Elegant and terrifying, the sanguisuge appears to be an empty funeral shroud at first glance. Whenever the celestial moves the afterimage of a gaunt, sunken angel appears within the tattered cloth complete with mangy wings. When seen, the sanguisuge's features are stretched tight with pain, eyes hardened with resolve. Some witnesses observe that its legs tapper off into muscle on which maggots writhe within. Though, its its legs actually end with spectral shins and feet. Likewise, the angel's weapon cannot be seen until it is already in motion. The head of the axe the sanguisuge wields is cast from its plucked feathers, dipped in the heavenly gold before being set into place. No doubt the silver-gilded bones of the weapon's haft came from its legs.

Two Feet in the Grave. The sanguisuges are driven by a divine hatred of the undead that will never waver. The angelic order has gone so far as to walk through the waters of the River Akheron until their lower legs withered and fell away like boiled meat and the bones. Each sanguisuge snatched its bones from the river of pain and plucked its own feathers to fashion a weapon capable of laying the undead to their final rest. At the same time, they gained abilities not unlike those that the sanguisuges now hunt.

Some would say this celestials' loathing of the restless dead goes too far. It is not unheard of one to lay waste to mortals who have merely been brushed with zombies, fed on by a vampire, or suffered the touch of a ghoul just to make sure they will never become a problem.

Sanguisuge

Large celestial, lawful good

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)

Speed 30ft

Flight 40ft

Str 16 Dex 15 Con 18 Int 13 Wis 18 Cha 16

Saving Throws Con +9, Cha +8

Skills Survival +14 (expertise)

Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities necrotic

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages All, telepathy 60 ft.

Challenge 13 (10000 XP)

Ashes to Ashes.

Creatures destroyed by the sanguisuge are reduced to lifeless, grey dust. They cannot rise as undead. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.

Magic Resistance.

The celestial has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons.

The sanguisuge's weapon attacks are magical.

Undertaker.

Whenever the sanguisuge attacks an undead creature it gains a +4 to hit and deals and additional 4d8 radiant damage.

Actions

Multiattack.

The sanguisauge makes two great axe attacks and one sunbeam attack as one action.

Great Axe.

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (2d12+3) slashing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.

Sunbeam.

Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit. Range 120/360ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (5d6+3) radiant damage.

Dust to Dust (Recharge 6).

The sangusine takes a great inhale in a 30ft cone, sucking the blood and life force from creatures in the area of effect. These creatures must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution scores or take 38 (7d10 ) necrotic damage, taking no damage on success.

Creatures normally immune to necrotic damage are only resistant to this necrotic damage instead, but gain Advantage on the saving throw.