Whisperwrought Revenant
Medium Undead, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Challenge Rating: 9 (5,000 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 20 |
Saving Throws: Strength + 7, Dexterity + 9, Constitution + 8, Wisdom + 9, Charisma + 10
Skills: Stealth +12, Insight +9, Deception +10, Perception +9, Intimidation +10
Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant
Damage Resistances: Psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison, necrotic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, frightened, paralyzed
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages: understands Common and Celestial but cannot speak
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Whisperwrought Revenant is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The Revenant has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Eldritch Blast*, *Minor Illusion*, *Thaumaturgy*
1st level (4 slots): *Disguise Self*, *Dissonant Whispers*, *Silent Image*
2nd level (3 slots): *Blur*, *Mirror Image*, *Misty Step*
3rd level (3 slots): *Fear*, *Nondetection*, *Bestow Curse*
4th level (3 slots): *Greater Invisibility*, *Phantasmal Killer*
5th level (2 slots): *Dominate Person*, *Modify Memory*
The Whisperwrought Revenant utilizes its spells to manipulate the battlefield and sow fear among its foes. It often casts *Fear* at the beginning of combat to scatter opponents, and *Greater Invisibility* to remain elusive while targeting vulnerable enemies with its other abilities. The Revenant prefers to use *Dissonant Whispers* and *Bestow Curse* on foes who reveal their secrets, echoing their inner turmoil in a broader way, drawing power from the chaos it creates. Before combat, it may cast *Disguise Self* to appear as a non-threatening creature, using stealth and cunning to get into a position to attack when its enemies let their guard down.
Actions & Abilities
Multiattack: The Whisperwrought Revenant makes three attacks: two with its Shadow Talons and one with Whispers of Truth and Lies.
Shadow Talons: – Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
– Hit: 2d8 + 4 slashing damage plus 1d6 psychic damage (the whispers tormenting the target).
– Effect: The target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened until the end of their next turn as they hear their own whispers of doubt.
Whispers of Truth and Lies (Recharge 5-6): – Area Effect: The Revenant forces all creatures within a 120-foot radius to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 17).
– On a failed save: The target must reveal one secret from their past, taking 5d10 psychic damage; they become Frightened until the end of their next turn.
– On a successful save: The target takes half damage and does not become frightened.
Shadow Step: – Special Ability: The Revenant melds into shadows as a bonus action.
– Effect: It teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space that is heavily obscured, providing it with advantage on its next attack roll.
Echoing Assault: – Melee Weapon Attack: Can be used after the Whisperwrought Revenant hits a creature with a melee attack.
– Effect: The target takes an additional 2d8 psychic damage immediately as they hear echoing whispers of their fears.
Phantasmic Companion (3 per day): – Special Ability: The Revenant summons spectral versions of individuals from the canyon’s past (1d4) to assist in combat.
– Effect: These phantoms act on the Revenant’s initiative and can make life drain attacks (1d6 + 2 necrotic damage).
Unsettling Presence: – When hit by an attack: The Revenant can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll as the whispering voices grow louder and more dissonant, causing hesitation. If the attack misses, the attacker must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 2d4 psychic damage.
Mysterious Echoes (Lair Action): All creatures in the lair must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of their next turn by the overwhelming sound of whispers echoing their deepest regrets.
Veil of Shadows (Lair Action): The Revenant creates a 20-foot radius sphere of magical darkness centered on a point it can see within 60 feet. This darkness lasts until the end of the next round and heavily obscures the area, providing advantageous conditions for stealth.
Manifested Guilt (Lair Action): The Revenant can force all adventurers to confront a personal fear manifested as a shadowy figure. Each creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn.
Appearance
In the dim embrace of Veilstone Ravine, a creature known as the Whisperwrought Revenant looms, embodying an unsettling blend of ethereal menace and haunting beauty. Standing at an imposing 6 feet tall, its medium-sized, humanoid form is both elongated and distorted, giving it an almost fluid silhouette that ebbs and flows with the shifting shadows. The play of light creates an illusion of size, making the Revenant appear taller or shorter depending on the viewer’s angle, enhancing its spectral presence.
Its skin is a chilling, unnatural gray, reminiscent of polished stone submerged beneath dark waters. Deep indigo streaks mar its surface, resembling shadowy veins pulsating to an otherworldly rhythm, infusing the creature with an unsettling vitality. This unique coloration draws the eye and deepens its menacing allure, particularly in the scant light that filters through the canyon.
The texture of the Revenant’s skin adds to its uncanny nature. It is smooth yet slightly slick, with a subtle sheen that seems to absorb rather than reflect light. Jagged markings adorn its form—ancient glyphs that hint at the powerful magic coursing through its being. This textured surface not only contributes to its fearsome facade but also seems to shimmer imperceptibly, evoking the image of a dark gem half-buried in shadow.
Its facial features are almost hauntingly featureless, save for two hollow sockets that replace traditional eyes. In their place flicker glimmers of cold, distant light, evoking the dying stars in a moonless sky. These haunting lights bestow a sense of otherworldliness, making it impossible to gaze without feeling a tug of fear. When the Revenant parts its mouth, a void filled with ethereal mist emerges instead of teeth, allowing it to emit guttural sounds and eerie whispers that chill the air.
The Revenant’s limbs are spindly and elongated, endowed with an unsettling grace. Its long fingers taper off into ghostly talons, each exuding a continuous mist that gives the impression of spectral claws poised for unfathomable purpose. Its gaunt legs possess similar elegance and allow it to glide, rather than walk, moving with an eerie silence that is both mesmerizing and disquieting. This gliding motion enhances its unsettling presence, making it appear as though it hovers just above the ground.
At its neck hangs an obsidian charm that glimmers darkly, a remnant of its lost former life. The charm serves as a focal point for the pulsating glyphs that travel across its body, subtly illuminating the surrounding darkness with a soft, ghostly glow. This bioluminescent quality not only allows fleeting glimpses of its form from the corner of one’s eye but also heightens the fear and despair it induces in onlookers.
The Whisperwrought Revenant maintains a constantly hunched posture, as if in perpetual anticipation. This curvature enhances its listening ability, drawing attention to the whispers of the canyon that seem to respond to its presence. As it glides through the shadows, an enveloping mist swirls around it, distorting its already ghostly figure. This mist thickens at times, allowing it to cloak the surrounding area in an aura of dread.
In its entirety, the Whisperwrought Revenant embodies a captivating yet terrifying presence, merging graceful elegance with an undeniable sense of foreboding. As it navigates the shadows, the whispered echoes of its existence linger, haunting the minds of those who dare to encounter it, ensuring that its eerie allure and ominous nature remain forever etched in memory.
Tactical Information
Whisperwrought Revenant: Tactical and Narrative Behavior
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
In the dim, echoed recesses of Veilstone Ravine, the Whisperwrought Revenant exists in a state of perpetual silence, broken only by the subtle overtures of the whispers surrounding it. This entity rarely engages with others, preferring the solitude offered by the canyon’s shadows, and spends its days drifting through the dark corridors, weaving tales of despair and lost hope into the souls of wayward travelers.
Motivation: The Revenant is driven by an insatiable hunger for vengeance against the civilization that birthed its cursed form. It wants the truths of the past to come to light, but it revels most in shrouding those truths in torment and confusion. The echoes it nurtures serve as both a source of sustenance and a reminder of its tragic history. Each adventurer that stumbles into its realm represents a new opportunity to expose sins and elicit pain.
Social Interactions: The Revenant is inherently solitary, having lost empathy and camaraderie in its transformation. Instead, it is a master manipulator, communicating solely through haunting sounds and whispers that provoke fear, drawing out secrets without the need for direct interaction. When it does observe other beings, whether they be mortals or the remnants of the past, it tends to stay hidden, preferring to sow uncertainty rather than reveal its presence until the moment it finds the right opportunity to strike or haunt.
Hunting and Feeding Habits: Though it does not require a material sustenance like typical predators, the Revenant feeds on the emotional despair and trauma of those it encounters. It draws energy from the vulnerabilities it exploits, rejuvenating itself with each whispered torment that rattles its prey. Every secret revealed before it sustains its existence, fostering a cycle of ever-increasing dread within the canyon.
Combat Behavior
In combat encounters, the Whisperwrought Revenant approaches the fray like a sinister specter, lurking just out of sight until it senses an opportunity to sow chaos among its adversaries.
Initiating Combat: Initially, the Revenant engages in psychological warfare, subtly taunting its victims with whispers that seep into their minds. It waits until its targets are distracted or vulnerable, feeding off their fears before it reveals its nightmarish form and unleashes its spectral wrath.
Preferred Tactics: The Revenant favors guerrilla-style tactics, utilizing its ability to meld into shadows to reposition itself effectively mid-fight. When moving into combat, it looks to isolate weaker opponents or spellcasters, using Shadowmancy to teleport and evade attacks. Its primary goal is to destabilize the party’s morale with Echoing Assault, focusing on those individuals whose emotional vulnerability it can sense, driving them into despair with unexpected bursts of debilitating psychic damage.
Use of Special Abilities: Throughout the encounter, the Revenant frequently uses Whispers of Truth and Lies to compel adventurers to reveal their deepest secrets, simultaneously dealing psychic damage and causing panic. When outnumbered or facing strong opposition, it employs Phantasmic Companion to summon spirits from the canyon’s dark history, augmenting its forces and creating further chaos.
Reacting to Adversity: If the tide of battle turns against it, the Revenant is quick to escape and regroup within the myriad shadows of the canyon, teleporting beyond the reach of its foes. However, when forced to engage in direct combat, it might unleash Final Whispers, immobilizing enemies with fright to regain the upper hand or retreat, making sure to leave a trail of desperation behind as it fades away into the abyss.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
In non-combat encounters, the Whisperwrought Revenant employs intrigue and cunning. When approached, it rarely reveals itself fully but interacts through the spread of whispers that echo off the canyon walls.
Response to Threats: Should it perceive an impending attack, the Revenant will merely fade into shadow, allowing the threat to pass harmlessly, while intriguing whispers play tricks on the minds of those who seek to confront it.
Diplomacy Attempts: The Revenant is neither diplomatic nor merciful. Attempts at negotiation may result in chilling laughter echoing through the air, followed by a chilling question laced with dark temptation—promises of forbidden knowledge and secrets long hidden. It speaks through echoing whispers that reveal more than they conceal, using the players’ secrets as leverage rather than seeking goodwill.
Bribes and Offerings: While this creature is not motivated by material wealth, it might respond to offerings of emotional significance, such as a promise to right past wrongs or attempt to help the trapped souls in the canyon. These offerings could lead it to reveal glimpses of wisdom, but they are fraught with danger, often winding the adventurer deeper into the tangles of the Revenant’s plans.
Emotional Complexity: The Whisperwrought Revenant’s personality is steeped in anger and confusion. It has no true desire to negotiate; instead, it is an embodiment of shattered trust and lost hopes—a passive, haunting specter whose very nature is to provoke torment. If cornered, it exudes a palpable aura of unease, and while it may consider feigning submission, the whispers will give away its intentions, leading it into a deceptive dance that could result in sudden, violent outbursts.
In summary, the Whisperwrought Revenant embodies the essence of its surroundings, wielding emotional turmoil as both weapon and shield. Whether through combat or conversation, it twists the very fabric of the adventurers’ psyche, leaving an indelible mark on anyone who crosses its path.
