The Impundulu, more commonly known as a lightning bird, is an avian with an insatiable thirst for blood, and many witches do not hesitate to offer a small amount of their lifeblood to control one.

The lightning bird’s fat possesses incredible properties. A spellcaster can substitute the material components and focus of any spell having the electricity descriptor and instead use the impudulu’s fat. An extract from the bird’s flesh can also be created. This concentrate, which takes the form of a potion, can serve to either trace thieves (+4 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to follow tracks) or control the mind of such characters (+ 4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks).

This bird with black and white plumage as tall as a man is surrounded by an aura of crackling energy.

Lightning Bird CR 7

XP 3,200
CE Medium Magical Beast (shapechanger)
    Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft. low-light vision; Perception +9

Defense
    AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 Dodge, +3 natural)
    hp 60 (9d10+10)
    Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3
DR 10/bludgeon or magic Immune acid, cold, electricity, poison
Weaknesses everlasting blood thirst, storm-born, vulnerability to fire, witch’s blood

Offense
    Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft (average)
    Melee bite +10 (1d6+1 plus blood drain), 2 talons +10 (1d4+1 plus 5d6 electricity), and 2 wings +8 (1d4 plus 5d6 electricity)

Special Attacks blood drain (1 point of Constitution)
    Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th, concentration +8)
Constant—shocking grasp (talons and wings only), water breathing
At will—lightning bolt (DC 16)

Statistics
    Str 12, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 17
    Base Atk +9; CMB +10; CMD 22
    Feats Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Natural Armor, Multiattack, Skill Focus (Stealth)
    Skills Bluff +10, Disguise +10 (+20 in human form), Fly +10, Perception +9, Stealth +9
    Languages Common, Southern
    SQ change shape, immortal

Ecology
    Environment warm and tropical forests
    Organization solitary, pair or flight (3-6)
    Treasure incidental

Special Abilities
Blood Drain (Su) If a lightning bird hits a living creature with its bite attack, it automatically pierces the skin and quickly drains a small amount of the victim’s blood, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage. The lightning bird heals 5 hit points in this manner but does not gain temporary hit points each round it drains blood.

Change Shape (Su) A lightning bird can assume the appearance of a specific handsome young man. A lightning bird in human form cannot use its bite attack, but gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to appear human. Changing shape is a standard action. This ability otherwise functions as alter self, except that the lightning bird does not adjust its ability scores.

Everlasting Blood Thirst (Ex) A lightning bird is ever thirsty for blood and requires at least one portion each day even if it does not require healing. A lightning bird that does not slake its thirst loses 1 point of Wisdom for each period of 24 hours without blood, and it falls unconscious if it ever drops to zero.

Immortal (Su) Reducing a lightning bird to 0 hit points does not kill the creature. The only way to do so is to bleed the lightning bird dry, burn its remains, and scatter the ashes to the four winds.

Storm Born (Su) The lightning bird lays a single large egg underground where a lightning bolt hit. Digging up such an egg has two possible results on the digger: an effect identical to bestow curse or remove curse affects him.

Witch’s Blood (Su) When a lightning bird drinks the blood of a witch, it automatically becomes its servant and must obey her every command. If the witch ever dies, the lightning bird must serve her eldest daughter if she had one and so on. If the lightning bird ever drinks the blood of a male witch doctor, it also become its servant but is set free when its master dies.