower roll, this is a misfortune effect; if she chooses the higher roll, it's a fortune effect; if they're the same, she decides which trait to apply.
Snip Thread
(death, manipulate, necromancy, occult)Frequency three times per day
Effect The norn produces a golden thread linked to the fate of a creature within 100 feet of her, then snips it short with her shears. The target takes 100 negative damage (DC 42 basic fortitude save). If the target is reduced to 0 Hit Points from this damage, the thread is completely severed and the creature dies immediately. A creature slain by Snip Thread can't be restored to life except by Miracle, Wish, or similarly powerful magic; or by divine intervention. Regardless of the outcome of their saving throw, a creature targeted by Snip Thread then becomes temporarily immune for 24 hours. The norn can't use Snip Thread again for 1d4 rounds.
Occult Innate Spells (DC 42, +32 to hit)
Cantrips (10th Level): Detect Magic (Constant) (10th)
7th Level: Dispel Magic (At will), Read Omens (At will), Spellwrack (At will)
8th Level: Maze, Wind Walk
9th Level: Power Word Kill, Retrocognition, Weird
10th Level: Mind Blank (Constant), Time Stop, Tongues (Constant), True Seeing (Constant)
3rd Level: Geas
7th Level: Legend Lore
Ancient beyond imagining, norns are powerful fey women who hold in their hands the physical manifestation of fate and destiny in the form of golden thread. They watch over all life, intervening with reluctance when called upon-or with a vengeance when the strands of fate are twisted and abused by lesser beings.
Norns' relationship with the Eldest of the First World is complex. Many among norns serve Magdh the Three, the triune Eldest who some norns believe to be the first norn triumvirate bound together into one entity, as Magdh has three bodies: a Maiden, a Mother, and a Matriarch. Magdh claims to be watching the threads of fate for some ominous prophesied cataclysm, and in addition to assisting in her divinations, Magdh expects the norns who serve her to follow her cryptic commands to help nudge the future away from the brink. However, norns are powerful beings in their own right, themselves capable of granting divine power, and many balk at serving the enigmatic demigod. These norns find the other Eldest even more alien and challenging to interact with, for they believe that while the Eldest wield great power, even these powerful beings should not be granted leave to meddle with fate as much as they desire.
While even the weakest of the Eldest could destroy an unaffiliated norn with ease, they tend to obey the proclamations and judgments of norns when they are spoken. These norns, for their part, use their perceived neutrality judiciously. They know better than to issue too many demands to the Eldest, lest the capricious demigods grow frustrated and tired of norns' interference. And so the balance of power remains tenuous between unaffiliated norns and the Eldest, as it has for eons. However, norns know that it's merely a matter of time before the Eldest lose their respect for this tradition and start acting entirely as they please, despite norns' best efforts to rein in their most disruptive actions.
A norn stands 14 feet tall and weighs 800 pounds.
Worshipping Norns On the Material Plane, some mortals worship norns as deities, while others, especially witches and bards, admire them as patrons or muses. Those who uphold norns as deities are known as Followers of Fate. Norns do little to discourage this veneration, but neither do they go out of their way to support such worship. Clerics who venerate norns might worship a specific norn or norn triumvirate, or all norns as a whole, but they gain the same benefits regardless of their choice. The religious symbol of Followers of Fate is a pair of shears cutting a golden thread, and their areas of concern are destiny, fate, and the aging process.
Traits
This rarity indicates that a rules element is very difficult to find in the game world. A rare feat, spell, item or the like is available to players only if the GM decides to include it in the game, typically through discovery during play. Creatures with this trait are rare. They typically can't be summoned. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to these creatures is increased by 5.
FeyCreatures of the First World are called the fey.