The Veiled Vexatious
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 70 (15d8)
Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Challenge Rating: 4 (1,100 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 18 |
Saving Throws: Dexterity +7, Wisdom +6, Charisma +7
Skills: Stealth +10, Insight +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: None
Damage Resistances: Psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: None
Condition Immunities: Charmed, frightened, paralyzed, restrained
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages: Understands Abyssal and Common but cannot speak
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Veiled Vexatious is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The Veiled Vexatious has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Eldritch Blast*, *Minor Illusion*
1st level (3 slots): *Disguise Self*, *Dissonant Whispers*
2nd level (2 slots): *Mirror Image*, *Misty Step*
3rd level (1 slot): *Fear*
The Veiled Vexatious uses its spellcasting to enhance its predatory tactics within the shadows. Before combat, it may cast *Disguise Self* to appear as a familiar ally or object, luring adventurers into a false sense of security. The *Mirror Image* spell can be used immediately as combat begins, creating illusory duplicates to confuse attackers. The *Fear* spell heightens the overall atmosphere of despair and chaos, compelling foes to flee in terror, amplifying the psychological effects of its presence.
Actions & Abilities
Shadowy Veil: *Melee Spell Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. **Hit:** 12 (2d8 + 2) psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of its next turn. While frightened, the target has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.
Disorienting Flicker: **Effect:** The Veiled Vexatious may teleport to a location it can see within 30 feet, seamlessly merging into the shadows. Immediately after it reappears, it causes a wave of confusion for those nearby. Each creature within a 10-foot radius of its new location must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 5 (1d10) psychic damage and grant disadvantage on their next attack roll.
Spectral Whispers (Recharge 5-6): *Area of Effect:* 30-foot radius centered on the Vexatious. Each creature of its choice within that area must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. **On a failure:** The creature takes 18 (4d8) psychic damage and is incapacitated until the end of its next turn. **On a success:** The creature takes half damage and suffers no additional effects.
Nightmare’s Embrace: *Effect:* The Veiled Vexatious can choose to become invisible until the start of its next turn. This invisibility ends if it attacks or casts a spell.
Evasive Shadow: When The Veiled Vexatious is hit by a melee attack, it may use its reaction to teleport 10 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. The attack roll has disadvantage if it was made by a creature in melee range.
Appearance
Rising from the shadows, the Veiled Vexatious presents an arresting wraith-like silhouette, hovering gracefully at around 5 feet tall. Its form is ethereal, characterized by a swirling, shadowy mass that expands and contracts fluidly, evoking a sense of mystery and uncertainty. The creature seems to stretch into the darkness around it, almost merging with its surroundings, making it difficult to discern its full size at a glance.
The coloration is mesmerizing—a deep, inky blackness dominates its figure, interspersed with enchanting flickers of dark purple and deep blue, creating an illusion of dancing shadows. At moments, a silvery hue emanates from its form, hinting at otherworldly radiance. This interplay of colors not only captures the eye but instills an unsettling aura, as if the darkness itself is alive.
The texture of the Veiled Vexatious is equally captivating; it flows and undulates like a mist, smooth yet dynamic, with trails of shadow that slip away into the air. Its surface appears to shimmer, suggesting a surface that shifts between solidity and void. This ghostly presence is enhanced by the faint whispers trailing behind as it moves, echoing an eerie melody that heightens the spine-chilling atmosphere.
Its face is largely obscured, adding to its haunting mystique. Two piercing white eyes glow with an intense inner light, cutting through the surrounding darkness like twin beacons. The absence of traditional facial features such as a nose or mouth evokes a profound sense of unease, as if one gazes into an endless chasm rather than a living being.
The creature’s limbs are elongated and wispy, with arms that taper into talon-like fingers, appearing almost like ghostly tendrils. These fingers stretch and curl with an inviting yet threatening quality, enhancing its predatory nature. Notably, the Veiled Vexatious lacks legs, gliding through the air effortlessly in a fluid, mesmerizing motion that hints at both grace and menace.
In movement, the Vexatious adopts a partially hunched posture, always poised in a way that suggests readiness to strike. Its erratic gliding gives the impression of an otherworldly being flitting between realms, disorienting all those who encounter it. The atmosphere thickens with an aura of foreboding whenever the creature is near, as the shadows of the environment seem to respond to its presence—twisting and writhing as if alive, creating a halo of darkness that adds to its striking yet eerie visage.
Distinctively, the Veiled Vexatious is marked by its glowing white eyes and the unsettling whispers that accompany its every movement—attributes that amplify the aura of dread and anticipation. In its entirety, this creature stands as an embodiment of shadow and mystery, a dynamic figure that captures the essence of fear itself against a solid white background.
Tactical Information
Narrative and Tactical Information for The Veiled Vexatious
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life:
In the whispering confines of the Hall of Shadows, the Veiled Vexatious thrives in an environment thick with despair and uncertainty. It wanders amidst the echoing halls, taking pleasure in the psychological torment it inflicts upon those who stumble into its domain. During its moments of respite, it melds with the shadows, merging into the very fabric of the darkness that envelops the space—its form almost indistinct. The intoxication of fear acts as its sustenance, and as such, the creature feels a compulsive desire to lure intruders deeper into the shadows where their anxieties can swirl like tempestuous storms.
The Vexatious does not exhibit overt social behaviors; rather, it is a solitary entity, haunted by the remnants of the sorceress’s emotions that birthed it. It has a keen understanding of the fears that exist within fragile minds and uses that knowledge as a tool for torment. Occasionally, it may capture wayward souls in an ethereal grasp, drawing out their fears to satiate its own insatiable hunger for more tormenting whispers. This cyclical feeding on fear creates a perplexing paradox—while it relishes in the anguish it brings, it remains perpetually haunted by its own existence, captured in the anguish that produced it.
Combat Behavior:
When intruding adventurers cross the threshold of the Hall of Shadows, the Veiled Vexatious often seems to vanish into the gloom until a moment of vulnerability arises—when one of them falters under the weight of their doubt or fear. At the outset of combat, it uses its Incapacitating Grasp to target those who exhibit the least mental fortitude, using their fear against them to incapacitate them temporarily. With stealth and cunning, the Vexatious will utilize areas of shadow to evade detection, moving swiftly and silently. It has a preference for starting encounters on the back foot, observing the adventurers from a distance before striking.
In the fray of combat, the Vexatious capitalizes on its high Dexterity, darting around the battlefield at an alarming speed. Should the fight turn against it or it finds itself outnumbered, it employs Shadow Flare both as a means of escape as well as a tactical repositioning move. The aura it creates serves not only to disorient adversaries but also to mask its retreat, assuming shadows once more to evade danger. If cornered, it can unleash Whispers of Despair, unleashing a psychic attack meant to sow further chaos and confusion, alternatively buying time to disappear entirely.
Alternatively, it may seek to exploit potential weaknesses—targeting spellcasters who may rely heavily on concentration or utilizing various environmental features, such as pillars or shadows to maintain a constant state of ambush. The entity is calculated, preferring to incapacitate and dismantle its foes rather than face them head-on, relishing in the psychological manipulation of the battlefield.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions:
Outside of combat, the Veiled Vexatious prefers to communicate through visceral experiences rather than conventional dialogue. It may influence the environment, shifting shadows and whispering chilling sounds that play on the fears of its foes, creating an atmosphere of dread. When adventurers venture too close, they may hear whispers that mimic their own worst fears, conjuring visions that blur the line between reality and nightmares.
In narrative encounters, the Veiled Vexatious may toy with those who attempt to reason or negotiate. It is reluctant to speak, seeing words as unnecessary in conveying its intent. If presented with offerings, it may respond not by taking physical objects but by granting brief moments of clarity, alleviating fears for a fleeting heartbeat, only to twist the experience into something more sinister, amplifying the feelings of despair upon their departure. Should adventurers attempt to corner or overpower it, the creature’s innate instinct is to warp reality around them—uncountable shadows creating vivid illusionary landscapes meant to exploit their psyche and drive them toward desperation.
In all interactions, the Veiled Vexatious embodies a singular sentiment—it revels in fear, not for the chaos it creates, but for the deeper, underlying anguish that resembles its own existence, an eternal pain that echoes through the shadow of its being.
The Veiled Vexatious is not merely a creature of combat; it is a psychological specter woven deeply into the fabric of despair. It thrives on the fear and uncertainty that accompany adventurers, making every encounter a rich tapestry of both battle and introspection.
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