Bestiarum vocabulum - the Iron Vulture

A first it all you can see is a flash of metal or mirror falling from the sky. This bird of prey has feathers the color of metal, with a motled, naked head. Its talons and hooked beak are like rusted iron.

Iron Vulture                                                CR 3 (800 XP)
N small magical beast
Init +7; Senses Perception +12
 

DEFENSE
AC 20 (+1 Size, +4 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 3d10+9 (25 hp)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3
Defensive Abilities DR 5/non-metallic weapon Immune charm
 

OFFENSE
Spd 10 ft, fly 60 ft (good)
Melee 2 Talons +8 melee (1d4+1) and Bite +3 (1d6+1)
Special Attacks piercing strike, iron feathers
 

STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats improved initiative, weapon finesse
Skills Fly +13, Perception +12, Stealth +8, Survival +10; Racial Modifier +6 Perception, +4 Survival
Special Qualities scent, resistante to diseases

 ECOLOGY
Environment warm plains and deserts
Organization flock (4-10)
Treasure none
 

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Charm Immunity (Ex) An iron vulture is immune to charm or compulsion effects.

Resistance to Diseases (Ex) Iron vultures gain a +2 racial bonus against natural diseases.

Piercing Strike  (Ex) An iron vulture’s natural attacks ignore any armor bonus derived from metal armor.

Iron Feathers (Ex) An iron vulture’s feathers are supernaturaly resistance against metal weapons and shine as polished steel under the sun. When faced under an open sky, during the day, an iron vulture’s feathers impose the dazzled condition for 1 round on any adversarie who fails a Reflexes save, DC 15 (Constitution-based ability).

DESCRIPTION

Iron vultures are infamous carrion feeders and a common sight after great battles. Many see these birds of preys as servants of the gods of war and carnage, sent to devour the armored bodies of warriors and take their spirits to the Outer Realms. They are carnivorous but also need of a constant diet of blood-bathed iron, which explains why they’re naturally attracted to battlefields or places of great slaughter.

Iron vultures are not spirits or outsiders, but living creatures, albeit ones with a magical origin. Many believe they’re created by an old civilization as some kind of living plague or weapon. Some sages and minstrels of the wastelands speak of agonizing realms and city-states whose skies were full with “razor-sharp feathers of iron and blood” in their last days.