Dreamhunter Minion: Cauchemar

The network of inky arteries, capillaries, and veins usually forms a roughly humanoid shape as if the cardiovascular system has been pulled directly out of a corpse. Where a face should be and isn't burns two pin pricks of infernal light and sadistic intelligence. Sometimes the cauchermar walks like a person with one 'foot' in front of another. In other instances, it undulates along as a crawling collection of black blood vessels toward its prey. With little care for natural law this collection can climb along walls and ceilings, or slither through barriers entirely.

Elevated Abhorrence. Every cauchemar started out as a sleepwalker. enthralled by Hypatatos the Dreamhunter. As time passed it went from a insidiously dominated pawn to a true undead. Over decades the horror steadily lost its connection to the waking world. The cauchemar has everything about its corporeal form and now exists as strands of pure nightmare. It hunts the most difficult prey which has caught its master's eye and guards the depths of Hypatatos' domain. The cauchemar uses fear itself to crush the life from its victims and damn poor souls to sleepwalk on the same path which led to its transformation.

Cauchemar

Medium undead, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 11

Hit Points 142 (15d8 + 75)

Speed 30ft

Climb 30ft

Str 18 Dex 13 Con 20 Int 13 Wis 16 Cha 12

Saving Throws Con +9

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison, psychic

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned

Sensesdarkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

Languages-

Challenge 10 (5900 XP)

Illumination.

The cauchemar's eyes glow with the strength of a match and is unaffected by the Doom and Gloom ability.

Clinging Darkness.

The terrain within 15ft of cauchemar is considered difficult terrain if it is heavily obscured. Undead creatures and creatures immune to the frightened condition are immune to this effect.

Doom and Gloom.

All light sources within 30ft around the cauchemar dims by one step. Creatures who enter this area for the first time or begin their turn there must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom save or have Disadvantage on attack rolls and skill checks until the end of turn. Creatures that are immune to the frightened condition are immune to this effect.

Incorporeal.

The cauchemar can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 1d10 force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Innate Spellcasting.

The cauchemar's spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It requires no material components to cast its spells. Creatures that are immune to the frightened condition gain Advantage on saves against its spells.

At Will: Hold Monster, Sleep

Parasitic Regeneration.

The cauchemar regains Hit Points equal to the total hit dice of creatures paralyzed by its abilities and attacks at the start of its turn. The cauchemar dies only if it starts its turn with 0 Hit Points and doesn't Regenerate.

Actions

Multiattack.

The cauchemar makes two infest attacks as one action.

Infest

Melee Weapon +8 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit 13(3d8) necrotic damage and 13 (3d8) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be Paralyzed for the next minute. A Paralyzed creature can repeat this save at the end of each of its turns, the effect ending on success. Creatures immune to the Frightened condition gain Advantage on this save. If a humanoid creature is reduced to 0 hit points by this attack it automatically stabilizes and rises 1d4 rounds later as a sleepwalker.

Reactions

Smell of Fear.

If a creature fails a save against the cauchemar's Doom and Gloom, the cauchemar may use its reaction to move up to 30ft toward that creature.