Viscera Shade
Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class: 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 52 (7d8 + 21)
Speed: 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)
Challenge Rating: 1 (200 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 18 |
Saving Throws: Dexterity +5, Wisdom +4
Skills: Stealth +7, Arcana +4, Intimidation +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: Radiant damage
Damage Resistances: Necrotic damage, Poison damage
Damage Immunities: Psychic damage
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12, Blindsight 10 ft. (can’t discern color, only shades of gray)
Languages: Understands Common and Infernal but can’t speak
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Viscera Shade is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The Viscera Shade has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): **Chill Touch**, **Mage Hand**
1st level (3 slots): **Disguise Self**, **Inflict Wounds**
2nd level (2 slots): **Blindness/Deafness**, **Misty Step**
3rd level (1 slot): **Fear**
**Special Notes about the spellcaster’s spellcasting abilities:**
– The Viscera Shade can effectively use its spells to enhance its ambush tactics, primarily targeting weakened or isolated adversaries.
– The Shade can cast **Fear** (3rd-level spell) to amplify its **Despairing Presence**, creating a terrifying environment for its foes, making it an expert at psychological warfare on the battlefield.
– Its spell selection emphasizes its theme of deception and life-draining, allowing it to manipulate the flow of combat to its advantage.
Actions & Abilities
Life Drain: – **Type:** Ranged Spell Attack
– **Attack:** +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one creature
– **Effect:** On a hit, the target takes **1d8 necrotic damage**, and the Viscera Shade regains hit points equal to the damage dealt.
– **Description:** The Shade reaches out with shadowy tendrils that latch onto the victim, siphoning away vitality.
Whispers of Corruption (Recharge 5-6): – **Type:** Special Ability
– **Saving Throw:** DC 15 Wisdom
– **Effect:** Each round, all creatures within the Ironveil must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be momentarily paralyzed by haunting visions, suffering disadvantage on attacks and saving throws until the end of their next turn.
– **Description:** The air thickens with malevolent whispers, wracking the minds of those who hear with unacknowledged fears.
Shadow Meld: – **Type:** Bonus Action
– **Effect:** The Viscera Shade can become invisible in dim light or darkness until it attacks or ends its turn in bright light.
– **Description:** The creature melts into the shadows, becoming indistinguishable from the darkness that surrounds it, allowing it to lie in wait for an opportune moment.
Despairing Presence: – **Type:** Passive Aura
– **Effect:** Creatures within **10 feet** of the Viscera Shade that can perceive it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw at the start of their turn or take **1d4 psychic damage** and become frightened until the end of their next turn.
– **Description:** The shade emanates an aura of despair, punctuated by echoes of lost souls, chilling the hearts of those nearby.
Echo of Life’s End (Once per Encounter): – **Type:** Special Action
– **Saving Throw:** DC 14 Constitution
– **Effect:** When a creature is reduced to 0 hit points within the Ironveil, the Viscera Shade can charge the iron bars, creating a burst of chaotic energy in a **10-foot radius**. Each affected creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take **3d6 necrotic damage** and be knocked back 10 feet.
– **Description:** The very essence of the Ironveil pulses with energy as the Shade channels its anger and hunger into a devastating burst.
Appearance
Emerging from the depths of shadows, the Viscera Shade commands attention with its haunting, elongated form that hovers effortlessly just above the ground. Its overall silhouette is a medium-sized, ethereal mass reminiscent of smoke curling and rippling in the air, granting it an almost wraith-like presence. The creature’s posture is perpetually hunched, suggesting a blend of fluidity and watchfulness, as if it is always poised to strike or retreat into the darkness.
The Viscera Shade’s coloration is striking—a deep obsidian black that melds perfectly with the surrounding shadows, interrupted sporadically by flickers of a sinister crimson. These glowing crimson embers pulsate like a heartbeat within its form, casting a foreboding glow that contrasts sharply with the inky darkness. The effect is both captivating and disquieting, as the crimson light swirls around, reminiscent of dried blood, hinting at a violent past.
Its surface appears smooth yet ethereal, lacking any solid texture; it seems to shift and flow, resembling a living shadow. Occasionally, metallic iron debris clings to its form, adding an unsettling dimension that accentuates its ghostly nature. This tumultuous surface exudes an air of otherworldliness, with an intangible quality that seems to defy direct observation.
The Viscera Shade’s face is shrouded in darkness, void of distinct features, except for its captivating, ember-like eyes that burn with an unsettling brilliance. These glowing orbs pierce through the gloom, conveying a constant, watchful menace. Where a mouth might exist, shadows wisp outwards, creating an impression of a gash that simmers with malevolent energy, suggesting it is capable of whispering dark omens that send shivers down the spine.
Extending from its amorphous body are thin, elongated appendages that resemble tendrils of smoke. These limbs are not only unsettling but serve a multifaceted purpose; they can grasp, ensnare, or slash with unsettling speed, allowing the creature to strike without warning and retreat into the shadows. Each tendril moves with a subtle grace, enhancing the creature’s predatory nature.
As the Viscera Shade glides through its surroundings, it exudes a low, pulsating energy that crackles with dark magic, causing an almost imperceptible distortion in the air. This barely visible aura enhances its already formidable presence, while the faint whispers of lost souls echo softly around it, creating an eerie ambient soundscape. The undulating shape suggests it exists in a state of flux, hinting at its chaotic connection to the Shadow Plane from which it draws its power.
The Viscera Shade—a mesmerizing embodiment of terror and elegance—thrives in shadows, striking fear into the hearts of those who encounter it, embodying a haunting blend of beauty and dread.
Tactical Information
Viscera Shade: Behavior and Combat Analysis
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
In the shadowy corridors of the Ironveil, the Viscera Shade exists in a constant state of ambivalence, driven by an insatiable thirst for life force. It is a solitary creature, preferring the company of darkness over interaction with other beings. Its motivations stem from an unquenchable hunger to siphon magical energies, specifically targeting spellcasters or those who harbor divinity. Each day is a cycle of lurking in the fringes of dimly lit spaces, waiting for the moment it can harvest the vitality of unsuspecting prey.
With no social interactions to speak of, the Viscera Shade embodies isolation. It navigates the Ironveil with grace, utilizing the environment to blend seamlessly into the shadows. The echoes of lost souls often form a mournful chorus that resonates in its presence, amplifying its aura of despair; it thrives on the torment that emanates from both the surroundings and the victims it chooses to pursue. While it has no prevailing allies nor enemies aside from the shadows it commands, there are whispers among the restless souls that caution against invoking its attention—a blemish of fear that hints at the Shade’s presence.
When it is not preying on the living, the Viscera Shade melds into the environment, becoming one with the darkness. If approached, it will trail its wispy essence along the walls, creating an atmosphere heavy with dread. Its behavior is methodical, often fixating on potential targets, drawn to their latent energies as if sensing their connection to the arcane or divine. Every passing day serves only to fuel its hunger, leaving it a methodical predator ready to engulf the next unfortunate soul drawn into the Ironveil.
Combat Behavior
When combat begins, the Viscera Shade exhibits a predatory instinct, seeking to isolate the weakest members of an adventuring party—the spellcasters and healers. It initiates engagements with cunning, often choosing to manipulate shadows for ambush before striking swiftly from the darkness. Its preferred tactic is to use Shadow Meld, becoming invisible amidst dim light, allowing it to stalk close to its prey without detection.
As the combat unfolds, the Shade directs its Whispers of Corruption toward spellcasters, crippling their ability to function effectively. The moment its target succumbs to paralysis, the Shade takes full advantage of the opening, executing Life Drain attacks that not only deal damage but also replenish its own vitality. This focus on resource extraction underscores its cunning nature as it weaves in and out of combat, darting between sources of shadow, thus evading direct confrontation.
Should the tide of battle turn against it—becoming surrounded or facing overwhelming numbers—the Viscera Shade remains tactically astute. In such situations, it may employ Echo of Life’s End, using the chaos of a fallen comrade to unleash an uncontrolled blast of necrotic energy, creating space to retreat. Its cunning allows it to retreat into shadows, disappearing from sight while assessing threats, only to reposition for another surprise attack later.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
In a non-combat scenario, the Viscera Shade presents a compelling blend of malice and tragic history, driven by a corrupted past. It is not inherently chaotic but rather a dark reflection of the high priestess it once was. When approached or threatened by adventurers, it communicates through haunting whispers that echo through the shadows, vaguely hinting at its lost knowledge and the betrayal that twisted its spirit. It might express a chilling, hollow loneliness that belies its predatory nature, glimpses of its former self shimmering through its madness.
If adventurers attempt diplomacy, the Viscera Shade will assess their motivations, perceiving their vitality and connection to arcane or divine forces. While it is unlikely to engage in meaningful negotiations, it might toy with adventurers, offering riddles wrapped in despair. Bribes of powerful relics or arcane secrets may spark its interest, drawing out its obsession with knowledge long lost. Should negotiations fail or adventurers attempt to invade its domain, the Shade would swiftly revert to its predatory tactics, its demeanor shifting from a deceptive calm to insatiable hunger.
Ultimately, the Viscera Shade stands as a dark, tragic figure, a force compelled both by an unending quest for vitality and by remnants of its former noble intentions. In its legendary encounters, it captures the hearts of adventurers, who face not merely a foe, but a being ensnared in its own tragic tale—a reminder of the perils that lie within the pursuit of forbidden knowledge and the shadows that linger beneath the surface of power.
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