The Blind Watcher
Large Aberration, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 150 (20d10 + 40)
Speed: 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover), teleport 30 ft.
Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 18 | 14 | 22 | 20 | 16 |
Saving Throws: Strength +5, Dexterity +8, Constitution +6, Wisdom +9, Intelligence +10, Charisma +7
Skills: Arcana +10, Perception +9, Stealth +8, Insight +9
Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant damage
Damage Resistances: Physical damage: Resistance to non-magical attacks, Fire, Psychic, and Necrotic damage: Resistance
Damage Immunities: Poison and Lightning damage
Condition Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, and Paralyzed
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), True Sight 30 ft.
Languages: Understands Deep Speech and Abyssal, telepathically communicates within 60 ft.
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Blind Watcher is an 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The Blind Watcher has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Eldritch Blast*, *Minor Illusion*, *Thaumaturgy*
1st level (4 slots): *Fog Cloud*, *Disguise Self*, *Charm Person*
2nd level (3 slots): *Mirror Image*, *Misty Step*, *Shadow Blade*
3rd level (3 slots): *Fear*, *Counterspell*, *Hypnotic Pattern*
4th level (2 slots): *Greater Invisibility*, *Phantasmal Killer*
5th level (1 slot): *Wall of Force*, *Cloudkill*
Special notes: Before combat, the Blind Watcher often begins by casting *Fog Cloud* to obscure visibility, creating a chaotic environment. It uses *Mirror Image* to protect itself from incoming attacks once it feels threatened, and utilizes *Fear* to instill dread in its foes at the opportune moment, effectively controlling the battlefield through its manipulation of arcane energies.
Actions & Abilities
Multiattack: The Blind Watcher makes two claw attacks and can cast one spell.
Claw: – Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
– Hit: 2d8 + 4 slashing damage.
– Effect: If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15). The Watcher can grapple a number of creatures equal to its Wisdom modifier (currently 3).
Void Pulse: – Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
– Hit: 3d10 psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take an additional 2d10 psychic damage and become incapacitated until the end of their next turn from overwhelming dread.
Chilling Mists (Recharge 5-6): – The Blind Watcher releases a wave of frigid mist in a 20 ft. radius centered on itself.
– Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, creatures that fail the save are slowed (reduced speed by half and cannot take reactions) until the end of their next turn.
Summon Illusory Minions: – The Blind Watcher summons 2d4 shadowy cultist duplicates. These minions have AC 12, 10 hit points, and last for 1 minute. They can use the following action:
– Maddening Strike: Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 3 psychic damage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the Watcher’s next turn.
Eldritch Vision (Legendary Action): The Watcher targets one creature it can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
Dark Mirage (Costs 2 Actions): The Watcher may create a momentary illusion of a horrifying creature. All creatures in a 10 ft. cone must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 2d8 psychic damage and be incapacitated until the end of their next turn.
Step Through Shadows (Costs 3 Actions): The Blind Watcher teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see, making it harder for players to reach it or retaliate.
Appearance
In the dimly lit depths of the Abyssal Labyrinth, the Blind Watcher looms as an eerie testament to the lost artistry of creation. Towering at an imposing 8 feet, its slender, elongated silhouette stands like a gaunt specter against the stark backdrop of pure white. The creature’s haunting elegance is accentuated by its emaciated form, which strikes a menacing yet majestic pose, poised to strike its unseen prey.
Its skin, a pallid grey reminiscent of ancient stone, bears intricate, dark arcane symbols that pulse with a life of their own. These pulsating patterns swirl across its body like ink flowing across parchment, revealing iridescent hues of deep blues and purples that flicker softly in the ambient light. The smooth, cold surface of its flesh further enhances its otherworldly presence, exuding an unsettling allure that captivates yet terrifies.
The Blind Watcher’s face, devoid of any eyes, features hollow sockets that flicker with otherworldly light. These voids momentarily reveal visions of past horrors, capturing the essence of forgotten nightmares. Its mouth, a thin, elongated line devoid of lips, showcases needle-like teeth, curling into a sinister grin that evokes an unsettling blend of madness and sorrow.
With arms that stretch into spindly appendages, each finger tapers into razor-sharp claws, embodying an instrument of precision rather than brute force. Its legs, similarly elongated and grotesquely bent at the joints, allow for a unique gait that combines stealthy shuffling with ghostly, fluid grace. Every movement echoes silence, the creature gliding with an almost ethereal quality that belies its haunting countenance.
A crown of swirling mists encircles its head, cascading down its form like a shroud of shadows, as darkness itself seems to conspire with its presence. The atmosphere thickens with an oppressive weight, hinting at the dread it exudes. The glowing markings on its skin pulse rhythmically, casting a dim, spectral light that enhances its otherworldly aura, particularly when it casts its dark powers.
The Blind Watcher often adopts a hunched posture, crafting a ghostly silhouette against the cavern walls, but its movements defy predictability. Shifting rapidly between phases of visibility, it plays with the shadow and light, embracing the very darkness that surrounds it. Each step pulls in ambient light, creating a thickening gloom that follows in its wake, drawing forth the fear of those unfortunate enough to cross its path.
In a striking pose, the Blind Watcher embodies a fusion of haunting beauty and dread, an unmistakable specter of the abyss, inviting curiosity yet instilling terror in equal measure. Through its unique colors, textures, and unearthly traits, it remains a vivid representation of the unknown, leaving an indelible impression on the minds of those who dare to gaze upon it.
Tactical Information
The Blind Watcher: Tactical Information
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
In the shadowed recesses of the Abyssal Labyrinth, where echoes distort perception and fear hangs heavy like the oppressive fog, the Blind Watcher exists as a singular entity, a cursed custodian bound to the labyrinth’s machinations. Its daily activities are dictated by the rhythms of dark rituals and the unending whispers that fill the air. The Watcher is not driven by hunger in the conventional sense; it is sustained by the energy of the labyrinth and the arcane knowledge that fills the air like dense smoke.
Typically, the Blind Watcher is a solitary figure, shrouded in mystery and surrounded by an aura of dread. There are no companions or allies; it communicates with the unseen forces of the labyrinth, allowing them to shape its perceptions and guide its actions. The Blind Watcher observes intruders from a distance, always vigilant and attuned to any disturbances in the realm around it.
Its motivations are rooted in the safeguarding of a forbidden ritual that promises to awaken the terrors of the abyss. The Watcher sees itself as a necessary guardian—one who must keep turmoil at bay, even as its own sanity frays. On occasion, it may demonstrate curiosity about occasional travelers, listening to their intentions through the tendrils of the labyrinth’s essence, but any suggestion of disruption to its duties produces a hostile reaction.
Combat Behavior
When faced with intruders, the Blind Watcher is methodical and tactical, embodying the true nature of a sentinel of chaos. At the onset of combat, it employs the labyrinth’s dark energy to shape the battlefield in its favor. It initiates engagements by summoning the mist—the Fog Cloud obscuring vision and disorienting its foes. From hidden vantage points, the Watcher retains a certain ethereal quality, choosing when to engage and when to retreat behind a shield of magical illusions.
Rather than attacking head-on, the Blind Watcher seeks to manipulate environments and emotions. It prefers to create zones of danger, casting Wall of Fire or Fear to shepherd intruders into precarious positions, where they may be vulnerable to further onslaughts or illusions. Illusory minions are summoned as facades to dominate and divide the players’ attention, forcing them into panic and confusion; shadowy cultists mirror the players’ movements but aren’t bound by the same limitations.
If the tide of battle begins to turn in the favor of the players, the Blind Watcher can retreat into the shifting shadows of the labyrinth, utilizing Eldritch Surge to spawn a chaotic energy wave around it—retreating deeper into the labyrinth’s heart, leaving behind its illusions to harass and ensnare. However, as an embodiment of madness and grand design, if cornered, it may resort to Terrifying Focus, targeting a single adversary to engulf them in visions of their own doom, seeking to sow discord within the party.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
The Blind Watcher embodies a profound enigma, its lack of sight enhancing its otherworldly terror. In non-combat encounters, it communicates primarily through unsettling echoes and whispers, the voices of the labyrinth melding into vague prophecies and cryptic warnings. If approached, the Watcher may present an unsettling combination of curiosity and immediate hostility—speaking in riddles while probing the intentions of those who dare intrude, as if trying to discern potential threats or allies.
Attempts at diplomacy are met with caution; the Watcher may pause, allowing the unsettling ambiance to swirl around the adventurers as it weighs offers of negotiation or gifts. However, persuasion is often futile unless it aligns with the Watcher’s intertwined motives of knowledge and protection. Any overt signs of aggression or threats will prompt a swift, potentially violent response, for it already sees the intruders as unwelcome harbingers of chaos.
The Watcher’s temperament is one of an oracle—both tragic and terrifying. Those who seek its favor may find it willing to offer vague guidance or cryptic clues in exchange for an offering of memories, knowledge, or arcane relics. Yet, it is as likely to resent such overtures, feeling that no tribute could ever be sufficient to balance the delicate energies it harbors.
Should the adventurers press upon it, their efforts will evoke protective fury more often than not. The Blind Watcher could be cornered into revealing a fragment of its tragic past, but this will not lead to sympathy; instead, any insight gleaned is wrapped in madness. It remains an entity to fear and dare not trust, a being that walks the line between prophecy and insanity, forever haunted by the whispers resonating from the depths of the abyss.
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