Illuminated by its spectral, green feathers this massive predator literally soars through the darkest thickets. The owl-like creature's body ripples as it flies through tree branches and trunks as an apparition would. However, when the screecher strikes, its prey discovers it is terribly substantial after all. Flaked horns rise from the sides of the screecher's brow, giving it a horned owl-profile, and it's head can swivel nearly all the way about like that natural species. Its eyes are not like an owl's exactly, while they are round and dominated most of its flat face they are red, translucent orbs that cast a distorted reflection of whatever they spy. To round out the monstrosity's terrible mien their claws are five-fingered with skin so tight over bone that they appear skeletal.
Necrotic Mutation. Folklore says that the screechers resulted from an arcane disaster, of sorts. A necromancer cult took up residence in the dark heart of the woods. By all accounts this particular group didn't have much interest on tormenting the living or conquering the lands around its shadowed glades. They only wished a place to delve deep into the mysteries of the dead and focused on raising bears, elk, wolves and other woodland creatures. Though, they did pay good coin to grave robbers who dropped off humanoid corpses now and again. The majority of the cult used owls for families and messengers. However, once regional druids found out about this blasphemy they enlisted paladins and other heroes to wipe out the necromancers and their creations. The area was left depopulated, partially razed, and soaked in death magic. The druids decided to let the woods regrow at a natural pace and the heroes abandoned it altogether. The owls however, remained, feasting on undead flesh and soaking in the dark energies. Exposed to this toxic, magical waste screechers first appeared within a year.
Indigestible Horror. One of the worst aspects of a screecher is the fate of the creatures it eats. Like actual owls the ghostly monster is unable to digest bones and fur. Its gullet becomes a de facto unhallowed grave where the spirits of its meals are tormented amid tumbled, broken bones. That is until the screecher vomits up pellets. These balls of phlegm and bio-debris inevitably spawns skeletons comprised of mismatched bones. The mad spirits seek to end their pain by stealing the intact bones they need from the living. These undead are likewise terrified of being eaten by the screecher again.
Eldest Beastie. The screecher patriarch is perhaps the first of its kind to take flight. Over decades it has grown in size, power, and viciousness. Its eyes have become so used to insubstantial travel that they have developed a blood-red tint. It also has developed terrible abilities that its descendents thankfully do not have. Some scholars fear that with enough time, a screecher patriarch may become more dangerous than any intelligent necromancer could hope to be.
Screecher Patriarch
huge monstrosity, unaligned
Flight 50ft
Str 15 Dex 20 Con 14 Int 4 Wis 10 Cha 5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic
Ethereal Sight.
The screecher can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.Flyby:
The screecher doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Incorporeal Movement:
When flying, the screecher can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Creatures grappled by the screecher also gain the Incorporeal Movement trait as long as it is grappled.
Keen Senses.
The screecher has Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks using hearing or sight.
Actions
Multiattack.
The screecher may make a beak and a claw attack as one action.
Beak:
Melee Weapon Attack: + 8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6+5) piercing damage.
Claws:
Melee Weapon Attack: + 8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6+5) slashing damage.The target is Grappled (escape DC 13) if it is a huge or smaller creature and the screecher doesn't have another creatures Grappled.
Spectral Screech (Recharge 5-6).
The screecher targets a creature it can see within 60 feet with frightful shriek. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or be Frightened and Restrained for the next minute. At the end of each of its turns an affected creature may repeat this save, the effect ending on success.
Ghastly Pellet (Recharge 6).
The screen spits a pellet of necrotic mucus and undigested bone at a point within 60 ft. On impact the pellet explodes and creatures 2d6 skeletons in any unoccupied squares within 10ft of impact. The skeletons are hostile to any creature, including the screecher. However, they are Frightened of the screecher. The skeletons act right after the screecher on the same initiative count and fight until they are destroyed.
Legendary Actions
The screecher patriarch can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The screecher patrirach regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Claw (1 point). The screecher patriarch makes a Claw attack.
Grave Call (2 points). The screecher patriarch puffs its chest and bellows a soul-chilling sound in a 30ft cone. All creatures in the area of effect must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or take 9 (2d8) necrotic damage or 13 (2d12) necrotic damage if the creature is missing any of its hit points.
Pinion Spray (2 points). The screecher patriarch violently beats its wings and sends spectral pinions zipping throuhgh the air in a 20ft radius. All creatures within this area of effect must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity save or 9 (2d8) necrotic damage and cannot regain hit points until the start of the screecher patriarch's next turn.
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